Instructor Profiles
At Wings Over Wasatch we take instruction very seriously- we are responsible for your safety not only while taking lessons, but it is our job to teach you the lessons that will keep you safe throughout your flying career. Because we feel this way, we only use the highest caliber of instructors. Not all gifted pilots make good instructors, and vice versa- but our instructors are the complete package!
Ryan Voight
Ryan has been surrounded by hang gliding his entire life. His father has owned/operated a hang gliding school and shop in New York State for as long as Ryan has been alive, so he grew up with the sport. At age 4, Ryan took his first tandem flight with his dad. After that he took many more tandem flights, flying sites all over the country and even in Mexico. To this day Ryan is the youngest pilot to fly tandem from the highest launch in the US, Telluride mountain in CO, flying at over 16,500 ft for most of the flight! In 1997 Ryan became the youngest person to fly solo from Ellenville mountain, NY (age 13). He has been flying ever since, logging hundreds of hours of airtime and maintaining a perfect injury-free safety record. Ryan has medalled five years running in the Kitty Hawk Spectacular competition- placing first in 2006, 2008, and again in 2010. Ryan has also been on the winning team of the Ellenville Fun Meet nearly every year he's participated, and was the overall highest scorer in 2006.
Ryan is extremely passionate about growing the sport of hang gliding by sharing it with others. In 2008 Ryan moved to Utah to start Wings Over Wasatch and pursue a life promoting the sport he loves.
During the winter months Ryan continues to hone his teaching skills working as a Ski School Supervisor at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT.
Shadd Heaston
Shadd has had a passion for flying for a very long time. As a young man Shadd followed in his father's footsteps, and became a professional pilot, earning Private, Commercial, Instrument, and Multi-Engine pilot ratings, with Instructor ratings in each of these disciplines. Shadd received his Airline Transport Pilot rating at age 23 and became a Lear Jet Captain that same year. Shadd now holds Captains ratings in eight different jet aircraft, ranging from Lear Jets, to the Boeing 767, with world wide operational experience in all.
In his late 20's, Shadd found his true passion in life, soaring sports. First in sailplanes, both commercially and as an instructor, then in paragliding, in which he holds an advanced rating. Five years ago Shadd found hang gliding; He says "It is the only aircraft that allows me to truly fly, the way I fly in my dreams". Shadd holds an advanced hang glider rating, and is certified to instruct by the United States Hang gliding and Paragliding Association
Shadd is possibly THE most active free-flight participant in all of Utah! Shadd's life long passion for flight, coupled with his aviation background, brings a depth of instructional knowledge that is rarely equaled. Let Shadd use his 25 years worth of passion and experience to help you realize your dreams of flight!