Our Approach
History
Gray's Creek Airport was founded in 1984 by Dale Smith when he began dusting crops in and around the local area. The airport originally consisted of a dirt strip that was less than 2,000 feet long, but in 1987 power lines on the north side of the runway were moved further north and the runway length was extended to 3,500 feet.
Alongside his crop dusting operation, Dale bought a Cessna 150 and began a small flight instructing operation based at the airport.
Gray's Creek Today
Today, the airport has several hangars on the field serving more than thirty tenants that live in the Fayetteville area. The runway remains 3,500 feet long and is 30 feet wide.
Dale's son, Scot, joined the family business after attending North Carolina State University. He now oversees all aircraft maintenance at Gray's Creek Airport and teaches classes to A&P mechanics and students.
Meet the Team
Our team truly is our family and we invite you to be a part of it.
Below are a few tid-bits about the folks that make our flight school what it is today.
Dale & Cindy Smith
Dale Smith is the man that started it all in 1984. He lives on the field with his wife Cindy and enjoys giving feedback on people's landings.
Cindy runs the CATS Testing Center located in the main office at Grays Creek Airport.
Scot Smith
Owner
Authorized Inspector, Mechanic
Flight Instructor, CFI
Scot is the owner of both the Flight School and the Maintenance Shop. He learned how to fly at Grays Creek Airport as a kid. His primary responsibility is keeping all 11 planes in the fleet safely running.
Sullivan Jackson
Airframe and Powerplant
Mechanic
Sullivan worked on Apache helicopter avionics while in the US Army for six years. He is a Private Pilot working currently working on his Instrument rating. In his free time, he enjoys flying his drones, fishing and spending time with his wife and young son.
Kelly Parsons
Flight School Manager
Credential Program Manager
Kelly has been around aviation her whole life. Her father, grandfather & son are all pilots. When not at the airport, she's homeschooling her 3 kids who are still at home or taking care of her horses.
Elayne Humphrey
Chief Flight Instructor
Master CFI, CFII, MEI
Commercial Seaplane and Glider
Elayne has her Master's in Marketing Research, had her own website design business and homeschooled her kids. Teaching people to fly is her passion, she also enjoys traveling and being outdoors.
Josh Delaney
Flight Instructor
CFI, CFII, MEI
Josh has been flying since 2019. He is from Massachusetts and has been living in North Carolina for the past three years. When not flying and sharing his love of aviation, you can find Josh on the golf course or playing the piano.
Jared Lindsay Fipps
Flight Instructor
CFI
Jared earned his Bachelors from Embry-Riddle. He worked for Duke Energy in their Aviation Department conducting infrastructure inspections via Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). His hobbies include hunting, Jiu-Jitsu and spending time outdoors.
Jenessa Martinez
Flight Instructor
CFI, CFII, MEI
Jenessa is a first generation pilot, originally from New Jersey. She began flying in 2020 and has fallen in love with being in the sky. When not flying, she can be found cooking Cuban food for friends or enjoying the day with her puppy, Violet.
Hunter Maynor
Flight Instructor
CFI
Hunter is a first generation pilot who began flying in 2016. He enjoys sharing his love of aviation with his students. He is a member of the US Army National Guard, and a graduate of NC State. When he is not flying, he is under the water - diving the shipwrecks around North Carolina.
Eli Rusk
Flight Instructor
CFI, CFII, MEI
Eli is a first generation pilot who always dreamed of becoming one. He began flying at 20 years old and enjoys sharing his passion for flying with students. When not flying, he enjoys cars, traveling and spending time with friends and his dog.
Interested In Flying With Us - Give Us A Call Today!
Gray's Creek Airport: 7154 Butler Nursery Road, Fayetteville, NC 28306
Contact the Kelly Parsons, Flight School Manager, by text at (910) 257-5807
or call the Flight School Office at (910) 223-0567