Aviator Hamilton aims high

Jadon Grant Hamilton, 18 year-old senior at Breathitt High School, obtained his instrument rating for fixed wing aircraft on Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025 in Charleston, WV, after having previously passed the written exam and passed his check-ride after an oral test given by the examiner.

 Jadon earned his private pilot license in July of 2024 at only 17 yrs. old. This publication is unaware of any other student to have ever graduated BHS with a Private Pilot license, much less with an Instrument rating. An instrument rating allows a pilot to fly in the clouds and in conditions with zero or low visibility using only the instruments located on the airplane’s instrument panel to guide and control the plane. 

Jadon attends high school four hours every school-day morning and then goes to the Wendell Ford Airport in Hazard where he co-ops and works until 6 pm every evening. He also works 10 hours every Saturday and six days per week during the summer at the airport. Regarding the cost of training, his parents, Jeff & Jessica Moore Hamilton stated that Jadon had paid for his own flight training under instructor Jeff Hylton. They continued, “We are proud of Jadon not only for his huge accomplishments, but also for his tenacious work ethic.” 

Jadons family is no stranger to aviation. His paternal great grandfather Arthur C. Vogt was a bomber pilot in WW2 and the Korean conflict (fighting Blackbirds squadron) where he achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel before retiring from the US Airforce. In his second career, Art owned and operated his own avionics shop at Bluegrass Airport several decades ago. His father Jeff Hamilton (owner/operator of Breathitt Funeral Home) obtained his private pilot license at the age of 40 and took Jadon and his older brother Jaxon on several flying trips as young boys. These trips sparked a love for aviation in Jadon and helped him pick a career field that he is actively pursuing. Jadon is well on his way to becoming a commercial pilot. 

Jadon is younger brother to Jaxon Blake Hamilton, paternal grandsons of Lowell & Sandra Vogt Hamilton, and maternal grandsons of Gary & Vickie Strong Mullins, Roy Moore.