Original Message

60 to 90 days on standby, no days off. It's Part 91 and there are not duty or flight time limitations.Sunrise is around 0400 - the growers expect you to be up and ready to dry at that time if it rained overnight. Sunset can be as late as 2130. You can be in a bar having a beer at 2000, and if it rains the grower will call you out. On a rainy day you might fly ALL DAY LONG from 0430 to 2100. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen.  If it's a dry summer, you might not fly at all and you'll spend a lot of time watching Fox News.

They plant cherries where it doesn't rain a lot. Most days in the growing season are severe clear with zero % chance of rain.  Most of the rain stays on the west side of the Cascades. But occasionally, a stray shower or storm will sneak across and into the Okanogan or Columbia River valley, the cherries get a little wet and suddenly the growers panic and call you out. Not good if you're off riding a dirtbike and "out of pocket."

If you've just got to do cherry drying, find an operator that uses a machine that will allow you to stay above the wind machines and powerlines. In other words, don't fly an R44.