UNDERSTANDING THE ENEMY From an agronomic standpoint,


frost


damage occurs when air temperature falls below the plant’s damage threshold, which depends on species and phenological stage. The damage comes not only from the cold itself, but from the formation of ice crystals inside the plant’s cells, which rupture their membranes and dehydrate blossoms.


There are two main frost types: •


Radiative (white) frosts: These are the most common. They occur on clear, calm nights when the ground loses heat through radiation, creating a thermal inversion layer between 10–20 meters above the surface. These conditions are ideal for helicopter-based control.


•


Advective (black) frosts: Caused by large, dry polar air masses that displace local air. They are extensive, intense, and lack a strong inversion layer, which makes active control methods much less effective.


WHY HELICOPTERS ARE EFFECTIVE


Farmers use various methods to combat frost—wind


machines, heaters, or


overhead sprinklers—but none match the efficiency, speed, and flexibility of helicopters. The principle is simple, yet powerful: by flying at low altitude (15–20 meters), the helicopter rotor mixes the cold air trapped near the ground with the warmer inversion layer above, raising the temperature in the blossom zone by 4–6 °C in radiative, white frost events. That small difference can determine whether a season is saved or lost.


Helicopters act as both mobile fans and heaters, providing coverage where and when it’s most needed, something fixed systems can’t easily replicate.


FIELD OPERATIONS


Frost control flights take place at night or in the early morning—exactly when temperatures hit their lowest point. These are highly technical operations requiring


64 Jan/Feb 2026


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92