UNITED STATES
LOW & SLOW
Mabry I. Anderson An Insider’s History of Agricultural Aviation
The Move Westward — Chapter Three Continued…
Excellent Pilots
Floyd “Speed” Nolta of Willows Flying Service in Willows, California, was perhaps the first ag aviator to seed rice by air in 1927. Stacked behind his Travel-Air are sacks of rice to be seeded. Photo courtesy of Nolta family.
B 22 | agairupdate.com
“Speed” Nolta continued to act as chief pilot for the firm, assisted by many fine pilots, including Ernie Moe, Kenny Palmer, Lee Sherwood, “Dusty” Verain, Ray Varney, B. Lane, and Frank Michaud. After World War II, still another Nolta brother, Vance, who learned to fly after the war, officially became part of Willows Flying Service. Willows steadily updated its equipment, graduating to 450 horsepower P & W Stearmans as they became available. All dispensing equipment was designed and built in the firm’s own shop. It was not until the advent of “modem” production aircraft that this situation changed. The firm is now operated by founder Dale Nolta’s son Greg. Greg operates a fleet of Thrushes and Ag Wagons. He is a typical second-generation operator, steeped in tradition, but with an eye to the future. Consistently in the front ranks to improve agricultural aviation, he is presently president of the California Agricultural Aircraft Association and an active member of the National Agricultural Aviation Association.
During a recent interview, a smiling Greg confided, “I expect we’ll operate here for another 54 years or so. I’ve got some young Noltas who can take my place. So one of these days Willows Flying Service will undoubtedly celebrate its 100th anniversary. We expect the next fifty years to be a little bit easier!”
California After World War II Flying from the Imperial Valley across the Salton Sea and out through the Spanish Pass in the San Bemadino Range, a pilot will enter the fabled San Joaquin Valley where towns like Bakersfield, Delano, Tulare, Fresno, and Modesto lie. This has been ag flying country ever since the first California pioneers blazed their trails across this vast, agricultural mecca. One of the first and most influential agricultural aviation operations in the Bakersfield area was Atwood Crop Dusters, run by Bud Atwood, who set up his operation before WW II. His fleet consisted of the usual aircraft of the day-notably Travel-Airs, Wacos, and possibly a Bull Stearman or two. ➤
