Nebraskaland Aviation Celebrates Two Pilot Retirements with Combined 95 Years of Service

Nebraskaland Aviation, an NAAA operator member based in Holdrege, NE, is celebrating the retirement of two veteran ag pilots with a combined 95 years and nearly 50,000 hours of flight experience.

Antonios “Tony the Greek” Drakoulakis retires after a 50-year, 27,000-hour career. Originally from the island of Chania, Crete, Greece, Tony earned his pilot’s license in Athens, Greece, and moved to the U.S. at 19 to pursue his aviation dreams. He began ag flying in Oklahoma in 1975 and worked across several states. After a brief return to Greece as a civilian firefighter with the Greek Air Force, he resumed ag flying in the U.S. and joined Nebraskaland Aviation in 2007. He now plans to return to Greece to enjoy retirement with his family.

Also retiring from Nebraskaland Aviation is Terry “Two Dogs” Nelson, who logged nearly 20,000 hours over a 45-year career. A Vietnam veteran and former helicopter Crew Chief, Nelson began ag flying in 1980, trained by his father, Paul Nelson, in South Dakota. He joined Nebraskaland Aviation in 1993 and flew across many Midwest states, earning a reputation for skill and dedication.

Both pilots flew their final loads last week and were welcomed back at the airport by friends and supporters. Both Nelson and Drakoulakis have demonstrated dedication, expertise, and steady presence in the cockpit which have left lasting legacies in the ag aviation industry. A celebration honoring Nelson and Drakoulakis will be held at Nebraskaland Aviation in late August.