Drew Bonham, Instructor

I was born in Memphis, Tennessee where it didn’t take long to realize my dreams and love of flight.  As many of you know Memphis is a home to Fed Ex and a major hub for Northwest Airlines.  I considered myself lucky as a child, when aircraft departed Memphis to the north they came right over my house enabling me to lay outside for hours on end watching, wishing I could be up there with them.  I am a first generation pilot in my family so I wasn’t sure how to achieve my dream until a friend of mine took me up after she got her private license.  It was a dream come true.  Soon after in the summer of 2005 I received my private pilot’s license in Olive Branch before coming to school, and now have a commercial instrument and a flight instructor’s certificate.

     Now that I am a flight instructor I am able to help others achieve that same dream I have had since I was a small child.  It’s a privilege I take seriously and have a passion for.  My love for helping others has carried over into aviation so if you have ever thought about flight or have dreamt about it as I did, come to Wings and we will make your dreams come true.

Quincy Davis, Instructor

I am originally from a small town in southern Georgia called Baxley. I moved to Nashville when I was 12 and now call Murfreesboro home. I took the long road to aviation with stops in Alaska, Korea, Italy and many other countries as a member of the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, I was a full-time firefighter and got to work hands-on with many fighter and cargo aircraft.

     I was always interested in flying but never really got the chance to experience flight for various reasons. While in Alaska, a friend took me up for a flight over glaciers and through valleys. I was hooked. Various trips and deployments kept me from starting training but in 2005 I decided to leave the active duty military and pursue a college degree full-time.

     While searching for a school online, I stumbled across Middle Tennessee State University’s Aerospace program. The choice was made. I packed my bags and headed back home to Nashville and school, and I am relieved to say that it was a decision I don’t regret for a minute. I am hours away from completing all the requirements for a bachelor’s degree as a professional pilot and in that time I have earned Private, Instrument, Commercial and Multi-Engine ratings.

     With my newest certificate, Certified Flight Instructor, I have the opportunity to teach others to fly and conquer the sky. Flying has always had a place in my heart and I continue to ask myself if it is real. If you have ever found yourself wondering “what if?” as you look towards the sky searching for the plane zooming across the sky…..stop wondering and make it happen. I’m here to help.

Charles Dayhuff, Instructor

Growing up, I never had the desire to fly an airplane.  I liked airplanes but preferred to view them from the ground.  My only experience had been as a passenger on a commercial airliner, which made me quite nervous.  Then one night, I was at a friend's house  and he introduced me to a computer game called Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator.  The game was a lot of fun, and I bought my own copy the next day.  Within a month, Microsoft enticed me to buy another game called Flight Simulator 2000 by promising me the experience of flying the 747 Jumbo Jet.  This, of course, led to the 2002 and 2004 editions as they were released.  A close friend, who is an airline pilot, saw my enthusiasm for PC flying and suggested that I really try it.  The opportunity presented itself, and I jumped in head-first, acquiring my Private Pilot License immediately followed by an Instrument Rating.  Next came my Commercial License, Multi-Engine and then finally my Flight Instructor Ratings.  I'd be happy to share my passion for flying with you.  Come visit us in Smyrna and let us help you realize your dreams of flying.  Earn your license and experience a joy and freedom you have never tasted before.

Bart Griffith, Instructor

How did I fall in love with flying?  I was always interested in airplanes and probably spacecraft even more so.  In 2001 at the age of 20 I enrolled in the Aerospace Engineering program at The University of Cincinnati.  Everyday on the way to school I would pass by the Blue Ash Airport just north of Cincinnati where I was born and raised.  The airport had a sign out front that said, “Learn to Fly Here!”  On April 2, 2002 I finally decided to stop in to the flight school and ask some questions. For less money than I had in my wallet (which was very little during this time of my life) I took an introductory flight in a Cessna 152 and I was hooked right away.  I began pursuing my private pilot certificate while attending the university.  Due to extremely low funds it took me 16 months to complete but in August 2003 I received my license to fly.

     During school I landed a job conducting research for the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio.  There I spent 8 hours a day sitting in a cubical, punching numbers and writing software while watching F15s, F16s and C130s whizzing about the sky out of my window.  One day it dawned on me that it was within my power to move my office from a cubical to the cockpit and the rest is history.  I turned in my two weeks notice, packed my bags and headed to Murfreesboro to be reunited with friends and family.  In August 2006 I began training to receive my instrument rating through Wings of Eagles.  I have since received my commercial pilot and certified flight instructor certificates.

     If you are tired of that boring desk job or are just interested in learning to fly, come see us at Wings of Eagles.  Stop dreaming and start flying.  We are located in the building that says, “Learn to Fly Here!”