Andy Stein always loved sea fairing vessels and his childhood dream was to become a Merchant Marine. At the age of 17 he sent an application to the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship and he was accepted into their program. Andy was so excited and could hardly wait to graduate from high school. During his senior year, he took the initiative to get his physical and dental exams as well as applied for a passport. He completed all the necessary requirements and began making his plans to leave for Piney Point Maryland.
Then one day his father said something that changed the direction of his life “Son, I need you on the farm to help haul hay.” Growing up on a farm in Modesto, Andy was the only son living at home at the time. He knew the importance of helping his father with the family business.
A few years later, Andy decided to follow in his older brother’s footsteps and pursue a career as an ag pilot. What is an agricultural pilot? They are also referred to as crop dusters and aerial applicators. These pilots fly specially designed planes and helicopters to perform jobs within the farming industry. In 1993, Andy obtained his commercial pilot’s license and began his career in ag aviation. Initially he flew airplanes but in 2003 Andy started to transition to helicopters. He has been strictly flying helicopters since 2014.
Andy has been working in aerial aviation for the past 26 years and has logged over 19,000 hours of flying time. At the first sign of sunrise, before most of us are enjoying our first cup of coffee, Andy is airborne well on his way to work.
Aerial application is a necessary and vital part of food production. Airplanes and helicopters are used to apply fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides on various crops where it is too difficult to reach by ground equipment. A helicopter can accomplish three times more work in the field than ground equipment which means less fuel is being used, creating less pollution and reducing the carbon footprint.
Last May during the heavy California rainstorms, Andy assisted cherry growers using his helicopter to dry the cherries. He did this by flying the helicopter between 2-7 miles an hour above the treetops producing enough air and turbulence to blow the water off the fruit and leaves. If water is not quickly removed from cherries before the sun comes back out, there is a strong possibility the fruit will begin to crack creating irreparable damage. The use of a helicopter to do this process is very expensive for a grower but it can be the difference between saving or losing his entire crop.
Andy is considered a “visual storyteller” because his aerial videos are often shared on the Facebook group called “My Job Depends on Ag” (MJDOA). This group has over 90,000 members representing agribusiness followers throughout the U.S. These videos often illustrate the fertile San Joaquin valley and the diverse crops being grown throughout California. He will point out an almond orchard in bloom, or the beautiful sky from the sunrise reminding us never to take nature for granted.
Being an ag pilot is a dangerous job and can be stressful even for the most experienced pilot. Safety is always the number one priority for Andy. Before he flies into a field, he will scan it for any obstacles in his way. He alleviates his stress during this time by whistling or humming.
Inclement weather can impact visibility and helicopter pilots need good visibility in order to be aware of their surroundings. Arial application requires flying at a low altitude carrying a heavy load and moving in a regular pattern over fields. All of this is done while having to avoid trees, powerlines and fences.
Andy is constantly on the lookout for portable weather towers used by growers in their fields. These towers are anywhere from 2-10 feet above the crop line with a diameter about the size of your thumb. There is no standard marking on these making them undetectable from a helicopter.
The job of an ag pilot requires a tremendous amount of skill and precision and for this reason training is extensive. They must have a commercial pilot license and an airman medical certificate. The state of California also requires new pilots to start as 2-year apprentice under the direct supervision of a journeyman pilot. Knowledge of flying the aircraft is only a small part of what they need to know. The journeyman pilot supervises and trains the apprentice about the chemical applications, timing and the overall weather conditions needed for their job. Experienced ag pilots are required to renew their license every 2 years in addition to 20 hours of continuing education.
It did not take long when I was talking with Andy to recognize what he values the most: 1) his family, 2) his love for “this great nation of ours” and 3) his job as an Ag pilot.
When he is flying, Andy wears his own signature attire. It is a Roper brand USA flag dress shirt and a USA flag helmet which clearly characterizes his strong sense of patriotism and love for his county.
Besides being a pilot, Andy is a proud father of four. He has two adult daughters living in Modesto. He has a 19-year old daughter Grace who is a Private First Class in the United States Army. When Grace completed boot camp, Andy attended her graduation ceremony. He asked if he could sing the National Anthem, but the Sargent told him no. Andy sang the National Anthem anyways; accapella, standing outside in the pouring rain.
Andy and his 16-year-old son Gordon share a love for restoring old trucks and cars together. Every July, they participate in the Modesto July 4th parade by riding in an original Ford 1928 Model B car. This family tradition was started in 1969 by Andy’s father. He purchased the classic car in 1965 for $35.00 and appropriately named it after John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”. The car honors all the people who moved during the Great Depression from Oklahoma to California to pursue work in agriculture. In 2019, the Grapes of Wrath celebrated its 50th year in the Modesto Independence Day parade.
Ag pilots are often referred to as “farmers in the sky”. Andy has a strong agricultural knowledge which is necessary to ensure the application of the product he is spraying is done correctly and safely without incurring any harm to animals, people or damage to their personal property. When he is not flying, Andy continues his family legacy by farming on land that was originally part of his grandfather’s dairy. He grows 9 acres of walnuts and 13 acres of alfalfa.
In addition, he has a small side business called SteinCoCreations. He does custom laser engravings. Andy has a strong appreciation for farm laborers who are working on the ground. He has been known to land his helicopter when he is working nearby to distribute insulated coffee cups with the laser engraved logo “My Job Depends on Ag” to them. It is his personal way of thanking each of them for the work they are doing. Andy calls this OperationRanchHand.
Last May, a member of the group MJDOA (My Job Depends on Ag) reached out on Facebook asking if anyone had a used pair of work boots for sale. The man explained his boots were falling apart and they were required for his job. He had a young family at home and could not afford a new pair. Andy quickly responded by asking “what size do you wear?” Within a few hours, more MJDOA members rallied together collecting enough money to purchase a pair of new boots, 2 new shirts, 2 new pairs of jeans, gloves and an insulated coffee cup. The following day, Andy was working nearby and delivered them to the young man.
Aerial application has become a necessity for growers because helicopters can accomplish three times more work in the field than ground equipment. Andy Stein is a well-trained and highly skilled agriculture pilot whose important job is unfamiliar to most. He is a humble and unassuming man who loves his family, his country and his job.