Business Rural Winter 2021

| 81 Accuracy an obsession for topdressing business Russell Fredric P atchett Ag Air 2015 co-owner Nigel Griffith loves his aerial office. He is also passionate about the business providing a high quality service out of its Blenheim and Hokitika bases to clients whose aerial topdressing spend is one of their biggest annual accounts. “You are being entrusted with such a massive job and I love the pressure of wanting to do it as well as I possibly can,” Nigel says. For Nigel a good job means not compromising on the conditions products are applied in. This means even when some days are flyable, Nigel chooses not to work when wind conditions compromise the accuracy of placement. “I enjoy working in the calm mornings knowing that the product’s going exactly where I want it to go.” Nigel and his wife Nikki bought the company, which was established in the early 1990’s by Ray Patchett, in 2015. Trained by Ray, Nigel has been flying since an early age and has always been passionate about agricultural aviation. Patchett Ag Air’s fleet comprises three Gippsland GA 200 Fatman aircraft and a dual control Cessna 185 for training. “The Fatman is a great aircraft for our require- ments, it’s economical and suits our local flying environment. “The costs to ferry this aircraft suit the small weather windows we have to deal with, but it’s productive and capable of operating from New Zealand’s unique topdressing airstrips,” Nigel says. It is also highly manoeuvrable. “It’s an incredibly safe aeroplane for one. Two, it’s not super-fast and it’s not super expensive to run so you’ve got the time to do a really good job. You are able to do smaller blocks more accurately.” Because of this, Patchett Ag Air 2015 often picks up work that is unsuitable to faster turbine aircraft. The company has established a West Coast base at Hokitika due to a lack of operators in that region. Pilot Stu Marshall is also a dairy farmer, so con- sequently easily understands the requirements of his customers along with the challenges of the West Coast’s terrain and weather. Patchett Ag Air 2015 specialises in both solid and liquid applications. RURAL SERVICES » Patchett Ag-Air 2015 Whether it’s phosphate, reactive phosphate rock, lime or any mix of product, Nigel and Stu an apply any mix to a very high standard with the aid of TracMap wireless GPS technology. The company also undertakes all types of crop and scrub spraying for herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and liquid fertiliser. In addition to ensuring accurate placement by the pilots, about 80% of the company’s customers utilise TracMap’s online system on which they can record fertiliser exclusion zones and waterways. “We know where to put the product and where not to put it. Because the Fatman is going that bit slower we can be lower and a bit more accurate.” The company is also excited to be moving into the era of variable-rate fertiliser application which enables precision application over specific areas. “We understand that this is the future of top- dressing and it’s great to be able to utilise the latest technology to achieve this.” From Blenheim Patchett Ag Air 2015 can cover an area as far south as Kaikoura and has little seasonal down-time. “Because there’s quite a diverse range of farmers and properties in the district – it’s such an interest- ing province we pretty much go year round.” “LARGE ENOUGH TO DELIVER, SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE” www.renwicktransport.co.nz RENWICK TRANSPORT LTD Cnr Shwy 63 & Hawkesbury Road, Renwick, Marlborough 03 572 9413 spreading@renwicktransport.co.nz For all your General Freight & Fertiliser Requirements throughout Nelson, Marlborough & Canterbury Regions. Timber, Concrete Products, Steel, Bricks, Grain, Hay, Fertiliser and so much more! Liquid & Solid Fertiliser BioGro Registered On Farm Advice Soil & Herbage Testing Specialised Fert Programmes Sustainable Agriculture Call us today 0800 337 869 Patchett Ag Air’s fleet Patchett Ag Air’s fleet comprises three Gippsland GA 200 Fatman aircraft and a dual control Cessna 185 for training.