Demand for crop dusters on the rise
August 17, 2011, 08:24 am
As many farmers and ranchers know, crop dusting is an integral part of many agricultural operations. Crop dusting pilots are specially trained to fly at low altitudes and work with chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. Some farmers get their pilot's license to dust their own crops, though pilots need commercial licenses to dust crops for hire, and demand for these pilots is increasing, says the Great Falls Prairie Star.
Rocky Mountain College, located in Billings, Montana, provides a four year pilot's license program that enrolls about 100 students, according to the source. Courses familiarize students with different forms of equipment, and different programs offer almost every kind of certification. A privately-licensed pilot, for example, can obtain a commercial license in just a year.
"Some of our graduates are flying as certified crop dusters for their full time job," Austin Mapston, Assistant Director of Admissions at Rocky Mountain College, told the news source. Others are flying in Alaska as bush pilots, or have careers as pilots with state agencies.
According to the FAA, there were 7,158 total pilots in Montana in 2010, 758 of whom were registered as students.
Are you covered? Are you overpaying? Find out! Get a Quote Now!
| 
