Murfreesboro Aviation is a unique enterprise and is surrounded by unique stories. One of those stories is of a 16-year-old Blackman High School student who has always been fascinated by airplanes and aviation in general. Ever since his first Discovery Flight three years ago with Murfreesboro Aviation’s owner, Jim Gardner, he's been "all in"! Patrick’s parents fed his hunger for aviation by rewarding Patrick’s good grades with Discovery Flights. During the summers, they would drop Patrick off at the airport where he educated himself on the world of aviation by memorizing planes, their performance numbers, the different engine types, and avionics. Patrick’s growing passion for aviation photography became a natural fit for his aviation pursuits.

Murfreesboro Aviation owner, Jim Gardner, said, "Patrick is an amazing young man.” Gardner jokingly continued; “He knows more about flying than most pilots. He makes us better at what we do because he's always asking questions and inquiring about every aspect of aviation."

Patrick enjoys playing golf and watching his two favorite sports, baseball and hockey on TV. He has logged 10 hours of flight time and needs 40 hours to achieve is goal of getting his PPL (Private Pilots License). Patrick's dream is to be a commercial pilot someday flying his favorite plane, the 747.

Murfreesboro Aviation has decided to sponsor Patrick’s endeavor. Patrick has committed to getting his PPL by his 17th birthday and tracking his progress on our social media. 

Patricks' Flight Instructor, Ryan Kulaga, stated, "We're very happy to be sponsoring Patrick. He deserves the support and we're confident he will achieve his goal."

Currently Patrick works for Murfreesboro Aviation as their primary weekend manager. His responsibilities include making sure the flight instructors and customers are dispatching the planes on schedule and check-in on time. He interacts directly with customers, moves aircraft, manages ramp activities, and ensures the weekend flight activity flows seamlessly. He communicates directly with management for any issues that arise, and is a trusted employee who loves what he does.

Murfreesboro Aviation wants the community to follow Patrick’s progress and encourage him as he pursues his PPL. Please visit: https://www.facebook.com/infomurfreesboroaviation/timeline to cheer for Patrick!