Definition
A specialized aerial operation in which an aircraft is used to dispense substances such as seed, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides over farmland, forests, or rangeland. These flights are conducted at very low altitudes over fields and require specific FAA authorization under 14 CFR Part 137.
Plain English
Flying low over farms or forests to spread things like seed, fertilizer, or crop-protection chemicals from the aircraft.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of specialized low-altitude flying, especially flights made over fields for farming work.
Derivation
Agricultural comes from the Latin ager (field) and cultura (cultivation). Application here means the act of putting something onto a surface. Together: putting materials onto farmland from the air.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must recognize these operations to maintain safe separation and avoid wake turbulence or low-altitude conflicts near farmland.
Intuition Check
Do not read “application” here as a form or request. In this aviation context, it means putting or spreading a material onto crops or land from an aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot held a Part 137 certificate, which authorized her to conduct agricultural application flights over the local rice fields.
Example Sentence 2
During agricultural application, maintaining precise altitude is critical to ensure even coverage without damaging the crops.