Agriculture pilot jobs

night · September 3, 2016

I heard all agriculture pilots have to start out with work on the ground to learn how everything works first. I'm interested in the agriculture field and i'm wondering whether there's any flight schools that can help me train for that. I have a private license at the time and i'm working towards my commercial. I'm also an agricultural major in college. Will a degree in agriculture help?

takefootoff · September 3, 2016

http://www.ladelta.edu/Workforce%20Development/agricultural-aviation

Delta Dale Community College. They should be able to take care of you.

Astro · September 3, 2016

So about $16k to become ag certified, but will they help get you a job?

avbug · September 3, 2016

A degree in ag will make no difference at all to ag aerial applicator. If you're called on to make pesticide recommendations based on a crop or infestation analysis, then it may be of some use, but most applicators do that anyway, or it's handled by independent, dedicated firms.

Not all applicators begin mixing to move up, but it used to be quite common.

September 4, 2016

crop duster

Rupert · September 6, 2016

Your Agricultural Degree makes a big difference. Value it.

Successful Ag pilots understand the needs of the customer and can talk to them about. The customer really doesn't need your advice, but it helps enormously if you can talk his language.

You will need to market yourself and your service. In this case, marketing means dressing like the customer and talking his talk.

Very fatiguing, and boring for a pilot who doesn't like farming. Most successful ag pilots I know like farming and farmers.

Talk to the orchard sprayers in Washington. Some of them will take on a low time pilot because the have less to unlearn. Communicate your willingness to work support on the ground the first year while they get to know you. That Ag Degree will help.

You have a good plan. Stick to it and you'll make it.

avbug · September 7, 2016

I don't think I've ever met an ag pilot with a degree in ag. I know an ag pilot with a medical degree, others with degrees in aeronautical engineering, forestry, political science, and a LOT of ag pilots without degrees, but I have never met an ag pilot with an ag degree.

I've never heard an ag operator mention one, either, and have never met ag application operator who had an ag degree.

You know someone who does?

September 7, 2016

You know someone who does?

i haven't met him personally, but i knew of a lawyer that loved farming, gave up the rat race, and was thinking of dabbling in crop dusting, (to battle the valley's nasty bing bugs). Wasn't a 747 tho, so it can't be the same person, his name was Douglas, Oliver Wendall Douglas.

Edited September 7, 2016 by pokey

September 7, 2016

September 7, 2016

tell me ag skool isn't important?:

fleman202 · September 8, 2016

There is a good chance there will be an opening at my company within the next few months. We are an independent Ag retailer that started offering aerial application in house. We are most likely going to be looking for another heli pilot for the coming year. Someone with an Ag degree would jump to the very front of the line, assuming they are also a commercially rated helicopter pilot. What is your area of focus in the Ag sector?

September 8, 2016

Someone with an Ag degree would jump to the very front of the line, assuming they are also a commercially rated helicopter pilot.

So? can any bingbug apply?

fleman202 · September 8, 2016

So? can any bingbug apply?

Sure!

It would be job in the Ag sector, so previous ag experience or a degree in ag is a huge plus. If a person has no interest in agriculture then flying ag is going to get boring.

night · September 10, 2016

There is a good chance there will be an opening at my company within the next few months. We are an independent Ag retailer that started offering aerial application in house. We are most likely going to be looking for another heli pilot for the coming year. Someone with an Ag degree would jump to the very front of the line, assuming they are also a commercially rated helicopter pilot. What is your area of focus in the Ag sector?

My focus as of right now is on plant pathology and plant science.