A dairy farmer has taken the unorthodox ‘aerial’ approach to spreading on grassland – utilising a small aircraft to improve soil fertility.

Douglas Hanks, a farmer based in South Gippsland, in the Australian state of Victoria, recently had trace elements and minerals spread on his land using a VH-UDI single-pilot plane, kitted out with the necessary spreader bar fitted behind the wheels.

Taking to social media, Hanks posted a short video of the plane in full flight, with the caption: “No wheel marks today kids.”

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As can be seen in the video, the plane swoops down low over the field to release the fertiliser in waves before rising again to sharply loop around.

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The farmer noted that what the aircraft can spread in half a day would normally take him weeks to achieve.

‘Unintended touchdown’…while checking livestock

This is far from the first mix of farming and aeronautics.

Last year, a pilot flying a gyroplane made an “unintended touchdown” when he got distracted while checking up on his livestock in the UK, a recent report revealed.

The incident occurred at the end of June 2018 on land not far from Blair Atholl in Perthshire, Scotland, according to a report released by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the UK Government.

The pilot carried out a controlled but unintended touchdown on hilly terrain having become distracted while checking on his livestock, the report states.

The gyroplane was damaged but the pilot was fortunately unhurt.

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