My passion for commercial aviation was ignited while growing up in Alaska. As a teenager, I vividly remember flying out of Sitka to Petersburg, AK in a Boeing 727 where we threaded the mountain ranges in a series of steep banks and landed on a gravel runway! (Took me and the flight attendant about 5 minutes to help the guy next to me let go of his seat!) I pursued more of a "pay as you go" approach to my flight training, which started during my 10 years of service in the U.S. Navy as an Air Intercept Controller. After leaving the military to focus on a flying career, I spent an additional 6 years working to fund my training as a Certified Flight Instructor. Finally, in 2001, I accepted a job at Northwest Aviation College, and my wife and I moved to the Pacific Northwest before coming to Safety in Motion Flight Center in 2013.
A native son of Pierce County, Grayson grew up to the south in the small town of Eatonville. An avid traveler having visited 14 different countries on 4 continents, flying has become an avenue for continued world exploration. Despite having family who own and fly planes privately, Grayson’s first flight at the controls was a helicopter Intro Flight in 2014, bought for him by his mother as a birthday gift. He has been hooked ever since. Now as part of the Safety in Motion team, Grayson strives to help forge the next generation of safe pilots as he continues forward for his next big adventure.
A native son of Pierce County, Grayson grew up to the south in the small town of Eatonville. An avid traveler having visited 14 different countries on 4 continents, flying has become an avenue for continued world exploration. Despite having family who own and fly planes privately, Grayson’s first flight at the controls was a helicopter Intro Flight in 2014, bought for him by his mother as a birthday gift. He has been hooked ever since. Now as part of the Safety in Motion team, Grayson strives to help forge the next generation of safe pilots as he continues forward for his next big adventure.
If you had told me in my early 20s, I was going to be a pilot one day, I would have laughed in your face and said, "Yeah right, no way.” I grew up in the 90s when fewer women were pilots, and people suggested I should become a flight attendant. After I graduated college in 2013, I went to work as a graphic designer, which only lasted 2.5 years before I found myself bored and stuck behind a desk Monday through Friday. With little idea of what I wanted to do next, I was yet again told to become a flight attendant. I figured why not; I would love to travel and get paid to do so. In October of 2015, I began training with Mesa Airlines, and it was here that I caught the flying bug.
My name is Ben and I'm originally from the Seattle area. Becoming a pilot wasn't always on my bucket list. I got a degree in Business Management and got a job at a startup in Los Angeles after college. Shortly after that, the company laid everybody off and I started working as an Extra in mostly TV Shows in Hollywood. I ended up doing that for 7 years. I've been in the background of hundreds of different TV Shows, Movies, and Commercials. During the pandemic, I wanted a change. I took a discovery flight and enjoyed it so much I started my training. I found my way back to Seattle and am excited to be able to share my knowledge and experience with the next generation of pilots.
Born and raised in Pierce County, Kylie has trained and completed her Private, Instrument and Commercial certifications. In 2024 she became a CFI here at Safety In Motion Flight Center. She enjoys sharing fun facts about planes to anyone who will stop to listen and is insistent on having the coolest job at her high school reunions. Her hope is to join a commercial airline as a first officer and work with some all female crews. Outside of her pilot life, Kylie enjoys camping, swimming, rock climbing, and board games. Most of all she likes to spend her downtime with her 3 cats, girlfriend, and her friends (who if willing will listen to some cool plane facts).
Jud is a 25-year Air Force veteran with over 2,000 hours in A-7s, A-37s, & F-16s and combat tours in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. After retiring from the Air Force, he founded an AFJROTC program in 2006 at Bethel High School in Spanaway. After retiring from teaching he continued to pursue his aviation passions in flight and kit planes. He is currently building an RV-6A, flying a Piper Tomahawk and working part time at Safety In Motion. Since he was young, he wanted to be an astronaut. He attended the Air Force Academy to pursue that dream, and through his experience there, realized that being a fighter pilot was the best thing he could do (after discovering he didn't like 0 G).
Mark has over 3,600 flight hours and holds ratings of single and multi-engine airplane ATP, CFI, CFII, Remote Pilot (sUAS), and Flight Engineer Turbojet. He has flown 21 different aircraft and holds type ratings on the Boeing B-707/720 and the B-727. After graduating in 1982 with an engineering degree from Saint Martin’s College, he entered the Air Force. Upon completion of Pilot Training, he flew the KC-135Q refueling the SR-71 spy planes in the European and Pacific theaters. Later, he flew the KC-135R at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. After active duty, he joined the Washington Air National Guard flying the KC-135E while flying at American Airlines. He then transferred to the 111th ASOC, Camp Murray, becoming Director of Operations and Vice Commander.
My passion for aviation didn’t come until much later in life, but its driving factor started at a very young age. While I didn’t grow up around airplane enthusiasts, former fighter pilots, or aerodynamicists, personal growth and discovery were important components of my upbringing. A desire to learn is perhaps one of the most important skill sets that drives my growth and success as a person, a pilot, and an instructor. Growing up in a small Ohio town, there was little to do but explore the neighborhood. While that small town once seemed large, I quickly realized I had reached its borders and at 17 chose to move to the west coast. Only my 3rd time on a plane, flying into the Pacific Northwest presented a view of the world that took my breath away.
I grew up in an aviation family, but my interest began with Boy Scouts. During the annual aviation day, run by Alaska Airlines, we were able to fly a 737 simulator that the pilots used for training and tour other aircraft. We also learned the basics of aviation. After the Boy Scouts, I started volunteering there. I got my private here at Safety in Motion Flight Center to see whether I wanted to make it a career or just a hobby. After completing my private, I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. I decided to dive in 100 percent and get the rest of the licenses. I went to a flight school in Sacramento, CA to get it done. I wanted my first instructor position to be where I got my first license, here at Safety in Motion. My hobbies outside of flying involve tennis, gaming, and traveling.
Ever since I was little, I've been interested in flying. Through experiences while I was in the Boy Scouts and a flight to Hawaii, I knew I wanted to become a pilot. I attended Central Washington University as a student in their aviation program, ultimately working up to become a flight instructor, where I am now helping people reach their aviation dreams.
Growing up, I used to go to the regional airport and watch airplanes take off and land, I knew I wanted to fly but unfortunately couldn't afford it. So, I enlisted in the Navy and worked primarily on Destroyers throughout my 8 years of service. Working on the flight deck, I gained an interest in helicopters and decided to apply to both Navy and Army helicopter programs but was denied due to my “almost perfect vision.” So in 2021, I decided to finally pursue aviation on my own and got my Private Pilot License, and the journey has continued from there. After separating from the Navy in October of 2024 I finished up my CFI certificate and am proud to be working at Safety in Motion Flight Center where I continue to try and better myself as an aviator and as an instructor. I look forward to helping you achieve your aviation goals.
