Air Tech rolls out Air Boom sprayer for turf

Golf Course News, Oct 2002 by Overbeck, Andrew

MAINTENANCE

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -After 12 years concentrating exclusively on the orchard and nursery markets, Air Tech Sprayers has entered the golf course market with its Air Boom sprayer.

The low-volume unit uses a high-speed fan to spray chemicals out of sheer nozzles at speeds up to 180 miles per hour, allowing for greater penetration of the turf canopy and increased plant surface coverage. The nozzles are 24 to 36 inches above the ground and the spray particle size is 50 microns.

"There is very little wind drift or side drift," said president Dale Schaal. "You can run it right next to houses without worrying about it and use it in windy conditions."

Air Tech has been field testing the unit this year and is now actively marketing it to golf courses. Superintendent Lars Marohn at Warrior Golf Club in China Grove, N.C., is in charge of golf distribution.

"My neighbor at Warrior GC is one of the largest tomato farmers on the East Coast," said Marohn. "When I saw what one of these sprayers could do I contacted Dale [Schaal] and asked if he could develop one for use on turf."

The Air Boom turf unit has 14- to 18-foot spray booms and features a low-volume five- to 50-gallon tanks. As the chemicals are sprayed theyare positively charged with copper ions to improve efficacy and aid in keeping the tank, nozzles and lines clean. Air Tech manufactures a trailer type, three-point hitch for tractors and a skid mount unit for utility vehicles. A 24-hp Honda engine powers the utility vehicle unit. The Air Boom retails for around $23,000, although Marohn is cutting deals to get more units in the market.

LESS IS MORE

"The unit is twice as expensive as conventional sprayers, but it will save you 40 to 50 percent in reduction of chemicals and labor," Marohn said. "You can fill up one tank and do seven acres, and it is designed to spray from one to 10 miles per hour."

Superintendent Fred Biggers at the 27-hole Wintergreen Resort in Wintergreen, Va., started using an Air Tech Air Boom on his course this year.

"I have nine holes that are all bentgrass," said Biggers. "We used to stretch fungicide spraying intervals to three weeks, but I'd get hammered in the third week. Now I have tightened that to two-week intervals at half rates and I have gotten wonderful control."

Biggers especially likes the speed. "It has been easy to mix because it is low-volume and uses less water," he said. "We can go five miles an hour and spray fairways in five minutes. Spraying isa pain and you need to get out there before the golfers get out there. The faster you can do it the better."