Solo Flys & New Pilots!
62Pilots Celebrated
81Milestones
39First Solos
Success Stories
Ethan Pettit
I became interested in flying in the fall of 2019 after graduating from College. As I searched for a flight school, the choice became easy the minute I spoke with the folks from Hixson Aviation. As someone who did not grow up around the industry and had zero prior knowledge of aviation, I know the endless questioning during my initial meeting must have been tiring. Despite these questions, Paul Ibach and Jason Odom made me feel immediately welcome and excited to start learning. After obtaining my Private Pilot Certificate with Hixson, I finished my ratings in Nashville TN. In late 2021 when a position was available for me to join Hixson Aviation again as a CFI, I joined without hesitation. With Hixson, both as a student and as an instructor, I learned the valuable foundational and technical skills needed to succeed in my work today. I was blessed to fly with many excellent people
who happen to be some of the most experienced instructors around. They genuinely cared about my success as a student, and provided the foundation for my success as a professional pilot today. Because of Hixson Aviation and their time, efforts, and wealth of knowledge, I look forward to a decades long career doing something I love. Thank you Hixson Aviation!
Danielle Cummings
As a pilot, every step of my journey has been an adventure, but my flight training at Hixson Aviation was the foundation that set me on the path to success. The team at Hixson Aviation is dedicated and deeply passionate about aviation. They didn’t just teach me how to fly—they instilled in me a love for the skies that continues to inspire me every day. The instructors at Hixson Aviation were exceptional. They have a way of making complex concepts understandable while maintaining high standards of safety. Their approach was hands-on and supportive, and they tailored the training to my pace, ensuring that I not only learned the technical skills but also gained the confidence to make sound decisions in the airplane. Hixson Aviation provided the perfect environment for me to grow as a pilot, and I always felt supported in my learning. Whether it was my first solo flight or the final check ride each milestone felt like a testament to the hard work and dedication of both myself and my instructors. Thanks to the comprehensive training at Hixson Aviation, I built a strong foundation of knowledge, skill, and confidence, which set me up for a successful career in aviation. It’s no exaggeration to say that Hixson Aviation played a pivotal role in shaping me into the pilot I am today.
Brittany Franklin
I grew up in Chattanooga, TN, for a long time when I was a kid I’ve always had that urge to fly after seeing the Blue Angels perform, but never really thought it would be possible because I grew up in a family with no pilots. At 19 I decided to work as a ramp agent for Envoy which became my chance to get my foot in the door. Shortly after I took my very first discovery flight at Hixson Aviation, and fell in love almost immediately. I did most of my Private Pilot training there, then traveled to Dallas, TX to continue my ratings and certifications. Afterwards I started flight instruction in Charlotte NC. And in 4 years I finally became an Airline Pilot and it’s been the my proudest accomplishment ever since.
Nathaniel Trenum
My name is Nathaniel Trenum. I’m a First Officer at Mesa Airlines-3 years. I started my aviation journey with Hixson Aviation in Chattanooga,Tennessee in 2018. I owe much credit to Mark, Paul, & Jason for being a pilot. I still use their “nuggets” of advice still today in my aviation career. Their expertise was worth every dollar I spent there,and affordable(which is hard to find in this industry). I still keep in touch with them as of today because of the friendship that we have.
The DREAM, to fly for my favorite sports team-Indianapolis Colts,and my backup plan-international flying on a major.
Richard Whittemore
Richard Whittemore is from Chattanooga, he fell in love with aviation at the age of 14. Richard began his flying career at Dallas Bay where he soloed at 16 and got his Private at 17. At 18 he attended language school in Argentina. After becoming fluent in Spanish, Richard returned to Chattanooga and completed a degree in aviation management and began managing the Dallas Bay Skypark. During that time, he completed advanced flight training and began instructing for the flight school. A couple of years after, Richard began flying a Baron corporately for one of his students.
In 2011 Richard added his Commercial Seaplane rating, and in 2012 he added a Commercial helicopter rating. Later that year, Richard moved his family to the Amazon jungle in Brazil where he flew a float plane on the Amazon River as a missionary. After the government shut down the aviation program, Whittemore and his family adopted a young child and also started an orphanage. In search of a way to remain involved in aviation, he moved his family across the border to Colombia. After two years of persistently trying to get an air ambulance established, it became clear that the local political atmosphere would keep that from happening. So, after starting a local, fair labor company in Colombia he moved his family to Laredo, Texas.
There Whittemore started an aviation service company while working for a Part 91 operator. He also co- founded and acted as the chief instructor for the only dual rated flight school on the Texas/Mexico border. During the beginning of 2020 Whittemore and his family moved back closer to his roots in Birmingham, Alabama where he remains involved with the non-profit organization by serving on the board and managing the various entities his family started in the Amazon. He spent 2 years working as an Emergency Medical Helicopter pilot in the Southeast during the Covid Pandemic. He has completed the DPE training courses and looks forward to one day serving as a DPE.
Recently, Richard has moved back into running his own aviation business full time providing services as a contract pilot, consulting, aircraft brokerage and management. He also owns a flight school and maintenance shop. He is currently in the process of becoming a DPE.
Whittemore holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with Airplane Single / Multi-Engine Land and Rotorcraft-Helicopter as well as Commercial privileges for Airplane Single Engine Sea. He also holds a Gold Seal Flight Instructor Certificate for Airplane Single and Multi-Engine, Rotorcraft-Helicopter and Instrument – Airplane/Helicopter. He is also an Instrument Ground Instructor and Commercial Drone Operator. He currently holds Type ratings for the Hawker and CJ series of aircraft as well as SIC type ratings for the Beechcraft PremierJet and the Cessna Citation XLS+. He is also the current FAA Safety Team (FAAST) Representative with the Birmingham FSDO.
Richard began his diverse career at 16 at Dallas Bay Skypark and credits the family feel of the airport and the flight school for helping make him successful early on in his career.
Brandon Herrold
Hello! My name is Brandon Herrold and I am currently a First Officer with Republic Airways flying the Embraer E-175 based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
I took my first discovery flight/lesson with Mark in 2011 when I was 13 and immediately fell in love with flying. I went on to continue my PPL training with Mark, Paul and Tom.
Shortly after High School, I went on to complete the rest of my ratings including my CFI, CFII and MEI and spent about a year and a half as an Instructor helping others achieve their dreams in aviation. I then spent the next 2 years working for two air charter companies flying the SA-227 Metroliner and Falcon 20 before I started flying for the airlines.
I had a great time flying with Mark, Paul and Tom and applied a lot of the lessons they taught me to the flying I do today! I can’t thank them enough for helping me get to where I am today and helping me make my dreams come true.
Tyler McFall
My name is Tyler McFall and I am a Captain on a Citation XLS+ based out of KCHA. My flying career started in 2007 at Hixson Aviation in N61655. After completing my CFI, CFI-I, and MEI, I began instructing at Hixson Aviation. In 2011, I was hired by Expressjet Airlines and flew in the 121 world for 8 years. I left the airlines in 2019 for my current corporate job and consider myself extremely blessed to be able to call flying, a “job”. Hixson Aviation gave me the flight training foundation and knowledge to be able to continually advance my career. I am forever grateful for the experiences, exceptional training and lifelong friends I acquired there.
Ben Pendergrass
My name is Ben Pendergrass and I am a 737 First Officer at American Airlines. I started my flying career at Hixson Aviation in 2000 and went on to instruct there for a little more that 4 and a half years. I then went on to fly for Endeavor and PSA Airlines. I spent 4 years as a captain at PSA before I was hired by American Airlines in 2019 flying Boeing 737s based in Washington DC. My time at Hixson Aviation and the lessons I learned from there have prepared me for the career I have now. I still use the knowledge and skills I learned at Hixson Aviation everyday. I owe them a huge thank you for preparing me for where I am now as a professional aviator.