Delbert Williams, 73, operates a cropdusting business from Kern County's
airport at Wasco. Dianne Hardisty/ Special to The Californian
By Dianne Hardisty
Early
most mornings, you will find Delbert Williams climbing into the cockpit of his
Air Tractor, snapping on a helmet and roaring down the runway at the Wasco
Airport.
At
73 years old, Williams is an oddity. He is likely Kern County's oldest,
regularly flying cropduster -- or preferably "ag pilot" to those in
the business.
Age
is no big deal to Williams, who commutes from his ranch in Woody to operate Tri-Star
Agrinautics in Wasco. He says his hero is Al Grouleff, an 85-year-old San
Joaquin cropduster who continues to fly.
But
age is a big deal in an industry that has amazed us on the ground for nearly a
century with its graceful aerial ballet. This air force of private pilots is
getting older. Most pilots now are in their 50s and 60s. It is the exceptional
pilot who is healthy enough and willing enough to fly beyond that age.
For
the sake of the industry they serve, and the increasing world demand for the
food they help grow, many aging pilots now wonder who will fill their seats
when they finally are grounded.
"We're
in the 911 business," Williams said as he prepared to take off one recent
morning. "When the pest control advisor goes into a field, when all
alternatives have been tried, when the bad bugs are out-eating the good bugs,
they call us in."
Skimming
the tops of plants while dodging power lines, skillful cropdusters plant
fields, fertilize crops and drop mixtures from the air that help fight the "bad
bugs." Safety rules have restricted where and how these pilots work.
Changing
crop patterns -- particularly the trading of "king cotton" for
tree-planting in the valley -- has reduced the need for their services. And the
bigger carrying capacity of today's aircraft has resulted in doing more with
less.
But
still the need for cropdusters exists and the looming shortage is troublesome.
The
California Agricultural Aircraft Association estimates ag pilots in the state
log more than 100,000 hours in flight time a year. Terry Gage, the
association's president, estimated there are 400 fully licensed ag pilots in
California, but only 300 are actively flying.
Many
of the old-timer pilots turned their military aviation experience into
flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pants civilian jobs upon discharge. But much more
is demanded of today's ag pilot. He or she must be an "applicator"
first and a pilot second. Licenses from a wide range of alphabet-soup
regulatory agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as
extensive training and apprenticeships, are required.
"Part
of the challenge is finding the right individual," Gage said. "It's
more than flying low over fields. We need people serious about
agriculture."
"We
don't wear ties and suits to work. We wear jeans and carry lunch buckets. But
we are professional, skilled aviators," Williams said.
It's
not just the education, licensing and experience requirements that keep new
pilots from entering the industry. It's also the high cost of insuring a plane
flown by an inexperienced pilot.
Williams
learned how to fly when he was a Bakersfield High School student. He said he
paid for his lessons by washing and fueling airplanes for Roy Pemberton at
Meadows Field. He completed a tour in the Air National Guard. His experience in
agriculture began with mixing chemicals and loading cropdusters.
But
likely the professional breaks Williams was given as a young pilot he could not
afford to give a newcomer today. In fact he said he advises pilots wanting to
get into the business to spend some years in the Midwest, where restrictions
and the physical challenges may be less and opportunities greater. Then return
to California as a more seasoned aviator.
When
I called to San Joaquin to check up on Williams' hero, Al Grouleff, he was out
flying with his 18-year-old grandson, Greg Grouleff Jr. Greg's father, Greg
Sr., answered the phone at the cropdusting business the family has operated for
67 years.
Greg
Jr. has the flying bug. He wants to be a cropduster. When his grandfather isn't
dusting crops or joyriding in his Stearman biplane, Greg Sr. said he is
teaching the youngster the ropes.
But
even with a family business to back up his dream, Greg Jr. is being urged to be
cautious.
"We
want him to have a backup plan," said his father, who has encouraged his
only son to enroll in Fresno State and major in agriculture.
Even
the old-timers worry about the uncertainty of their industry.
"I
think there will always be a need for us," said Allan Bittleston, who runs
Vince Crop Dusters Inc. in Buttonwillow. But he admits the need is shrinking.
This article published July 16, 2009 in The Bakersfield
Californian.
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