THE DELTA 307 CROP DUSTING The aerial application of pesticides to crops has become nearly essential to promote healthy harvests. Pilots are trained not only in row flying and applications but also in entomology. The ultimate goal is to produce good crops without damaging the surrounding environment. In one of the most dangerous jobs in aviation besides flying military combat missions, agricultural pilots fly as low as five to ten feet off the ground to ensure the proper chemicals, fertilizers, or seeds are spread on the right fields. Aerial application of chemicals began to be popular in the 1930s as the boll weevil, a beetle which feeds on cotton buds and flowers, threatened cotton crops and profits.