Voice of the Aerial Application Industry

Craig Bair is a third generation Aerial Applicator from South Dakota. He grew up in the business, flagging and loading aircraft since the age of ten. Craig soloed at the age of 16 with an endorsement in his grandfather’s Ag Truck and his dad’s Ag Husky.  He began spraying in 1986 at age 18 under the very watchful and critical eyes of his grandfather, (Don) and father, (Jerry).
 
Craig graduated from Iowa Western Community College in 1988 with an Associate Degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology.  He holds an Airframe and Powerplant certificate with an Inspection Authorization.  Craig operated a maintenance business from 1990-2008 specializing in agricultural and antique aircraft.
 
Craig took over the family spraying business in 1998.  In 2010, he sold the business to Wilbur-Ellis Company and was employed as the National Aerial Safety and Regulatory Manager for Wilbur-Ellis until 2015. After 10 years managing aerial application businesses for others, Craig realized how much he missed Ag Flying so he and his wife Teresa opened Bair Aviation Inc in the fall of 2020 and currently operate an AT-502. 
 
Craig graduated from the Syngenta Leadership Training Program in 1997.  He served in all positions for the Nebraska Aviation Trades Association from 1997-2010.  Craig served on the NAAA Board of Directors from 2005-2008 and was Secretary of the NAAA in 2007.  He also served on the Nebraska Department of Agriculture Pesticide Advisory Board from 1999-2010 in an advisory position to approve or disapprove Section 18 or Section 24C pesticide usage. Craig is also certified by NAAREF as an Operation S.A.F.E. Analyst. Craig is currently the South Dakota Agricultural Aviation Association NAAA Representative. 
 
Craig married his wife, Teresa, in 1992 and moved “back home” to South Dakota from Nebraska. He enjoys fishing and hunting, and spending time at the lake with his two black labs.

Scott grew up on a farm in northern Illinois before attending the University of Illinois, where he received his Ph.D. He spent 14 years an Extension Specialist in Application Technology with the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Scott’s work focused on providing technical assistance on pesticide application equipment, nozzle selection and usage, drift reduction technologies, and sprayer calibration.

Since 2017, Scott has served as the Director of Policy, Education and Safety for NAAA. He assists with protecting aerial applications during the pesticide registration review process, creating the PAASS program, and other NAAREF safety efforts. Scott is an Operation S.A.F.E. analyst and conducts the fly-ins for Illinois as well as other locations. 

Scott has been involved with PAASS program development since 2004 and has been a PAASS presenter since 2008.  He is honored to help deliver the program. While he is not an agricultural pilot, Scott has a strong belief in the importance of the industry and is committed to helping enhance the efficacy and safety of aerial application.

Randy grew up in the Ag Aviation industry. His father R.W. Hale began Hale Dusting Service in 1955 near Corpus Christi, Texas. The company moved to its present location in 1962 when the local law enforcement officers decided to stop the “crop dusters” from using the county roads as landing strips. Randy began flying during high school and earned a private pilot license in 1977. It was either drive a tractor on the farm or mess with the airplanes and, well, the tractors just weren’t fast enough. He started his ag aviation career in 1981 in a 600 Thrush and now flies the company’s Air Tractor 502. Randy became President of the company in 1991 after his father’s death.

 
Randy is a long time member of the Texas AAA and NAAA and has been active in both. He served on the TAAA Board from 1994 - 2006 and was TAAA President in 1999. Service to the NAAA came when he was named the TAAA representative to NAAA and also graduated from the Leadership Training Program class of 2000. Randy was elected NAAA Vice President in 2003 and was honored to serve as President in 2006. Since his term as president ended Randy has represented NAAA’s interests in front of a variety of audiences including government regulators, ag aviation groups, politicians and international organizations. He served as NAAREF President in 2009 and 2010 and has been a PAASS presenter since 2008.
 
Randy and his wife Renee have four children, Josh, Joey, Amy and Scott and four grandchildren, Aiden, Weston, Jayce and Summer. They are the reason he is sold on the PAASS training. “We need to do all we can to make sure every ag pilot has the resources to stay safe and make it home at night.”

Perry Hofer started flying in 1980 and received his commercial license in 1985. After flying for Martin Beving, he started Doland Aerial Spraying in 1998 in Doland, SD, which he currently operates with his son, Mikel. Their operation utilizes 2 turbine Thrushes and one Weatherly.

Perry was elected 2023 NAAREF Board President, and has previously served as NAAA President in 2019.

He also operates a grain farm and cow/calf operation with his brother Kevin and two older sons Nik and Bryant. In the off-season, Perry enjoys overhauling antique Farmall tractors. He also spends as much time as he can going to baseball games with his youngest son, Matthew.

Glenn first experienced ag aviation loading for a local operator while on summer college break in 1981. By 1985 he had his commercial license with ag endorsement and his first season was 1986 flying for a local operator. In 1991 he opened his own business applying crop protection products on cotton, rice, wheat, corn and milo. Since 1987, he has held positions in the Mississippi AAA including pilot member, district director, secretary, vice president, president and currently is the Mississippi representative to the NAAA. He currently serves NAAREF on the PAASS Program Development Committee and chairs the Operation SAFE Committee. He also serves NAAA on the Government Relations, Membership, Museum and Safety & FAR Committees. He is a Syngenta leadership training graduate and also sits on the National Ag Aviation Museum Foundation Board. Glenn is a 1985 graduate of Delta State University in Cleveland, MS with a double major in chemistry and biology. Glenn and his wife Cymantha have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

Matt Hovdenes became interested in aviation early in his life. His father, while not a pilot himself, was very interested in aviation and passed that interest on to Matt. Some of Matt’s early aviation memories come from going to the Air National Guard base in Fargo, North Dakota where his dad worked and watching F-4’s being launched and recovered.
 
After graduating high school from Detroit Lakes, MN Matt attended college at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Loading for an aerial applicator in the summer and playing football made college life busy but not too busy to fly! At college Matt earned his private and commercial pilot certificates along with instrument and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ratings. Matt Graduated College in December of 2000 with Bachelor of Science degrees in both Agricultural Aviation, and Plant Industries Management (agronomy). Since college he has earned his multi-engine rating and added an instrument rating to his CFI Certificate.
 
After College Matt worked as a full time flight instructor at a small FBO for slightly less than a year. In 2002, after years of hard work, Matt finally started flying ag.  He has flown many different types of aircraft in this industry and now flies an AT-400 for his own company Right Way Ag.  of Harwood, ND.
 
Matt was married in December of 2002 to his wife Hilary. They have twins Emma and Anders who were born in 2008. In the off season Matt enjoys camping and traveling with his family and friends. He also tries to fit in as much hunting and ice fishing as time allows. Matt is always trying to find a way to fly by giving occasional instructional flights and flying as a contract pilot in the winter.
 
Matt has been active in the NDAAA serving as the president from 2010-2012 and is currently serving as the North Dakota representative to the NAAA Board. He has hosted Cub Scout groups and given many people and children in the area their first airplane ride. In 2005, Matt was awarded the John Robert Horne Memorial Award from the NAAA. After graduating from the Syngenta Leadership Training in 2006, he has seen the value of the NAAA and has been willing to help where he can. Matt looks forward to working with PAASS as he has witnessed and experienced the safety and professionalism that it promotes within our industry.

Eric Klindt grew up on the family farm in Minnesota and when the farm was sold, he worked for other farmers in the area. Eric attended the University of Minnesota at Crookston where he received his commercial pilot’s license and aerial applicator training. He received his start in aerial spraying from David Yaggie where he started spraying in 1997 and has loved it ever since. Eric was previously employed by Wilbur-Ellis in Wahpeton, ND, where he flew an Air Tractor 802.

 
Eric stays busy in the aerial application off season with several jobs. He owns and operates a limo bus service and drives a truck in the winter for local farmers. He is currently a member of the Wilkin County Sheriff Posse.
 
Eric is married to his childhood sweetheart, Shana, and they have two young children, Elise and Cody. Eric and Shana are members of the NAAA and the Minnesota AAA where they are the state representatives to the NAAA and WNAAA. Eric served on the NAAA board from 2002 until 2010 and served as Chairman of the Membership Committee. He attended the Syngenta Leadership Training Group in 2002 where he realized how much is done by the NAAA and vowed to assist wherever he is able.

Matt Peed grew up on a small farm in Georgia that raised beef cattle and row crops. Matt’s early professional background is in tree care with experience in both arboriculture and silviculture. While no one in his family has a background in aviation, the urge to fly was instilled in Matt at a young age. The first airplane he ever saw was a Cessna AGtruck flying over a field in Georgia. In 2000 Matt learned to fly, becoming a first-generation pilot in his family. 
 
Matt’s career as an agricultural aviator began in 2008 when he started flying for O’Brien Flying Service in Iowa, Louisiana. He started out as a rice pilot and worked in various parts of the Delta region and the southeast U.S. Eventually he ended up back in Georgia flying for a large farming operation. Matt is a CFI and an A&P with IA. He conducts turbine transition training in a dual cockpit Thrush. Matt has been married 26 years and has three children with his wife.

Jim Perrin grew up on a small farm in central Wisconsin and also spent the summers on his grandparent’s small dairy farm in southwest Wisconsin. After graduating high school in 1986, Jim joined the U.S. Army as a crew chief on UH-60A Blackhawk helicopters. After serving four years in the Army Jim realized that aviation was in his blood.  It became apparent that aviation and agriculture could be melded together with a career in agricultural aviation.

In the spring of 1992 Jim attended Harold Millers agricultural aviation training program in Illinois. That summer Harold hired Jim to fly an A-9 Callair that he flew in Missouri and Kentucky. In 1993 Jim got a job in his home state flying S2C and S2D airplanes for Jim Stutesman. In 1995 Jim was given an opportunity to buy his first operation in Illinois that operated a 450 Ag-Cat. After flying that season in Illinois as a pilot and manager, Jim and his wife Julie closed the deal on their first operation. Over the next couple years Jim and Julie purchased two more operations. During that time the fleet changed a bit to operate Cessnas, 450 and 600 Ag-Cats and a piston Thrush. In 2000 Jim and Julie sold their operation in Aledo, Illinois. Then in 2001 they sold their operation in Morrison, Illinois, so they could capitalize on an opportunity to buy an operation close to home in central Wisconsin with a partner, Tim Rourke. Back in Wisconsin Jim operated an Ag-Cat and then eventually a couple Air Tractors, both piston and turbine, a Cessna, a Weatherly, and finally several turbine Thrush aircraft.

Currently Jim and Julie operate three turbine Thrushes applying fungicide, insecticide, herbicide, and fertilizer as well as cover crop seeding to a wide range of crops, but predominantly vegetable crops, both conventional and organic. Two of these aircraft are equipped for night operations using night vision goggles (NVG). All three aircraft are equipped with GPS and flow control as well as being equipped with four valve booms so either left or right booms can be shut off as well as vortice shutoff valves.

Jim and his wife Julie were married in 1987 and had their first child Anna in 1995. Anna worked for the family business as a mixer/loader all through high school and college. They had a son in 2000 that also mixed and loaded all through high school and when available in college. Jon stayed in aviation and is now a CFII. Anna is dating one of Jim’s pilots, Cory.

Jim has been involved with several state agricultural aviation associations holding offices in both Illinois and Wisconsin. Jim has served as Treasurer, Vice President and was elected to be the 2022 President of NAAA. Jim started presenting PAASS in 2020.

In Jim’s off time his primary hobby is bow hunting and habitat management for whitetail and turkeys.  He also hunts with rifle, shotgun and muzzle loader in a couple Midwest states as tags allow.  Snowmobiling also occupies Jim’s free time as does recreational flying in the families Cessna 180 and A-1 Husky.

Darrin Pluhar grew up on a farming and ranching operation forty miles northwest of Miles City, Montana.  At a very young age, he became actively involved in the day-to-day agricultural activities.  In addition, he was also exposed to aviation, specifically aerial application, as his father, Art, was a “crop duster” flying a Pawnee for a local operator.  Later, his older brother, Dennis, started his own aerial application business, where Darrin got his first exposure to the business as a flagger, loader and ground crew.
 
After high school, Darrin went to Montana State University to become an engineer.  But after one year, he realized this career choice just wasn’t that attractive anymore and decided to pursue agricultural aviation (after admittedly realizing that he had failed to see the forest for the trees!).  In 1989, Darrin received an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Agricultural Aviation from the University of Minnesota – Crookston.  In 1995, Darrin received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Science from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT.
 
Darrin purchased his first Ag airplane, a 1979 Cessna Ag. Husky, and began flying for his brother Dennis. In 1996, Darrin purchased an aerial application business in Ekalaka and established Plu’s Flying Service. Since the main season is April 1st to July 10th in Montana, relationships with other operators around the nation have allowed Darrin’s company to continue to generate revenue by flying in other regions during the late Summer and early Fall. As the business has grown, so has the fleet of aircraft.  In 2002, a 1995 Weatherly was purchased to meet the increasing workload and then in 2007, he invested in a 400-gallon capacity, turbine-powered Air Tractor.
 
Darrin has been actively involved with the Association of Montana Aerial Applicators (AMAA) for many years, serving on their Board since 2000 and as president from 2010-2011.  Darrin was appointed as AMAA’s NAAA Board rep in 2013 and served as the 2016 NAAA Treasurer.
 
An advocate for training and safety, Darrin actively promotes and encourages aerial applicators to attend the PAASS program and helps conduct AMAA’s annual Operation S.A.F.E. pattern check.

Brian and his wife Elly operate Medina Flying Service located in central North Dakota. They spray numerous crops including potatoes, wheat, sunflowers, soybeans and other minor use crops with a 500 gallon Thrush. They also spread cover crop for erosion control and assist with aerial fire suppression for their local fire department.

Brian has been involved in the aerial application business since 1979 and has been an NAAA member since 1985. He has held numerous offices in the NAAA including President in 2010. He has also served on the National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation (NAAREF) board of directors.

Brian is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating.  He is the North Dakota Liaison to the Recreational Aviation Foundation.

Brian is a Nationally Registered Paramedic and works with his local volunteer ambulance service and is the chief of the Medina Fire Department. Brian farms with his 2 brothers and nephew in central North Dakota. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from North Dakota State University.

Damon is a third-generation aerial applicator from Wisconsin who grew up on the family airport and farm. He was taught to fly by his grandfather Roy Reabe who started the family business in 1945. Damon left the family farm and business after high school and graduated from Mankato State University with a BS in Aviation and Marketing.  At the end of his colligate studies Damon launched a 15-year career as corporate pilot flying jet aircraft throughout the world.  As a corporate pilot, Damon worked his way from line pilot to being one of only three flight standards pilots of the largest corporate aircraft management company of the time. He was responsible for developing, implementing and ensuring compliance of company safety procedures.

Damon got his start as an aerial applicator in 1997 under the tutelage of his father, Tom Reabe, and began helping out as a part time pilot. In 2009, Damon resigned his position as a flight standards pilot and took his father’s place as President of Reabe Spraying Service, a Wisconsin aerial application company. Over the past twenty seasons Damon has been actively spraying in Piper Pawnees, AT-400’s, AT-502’s, S2R-660, Bell 206 and an AT-802. Damon served the Wisconsin Agricultural Aviation Association as President from 2010 until 2016 and currently serves on the NAAA Board of Directors as the Wisconsin representative. He is currently serving as chairman of the Government Relations Committee.

During the winter of 2016-2017, the family executed a succession plan allowing Tyler Reabe and Curt Meister to become part owners in Reabe Spraying Service and forming Dairyland Aviation which operates out of Waupun, WI. Damon is the President of both Dairyland Aviation and Reabe Spraying Service.

Damon is fortunate to have met and married his wife of 13 years, Mary Reabe, who does the book keeping for both companies. They are raising their two children, Caroline and Max in Ripon, WI. Damon says, “I have been very lucky to have a spouse that not only puts up with the demands of this job and industry, but supports participation in safety programs such as PAASS.”

Mike Rivenbark is the owner and operator of Moore’s Aerial Applicators in Clinton, NC, flying a 402-B. Most of the fields he treats in NC are fruits and vegetables, row crops and a growing organic market.
 
Rivenbark got his first season with Moore’s Aerial in 2010. In 2011 a seat opened up in Henderson, NE with Rick Boardman and he took the opportunity to fly in the mid-west. Towards the end of 2016, Mr. Henry Moore reached out to Mike and was ready to sell his North Carolina business and retire. Mike purchased Moore’s Aerial Applicators at the beginning of 2017 and returned to North Carolina full time.
 
During Mike’s flying career he has been involved in the North Carolina Ag Aviation Association and the National Ag Aviation Association. He has served as the Executive Director of the NCAAA from 2011-2019 and as a state representative to the NAAA Board of Directors from 2015 thru 2019. Rivenbark went through NAAA’s Leadership Training Program in 2013-14.
 
Mike resides in Morehead City, NC in the off season with his wife, Tiffany, and daughter Anna Keith.

Born and raised in southwest Missouri, Sam was next to the youngest of six kids - four brothers and a sister.  He joined the Air Force after graduating high school 1976.  While serving four years as an avionics components specialist, Sam enjoyed being stationed in Colorado, Idaho and Germany and working on F-111 Aardvark and F-15 Eagle fighter jets.  Sam earned his private pilot license at U76 during his stint at Mt. Home AFB. 

In 1981, Sam graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri.  He is a licensed professional engineer and maintains a consulting business providing primarily residential and commercial site development engineering services.

Sam’s desire to fly and escape the big city life pushed him to pursue an agricultural aviation career in 1992.  Attending Ag Flight provided some basic agricultural pilot training, at least enough to get insurance for the first season of flying for an “optimistic” operator.  The following flying season Styron, with his vast experience of 300 hours ag flying, became an operator in a farming area just south of Kansas City.

Sam operates as 1Lowflyer, Inc. using an AT602, AT402 and Cessna AGtruck to treat wheat, corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and pasture, as well as, spreading fertilizer and cover crops in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa.  Sam has become the “optimistic” operator and is breaking in a new pilot to help treat the increasing number of customer acres.

Sam and Pattie, his wife of 30-some years, have three grown children.

Rod Thomas is an Idaho Farm boy living just 3 miles from where he grew up.  By age eleven, Rod and his older brother Dale were operating a custom hay stacking business.  With experience in custom farming and their love of all things flying, agricultural aviation was a natural fit.  They started their own application company, Thomas Helicopters, Inc. in Gooding, Idaho in 1975 with a Hughes 300 and one truck.  They have owned as many as 5 helicopters which they used for 135 work such as coyote hunting, wild animal darting & netting, firefighting, heli-skiing, sling work, construction, and movie stunt work.  All of this while still flying ag in both summer and winter.  The present operation consists of a couple of 502’s an 802 and an Astar 350 helicopter.  They also own a variety of General Aviation aircraft they use for training, travel, and pleasure.  They also own and operate the FBO in Gooding [ High Range Aviation} with a full maintenance facility as well as a government contracting company {High Desert Aviation}.  Over the years they have also expanded into hanger construction and hanger door repair.  The ag flying business {Thomas Helicopters, Inc.} is in the process of being purchased and expanded by Scott and Glenn Heinen from Kansas while Rod and Dale continue to manage the local operations they started. 

Rod has been active in the Idaho Agricultural Aviation Association and his community for many years.  He has held all the IAAA offices and was the NAAA director from Idaho for many years.  His company was named Operator of the Year for the Pacific Northwest AAA in 1999.  He and his brother Dale have hosted annual Ag Fly-Ins and Safety Clinics since 1997, while promoting Ag Aviation through print and television media.  His company has participated using helicopters in school science projects and has hosted many field days at the airport as well as participating in Ag in the Classroom.  Rod is a long serving NAAA and NAAREF board and committee member and has served on both boards in many capacities.  He is a past recipient of the NAAA Falcon Club award and the Outstanding Service Award.  Rod has served as the Vice President and President of the NAAA an NAAREF in years past.

An NAAA member since 1975, Rod believes in the value of association membership and continuing education.  He has been a PAASS Presenter since 2001.

Brian is a second generation aerial applicator that grew up around fixed winged and rotary winged aircraft.  His dreams of flying over the corn in a helicopter began very young.  He was enamored from the beginning with helicopters.  He earned a fixed wing license immediately after high school graduation.  He graduated from Purdue University in Dec. of 1997 with a degree in Aviation Administration Technology but his dream was still to fly helicopters and at the suggestion of his dad, he joined the Army and became a Warrant Officer.   He enjoyed a 10 year Army Aviation career flying the AH64D Apache with 2 combat deployments.  

Upon completing his obligations to the military, he joined his father in 2010 for his first season in the Bell 206.  From there he moved into the turbine thrush, 602, and then the 802.  He purchased the helicopter and a truck and trailer rig from his father in 2018 and began On Target Applicators flying alongside him.  Since then he spends the majority of his application time in the helicopter.  In the fall months he's spent a lot of time applying cover crop with the 802. 

During the off season he handles the logistics of maintenance and spends time with his two kids Ella, Zackrey, and his dog.  He enjoys being out in nature.  Specifically, fishing and golfing occupy his free time.

Dominique Youakim of Charleston, Ill., is the owner and operator of Aerinova Aerial LLC, an aerial application business located in Mattoon, Ill. He also owns a helicopter tour business in St. Louis and Branson, Mo., and is an authorized Robinson helicopter dealer. He has two children, a son and daughter, Aiden and Aubrey.
 
Before finding his niche as an aerial applicator, Dominique worked in corporate America as a vice president of operations for a manufacturing plant. He worked for the manufacturer from 1995 to 2005. During that same period, he earned his commercial pilot certificate. Ready for a less travel-intensive career, Dominique gave up his corporate job for the opportunity to become an agricultural pilot in 2005. His mentor, Rick Reed of Reed’s Fly-on Farming, hired him as a full-time pilot that year. In 2013, Dominique purchased Reed’s Mattoon-based operation, which now operates under the name Aerinova Aerial LLC.
 
In 2006, Dominique completed the NAAA/Syngenta Leadership Training Program, which develops new leaders and advocates for the agricultural aviation industry. He served as secretary/treasurer of the Illinois Agricultural Aviation Association in 2007–2008. He joined NAAA’s board of directors as the Illinois AAA’s state representative in 2009. From 2012 to 2016, Dominique chaired NAAA’s bylaws committee. In 2016, he served as the association’s vice president and was elected president for 2017.