Blake Montgomery – Student Spotlight | Wings of Eagles Aviation

The Wings of Eagles Student Spotlight series gives a little extra love to students with incredible stories.

First up: Blake Montgomery, who started flying with us at 14 years old! He soloed on his 16th birthday and passed his Private Pilot checkride on his 17th birthday. He had his checkride scheduled for TWO YEARS.

“My advice for anybody would be to read about it, then watch a video to help explain what you are learning, and to never give up.” – Blake Montgomery

If you could go back and tell your 14-year-old self something about this process, what would it be?

I would encourage other young student pilots to read and study constantly, as you can never know everything about aviation. Read, read, and read.

Invest in a reputable online ground training course. I used Sporty’s Private Pilot Course and made a 95% on my PPL written exam. Also, having a flight simulator (X-Plane 12) available to practice maneuvers at home between lessons was extremely valuable.

Who were your instructor(s), and what was/were the greatest lesson(s) you learned from them?

My instructors at Wings of Eagles were Michael Reyes, Justin Cupples, and Ryne Tomerlin. My favorite lesson was from Justin Cupples repeatedly reminding me that I am a visual pilot and should maintain my visual contact outside of the cockpit and occasionally scan across my instruments.

Blake Montgomery passes his Private Pilot checkride on his 17th birthday

What was your favorite part of training?

My favorite part of training was doing stalls. My mother, Christy, often rode in the back seat during my flight training sessions, but she wouldn’t even consider riding during stall training.

Which is your favorite plane and why?

My favorite airplane is the Stearman PT-17. I have 0.3 hours of logged flight training time in a 1941 Boeing/Stearman PT-17. Stearmans were amazing World War II trainers and are a masterpiece of art.

What was the hardest part of training, and do you have any advice for anyone experiencing that same difficulty?

The hardest part of training for me was learning all of the ground knowledge. My advice for anybody would be to read about it, then watch a video to help explain what you are learning, and to never give up.

What initially drew you to flying, and what are your goals?

I have been fascinated by aviation ever since I was four years of age. My goals are to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, obtain a Masters degree in Business Administration, majoring in Airport Management, then to someday work as a business professional at one of Middle Tennessee’s amazing airports.

What’s the best lesson you learned while soloing?

The best information I can share with Private Pilot students, especially during student solos, is to remember that not all other nearby aircraft will be displayed on your navigation panels, ForeFlight, or other electronic flight bag (EFB) systems, so always keep your eyes scanning for hazards. You may be surprised by an airplane that appears in your sight without the use of ADS/B or two-way radio calls.

What’s next for you?

My next flight training goals are to obtain my tailwheel endorsement and complete a spin training course. A friend named Charlie Morris took me on a EAA Young Eagles Flight at the Vine Grove Airport (70KY) in Vine Grove, Kentucky, when I was only twelve years of age. Charlie is a former student of Wings of Eagles and now performs aerobatics during airshows (Charlie Morris Airshows), as well as training students at his family-owned grass runway just south of Fort Knox. I’m scheduled to get my tailwheel endorsement and spin training with Charlie soon.

I took my EAA Young Eagles Flight with Charlie, and when I train with him in a few weeks, I will bust 100 hours of total flight time.