Hendrickson Flying Service employs a full service fleet of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, along with an accompanying ground fleet of ‘nurse trucks’, as well as the latest GPS and GIS technology – all to ensure your aerial application needs are met effectively and efficiently.
AYRES THRUSH S2R-T34
OVERVIEW:
The Thrush is the workhorse of the fixed-wing fleet. With a PT6A-34 single-turbine 750 horsepower engine, it’s a big producer for our customers. It’s large load capacity and wide swath allow for excellent product coverage that can make short, thorough work of the biggest fields. We also put the Thrush to work on dry work like Urea. It’s powerful engine and load capacity allow for great efficiency and added safety when handling those heavier dry loads.
Number in Fleet: 2
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Horsepower: 750
- Max Air Speed: 159 mph
- Application Air Speed (WET): 145mph
- Application Air Speed (DRY): 135mph
- Fuel Capacity: 192 gal
- Maximum Load: 510 gal
- Swath Width: 70-80ft (dependent upon gal/ac)
- Crew Size: 1
PIPER PAWNEE 260
OVERVIEW:
Compact but powerful, the Pawnee is an excellent tool for smaller seeding and dry fertilizer jobs, as well as wet applications of various shapes and sizes. It also serves a duel function as a training tool. With a Lycoming O540 reciprocating engine, it carries less horsepower along with a lighter load capacity, allowing our junior fixed-wing pilots to get comfortable with the unique and challenging demands of aerial application before graduating to more powerful aircraft.
Number in Fleet: 1
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Horsepower: 260
- Max Air Speed: 136mph
- Application Air Speed (WET): 110mph
- Application Air Speed (DRY): 105mph
- Fuel Capacity: 40gal
- Maximum Load: 150gal
- Swath Width: 50-60ft (dependent upon gal/ac)
- Crew Size: 1
JET RANGER 206-B3
OVERVIEW:
With a Rolls Royce 250-c20 turboshaft engine, the Jet Ranger brings more power and reliability to the helicopter fleet, as well as increased application production. The B3 is also a versatile machine, widely used for a variety of utility work in addition to aerial application such as aerial surveying, patrol and photography.
Number in Fleet: 2
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Horsepower: 420
- Max Air Speed: 138mph
- Application Air Speed (WET): 80mph
- Fuel Capacity: 83 gal
- Maximum Load: 125 gal
- Swath Width: 45-55ft (dependent upon gal/ac)
- Crew Size: 1
WASP M-74
OVERVIEW:
With a Lycoming VO435 reciprocating engine, The Wasp is a powerful aerial application machine that can keep production pace with some of the fastest fixed wing aircraft. It’s light frame lends to its efficiency, allowing for heavier loads and tighter turns that make it a fast and thorough applicator.
Number in Fleet: 2
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Horsepower: 260
- Max Air Speed: 80mph
- Application Air Speed (WET): 60mph
- Fuel Capacity: 42 gal
- Maximum Load: 110 gal
- Swath Width: 45-55ft (dependent upon gal/ac)
- Crew Size: 1
MARK 6 TOMCAT
OVERVIEW:
The Tomcat, a close cousin to The Wasp, shares many of its key features. Like its cousin, it boasts a VO435 reciprocating engine and an equally large 110 gallon load capacity, along with an extremely light frame. These features allow The Tomcat to keep pace with The Wasp in terms of high-level, helicopter production.
Number in Fleet: 1
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Horsepower: 260
- Max Air Speed: 80mph
- Application Air Speed (WET): 60mph
- Fuel Capacity: 28 gal
- Maximum Load: 110 gal
- Swath Width: 45-55ft (dependent upon gal/ac)
- Crew Size: 1
BELL 47 G2A
OVERVIEW:
The G2A, also known as “The Bubble”, boasts a VO435 reciprocating engine. Like the rest of the rotor wing aircraft in our fleet, the G2A allows for access to odd shaped or obstructed fields that most fixed wing aircraft could never adequately treat. A two-seater with dual controls that carries a lighter load than our other helicopters, the G2A also functions as a trainer for our junior helicopter pilots, allowing our more experienced pilots to sit next to trainees in the cockpit and demonstrate or observe first hand the unique challenges of ag flying.
Number in Fleet: 1
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Horsepower: 260
- Max Air Speed: 80mph
- Application Air Speed (WET): 60mph
- Fuel Capacity: 42-57 gal
- Maximum Load: 80 gal
- Swath Width: 45-55ft (dependent upon gal/ac)
- Crew Size: 1
GROUND FLEET
OVERVIEW:
Hendrickson Flying Service uses a fleet of ‘Nurse Trucks’ to service our helicopter fleet as well as our airplanes when they are working out of remote airstrips. Each truck is fitted with liquid storage containers for product and water, along with appropriate safety equipment and Hazmat clean up gear, all of which allow our aircraft to safely stay in the air throughout the long days of the spray season, no matter where they may be working. On average, each truck allows for storage of 1600-2300 gallons of water and up to three 120-275 gallon chemical bulk tanks.
Number in Fleet: 8
GPS AND GIS
OVERVIEW:
Technology plays a central role in Hendrickson Flying Service’s day to day operations. Our team uses the latest GPS and GIS tools to better serve our customers and allow our pilots and ground crew to work more efficiently.
We use the specialized GPS hardware and software platforms of both AgNav and SatLoc to route and guide our pilots flight and swath paths, and gather application data for our office team and customers. We also use these tools in conjunction with the mapping software, AgSync, which allows our office team to quickly process routing, application and billing data to better serve our customers.