William Orval “Billy” Allen was born on December 18, 1936 in Pickwick Dam in Hardin County, Tennessee, one of three children of William Orval, Sr. and Ruth Moorefield Allen. On July 7, 1962 he married Betty Jo Cossey of Cadiz, Kentucky and they became the parents of two children, a daughter, Stephanie and a son, William III.
Billy was an aircraft pilot and owned and operated the Hopkinsville Flying Service and Allen Aviation in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. His particular interest was in agricultural aviation as a crop duster. He spent many years in the cockpit of his yellow crop-dusting biplane that was very familiar over Hopkinsville skies during the planting season. His wife, Betty was also a pilot. The Allens were also fixed-base operators at Memorial Field in Hopkinsville and operated charter, aerial photograph and flight instruction services.
Billy attained national prominence in May 1983 by winning a national victory in agricultural flying that proved very special – it was the first national championship ever held in that event. Christian County produced the “cream of the crop-dusters” in the nation as aviator Billy Allen flew to first place in an agricultural pilots’ championship in Americus, Georgia, outscoring 35 pilots from 20 states in a three day national completion event.
Allen and his wife, Betty, along with some of their supporters flew to Georgia for a day’s familiarization with competitive flying. “The weather was perfect, but it was a little windy,” Mrs. Allen said, explaining the course that was set up to test skills normally associated in crop-dusting.
The competition required pilots to fly swaths over designated fields, spraying water as they would normally apply insecticides. The pilot’s skills were also tested by flying through “gates’ that were hung between poles with red balloons set at intervals on the ground. Misjudging one’s approach through a gate would cause a balloon to explode, costing points for the contestants. Allen said that he realized the promoter, Miller Brewing Co., was helping give the agricultural spraying profession an improved reputation. “It was also really safety oriented,” he said.
Allen’s national title was even more satisfying since he was unfamiliar with the competition plane, a blue and white Eagle. “Most of us didn’t have much experience in Eagles. I had never flown one, “he said. Southern Field, the facility from which the 35 pilots flew, had a special meaning among aviators since it is supposedly the location of Charles A. Lindbergh’s first solo flight. Former president Jimmy Carter was among the spectators of the competition.
“I’m as elated as I can be,” the top crop-duster said after claiming the top flying trophy and $2,000 first prize money. A portion of the $2,000 award was donated to the American Cancer Society and Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville in memory of their daughter, Stephanie, a victim of cancer.
In 1986, Billy became a corporate pilot with MSI, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. During his years in aviation, he logged over 40,000 hours. Billy died on June 25, 2006 in Cadiz, Kentucky at the age of 69 after a long battle with cancer.
LINEAGE:
(William Orval Allen, Jr. was the son of William Orval, Sr. and Ruth Moorefield Allen, the grandson of James Orval and Daisy Pearl Bridges Allen and the great-grandson of William Henry and Sarah Elizabeth Lancaster Bridges. William Henry was the fourth child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges. Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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