BILL MILES

Bill Miles was born September 27, 1930 near Stuttgart, Arkansas. He loved spending time as a boy near J.O. Dockery airport watching planes and getting instruction whenever possible. At 20 years old he joined the Air Force in hopes of becoming a pilot but due to his eyesight he became gunner on B-25s. While in the Air Force he was married to Bea Bitely. Three years later they came home to Pine Bluff where Bill went to work at Grider Field as the assistant manager.

In 1978 Bill bought the Grady operation from Ag-Air, Inc. and renamed it Dirty Bird, Inc. In addition to extensive Ag flying, he has instructed many students who became crop dusters, airline pilots, air show performers and military pilots. People still talk about the “Granny Act” at the Pine Bluff airshows. He also was the announcer for the show for some time. When Bill sold his business and retired in 1992, he was 72 years old and had logged over 39,000 Hours, the majority of which was below the tops of telephone poles! Bill is now over 90 years old and lives outside Nashville, TN with his very accomplished aviator daughter, Rhonda, and her husband who all share a love for aviation.