wrote:

and 5K is about right.

OKAY----- Here I am playing devil's advocate.

If your the only pilot on your machine then one pilot = one machine.

If only 2000 pilots are actively working at any given time and the
pilot to machine ratio is the same then 2000 pilots = 2000 machines.

So the curious question is how many machines are there out there
being used in the AG business.

Now here is the spoiler.

Some of those pilots fly fixed wing some fly helicopters.

So how many AG helicopter pilots are there out there and of
course how many helicopters are there doing AG work.

I was under the impression that the number of bell 47 type machines
still flying period..... was very very small.

Now if turbines are being used on a more frequent basis as you say then
your comment about turbines showing up makes a lot of sense.

KEVIN.... I know your reading this.

Maybe there is a turbine job in your future after all.

Now Bart made a comment in another thread about the Safari
Baby Bell.

I understand from what I've read about it that it is about
two thirds the size of a 47 which really wouldn't matter
for AG work.... I would think.

Payload would be the issue...... Don't know is Stu is floating around
these days ( he owns one ), but does anyone here know if the payload
on one of those machines would be comparable to a Bell 47.

If if was, you would think there might be a nice little niche market
for Safari to fill that could help them sell machines for decades to
come.

Wow am I ever being wordy and curious today. All that on only one cup
of coffee.