TAAA Newsletter

June 11, 2018

Texas Agricultural Aviation Association | www.taaa.org

TAAA Newsletter

High Winds In Southeast Texas Hits Hard

A few weeks ago, a strong thunderstorm that formed in western Louisiana moved and approached Texas from the northeast right into TAAA member, Andy Mitchell M&M Air Services, operations. Reported winds where over 60 kts and it is still to be determined if it was straight line wind or tornado that hit their hanger head on. The winds broke one of the Mitchell's 802 aircraft from the tie down and moved it over 100 yds across the M&M's airport and damaged two of their other 802's sitting in the hanger, one with substantial damage. The hanger it self is a complete loss.

Andy Mitchell reported to TAAA that they have repaired one of the damaged 802 aircrafts and working on the second. The third aircraft will have to be disassembled and taken to a factory repair center.

This is the second time in less than a year that M&M has been hit hard by weather - first Harvey and now this.

Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Fiscal 2019 Bill with Aerial Research Support Language

via NAAA - On May 24, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved a $145.1 billion appropriations bill to support federal agriculture and nutrition programs for the 2019 fiscal year. The $145.1 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding is $6.2 billion above the President's budget request and $710 million below the enacted level for the 2018 fiscal year.

The bill provides $2.73 billion to support agricultural research, $449 million more than the President's budget request. Total funding for the Agricultural Research Service, which houses the Aerial Application Technology Research Program, is $1.301 billion, $282 million more than the President's budget request. The bill does not allow for the termination of any research programs or the closure of laboratories.