Current Affairs Czech pilots help battle locust plagues in Africa
While most Czechs know the devastating power of locusts only from biblical plagues, a group of pilots from East Bohemia have had first hand experience with the crop-devouring insects. In the spring of this year they had a chance to use their aerial spraying expertise in Algeria. Now the crews are ready for take-off again as the voracious insects once more hit parts of North and West Africa.
Crop spraying and fighting forest fires is the everyday business of
agriculture pilots from the company Air Special, based in the eastern town
of Usti nad Orlici. This year they took part in a United Nations operation
to eradicate the swarms of locusts that infested whole regions in Algeria.
Ladislav Pecival is one of the mechanics who took part in the mission. He
says that spraying locusts with dangerous pesticide in Africa is quite
different from their normal work back home.
"We had to take off early in the morning because later in the day it was too hot for the aircraft to fly, but the main reason for that is that the insects are still on the ground because they are cold and cannot fly. As soon as they warm up, they lift off in a cloud and that's when flying becomes impossible as the locusts can easily get sucked into the engine and you cannot see from the cockpit through the cloud. That would be a real catastrophe."
Once the temperature exceeded 25 degrees Celsius, the planes had to be grounded and the pilots were free for some sightseeing - but all the time they were guarded by police escorts.
Three Russian-made Antonov An-2 planes took part in the spring operation but now the company is offering five to ten aircraft with improved radio equipment.
"We are now on call. Once the international community summons us to take part in a locust spraying operation in Africa we are ready to take off."
Ladislav Pecival and the other crews from the town of Usti nad Orlici are ready to cross the Mediterranean again as soon as the menacing insects threaten to devastate crops in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal or Egypt.
