Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Aerial Sprayers

It did not take long after the first microlights were introduced into New Zealand that farmers saw that they could be of use on the farm.  And if you were doing aerial work such as spraying only on your own farm it seemed like there was nothing to stop you.

 The Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport at the time did not allow their commercial use and declared microlights to be only “fun/pleasure  machines”.  However this did not stop some early microlighters from carrying out spraying on their own farms: 

Ken Hoult of Scotsman’s Valley near Morrinsville spraying his farm from his Kasperwing micolight.  The spray equipment was four micron X15 spray heads fed from a spray tank either side of the pilot.  I am not sure what he was spraying for.  The Kasperwing could spray 100 acres for two and a half gallons of two stroke fuel and cost around $6,000 at the time.  (Paul Legg photo)

 Aerial spraying by microlight was also happening in the South Island with four Pterodactyls being fitted for spraying in Southland in 1983 (on the owner’s farm of course).  They also applied the trace elements cobalt and selenium in prill form from a small hopper to promote lamb growth and stock health.  It was quite thoroughly researched with field trials. 

The Pterodactyls sprayed very successfully for yellow stripe rust on wheat and barley crops using five CDA (Controlled Drop Application) spray heads at 6 foot spacing that were each driven by an electric motor and that spun the spray out using very little water to give a spray width of 50 feet.  It took about 5 minutes to spray 10 acres.  The big advantage of spraying from a microlight was that it could cover 10 acres using only 18 litres of chemical mixed with water and achieve the same results as a helicopter which used more than ten times the volume of chemicals.  Bantams were also used for re-seeding and prill sowing work in the South. 

Murray Hagen demonstrating the spray from the CDA nozzles on his Pterodactyl.  He also used a Pterodactyl Ptiger for cobalt prill application. (Photo via Murray Hagen)

And there were also microlights spraying in other areas: 

A couple of photos of Joe Collins (I think) spraying from a Quicksilver probably in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.  These photos are from Jim Barnett.  Graeme Carlson also told me that he did a lot of spraying, sometimes with Joe Collins and Terry Casserly, over 14 years in the Huntly and Ohinewai areas.

And there was also spraying done from Bantams. - below is an unidentified Bantam B22 set up as a sprayer at Te Kowhai:.

I also know of one more recent microlight that was equipped with spray gear, being the Quicksilver GT 500 ZK-MIC3 that was registered to I M Coleman of Mahoenui which is South West of Te Kuiti.  Here is a photo of it with spray booms from Trade Me when he was trying to sell it.  It has since been sold overseas. 

Quicksilver GT 500 ZK-MIC the third with spray booms.

 And I also know of one homebuilt Jodel D 11 that was fitted with spray gear for spraying the owner’s farm.

Can anyone out there add any more information on microlights spraying in New Zealand?