Ever since a young age, Garrett Frost knew where he was going. Raised around the bustling business of Frost Flying Service in Arkansas, which was started by his father, Jack, Garrett was hopping wings and working various ground crew jobs as soon as he could and continued until he graduated high school in 2008.
After graduating high school, Garrett continued his passion for aviation. He obtained his Commercial, Mulit-Engine and Instrument ratings while attending the University of Arkansas, where he graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Finance. Shortly after graduating, Garrett returned to Frost Flying Service in 2012 and began transitioning into a business owner. Jack mentored Garrett through various roles in the company. Over the next year, Garrett worked in virtually every company position, ensuring he had a solid foundation to lead the company and its successes one day. He took over daily operations about a year later as Jack began to relinquish more responsibilities to him, with the end goal of Garrett one day owning the business himself.
Garrett’s dad, Jack Frost, began his career in agricultural aviation in 1973 and started flying Air Tractors in 1978. Over his long-standing career, he became an Air Tractor dealer in 1995, servicing the South-Central United States. This region has a very high concentration of agricultural aircraft, perfectly situating Frost Flying Service to service the high demand for the aerial applicator. Over the next two decades, Frost Flying became a leading Air Tractor dealer and provided aerial application services to local growers.
Frost Flying sold the aerial application portion of its business in 2018 to focus on the ever-increasing demands of the Air Tractor dealership domestically and in South America. The company also has an insurance division, and during this period, more and more attention was needed to ensure the needs of their customers were met. In 2021, Frost partnered with another agent, Mark Smith, to handle the increased specialized insurance demand of its aerial applicator customer base. In-house financing is another service that Frost Flying has offered its customers since the business’s inception. The financing division of Frost Flying Service is uniquely tailored to the needs of the aerial applicator. Garrett returning from college with a degree in finance has shored this customer-driven tool even further.
In 2021, the business succession was completed, and Garrett was the sole owner of Frost Flying Service. His focus continues to be on sales, service and support as an Air Tractor dealer, emphasizing supporting his many customers in the local area. His future projections are continued growth in the South American market, where Frost has partnered with DP Aviação for sales, service and support of the Air Tractor market, mainly in Brazil.
Focusing on supporting its customers, Frost Flying has met the heavy demand for aerial application maintenance by constantly training its staff mechanics on new systems, from GPS to spray pumps. In addition to heavy weld repair capabilities, Frost Flying Service’s team has the availability of a leading engine shop on the field for troubleshooting. Frost Flying’s ability to troubleshoot Air Tractor and Pratt & Whitney Canada issues, combined with warranty support, ensure that the company has the Operator’s best interest at the forefront. Frost Flying has been hiring and training new staff and recently acquired a new borescope as an example of tools and investment in the shop’s capabilities.
Garrett sees the challenges that most in the agricultural aviation industry are experiencing with delivery times and parts procurement. The parts department at Frost Flying attempts to hedge long parts procurement by constantly keeping a solid inventory of the customer's needs during the busy spray season. The Parts Department has an intricate knowledge of Air Tractor parts, with a combined 30 years of Air Tractor experience, they can identify needed parts and get them to customers quickly.
Today, Jack Frost can be found enjoying his retirement on his cattle ranch in Tennessee. The transition of Frost Flying Service from Father to Son was smooth, with Jack ensuring Garrett had the tools and the knowledge to continue leading the business just as he had for many years to come.
