Our Team - Blue Line

A Passionate Community

Blue Line Aviation, a veteran-owned-and-operated business, was built on the belief that the best way to enjoy the miracle of flight is being a safe, confident pilot. By challenging our students with rigorous, comprehensive training programs, we are building a passionate community of expert aviators. We invite you to join us in our passion for aviation.

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Our Leadership

Trey Walters

Co-Owner & CEO • CFI, CFII, MEI

Trey Walters and his wife, Kelsey, started Blue Line Aviation with one goal: to provide the highest quality flight instruction for your dollar. Trey is a decorated Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran and former Raleigh Police Officer. Trey is an FAA Safety Representative and also holds multiple ratings including Instrument Ground Instructor, Gold Seal Flight Instructor Airplane Single Engine, Multi-Engine, and Instrument instructor certifications.

Kelsey Walters

Co-Owner & Vice President

As a co-founder of Blue Line Aviation, Kelsey brings over 10 years of small business experience and serves as our Vice-President and oversees all administrative functions.

Adam Walters

Chief Pilot • CFI, CFII, MEI

Adam has had a fascination with aviation since a very young age. He put this dream on hold to serve his country in the Army. After returning from a deployment to Afghanistan, he began his flight training at Blue Line. He now holds Commercial, Instrument, and Flight Instructor, and Instrument Instructor Certifications for single engine and multi-engine airplanes and keeps our operations running smoothly.

Lance Belben

Chief Operations Officer

Lance Belben is the Chief of Operations, responsible for the flight training, CFI academy, staff development, student and maintenance scheduling. Prior to arriving at Blue Line he was a Coast Guard Captain, with more than 25 years of service, flying both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft with an extensive background in aviation maintenance management and overhaul.

Megan Robinson

Chief Financial Officer

Megan has 12 years of customer service experience. She moved to Raleigh in 2014 when she met her husband Trey Robinson, who is the Chief Operating Officer of Blue Line Technical Services. Megan came to Blue Line from the banking world where she learned her organization and customer service skills that play so well in her role today.

Ray Walters

CFI Program Manager

Ray was intrigued by the dream of flying and began training in 1984. After completing his training he flew with the Civil Air Patrol for 25 years, including three years as the squadron commander in Raleigh, he went on to volunteer with the Coast Guard auxiliary. Ray has spent most of his career in management and leadership roles. He helped get Blue Line started and now manages the CFI Program.

Robert Rhew

Operations Manager

Robert has worked in the aviation industry since 2002. He started in the Civil Air Patrol program and went on to work in multiple operational positions at Landmark Aviation and Signature Flight Support. After earning his B.S. in Aviation Business Administration in 2017 he worked at Signature as Operations Supervisor. Robert brings his vast operational experience to Blue Line and oversees dispatching and scheduling aircraft maintenance.

Alison Ortman

Scheduling Supervisor

Ever since attending air shows at the local Air Force base as a kid, Alison has had a love for aviation. She joined the Army as a Flight Operations Specialist and after a tour in Iraq, she continued as a Flight Operations Contractor for another six years. After her husband attended Blue Line for the Rotor Transition Program, Alison decided to return to the aviation industry as Blue Line's scheduling supervisor.

Thomas Schmeltz

Marketing Director

Thomas moved to Raleigh in February 2019 after spending more than eight years as a sports writer in Bowling Green, Ohio. Thomas spends his free time traveling and rooting for his favorite sports teams — the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Indians. His lifelong fascination with aviation makes working at a flight school a dream come true.

Carrie Newkirk

Customer Service Manager

Carrie’s passion for the aviation industry came from growing up in the world of commercial aviation Her position at Blue Line allows her to use the professional skills she has spent many years developing to help others get started in the field she loves. Carrie is also passionate about her faith, family, and Carolina Panthers. Most of her traveling consists of tailgating and game days in her hometown Charlotte, NC.

Tabor Hutchins

Senior Training Advisor - Education Coordinator

Ashley Darling

Senior Training Advisor

Josh Weber

Training Advisor

Sierra Hall

Dispatcher

Cindy Davis

Executive Assistant

Our Instructors

Alex Hephner

CFI, CFII, MEI

Nate Tilton

CFI, CFII, MEI

Rich Laviano

CFI

Michael McCullough

CFI, CFII

Lee Wong

CFI, CFII

Noah Scott

CFI, CFII, MEI

Ryan Franklin

CFI, CFII, MEI

Jackson Fischer

CFI, CFII, MEI

Jamison Powell

CFI, CFII, MEI

Check out the fleet…

Diamond DA42-VI

The Diamond DA42-VI features FADEC controlled Austro Turbo Diesel engines,G1000 NXi avionics, GFC 700 autopilot, synthetic vision, air conditioning, and more! It is simply a beautiful, comfortable flying experience!

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Diamond DA40 NG

The Diamond DA40 NG seats four people while cruising over 140 KTAS! Designed with safety in mind, this Technologically Advanced Aircraft features composite construction, a passenger airbag system, G1000 NXi avionics with integrated autopilot and synthetic vision, and air conditioning.

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Diamond DA20

The Diamond DA20 is an outstanding and exciting airplane to fly for primary and advanced training, as well as rental and time building. With a cruise speed of 130 KTAS, the DA20 is safe, fast, and affordable! Our DA20s feature Garmin avionics units with traffic alerts.

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Cessna 172 JT-A

Made in America, the Cessna 172 JT-A is the best selling training aircraft ever, and has recently been reimagined an updated to Blue Line standards. With a FADEC controlled Turbo Diesel Engine, G1000 NXi avionics, synthetic vision technology, GFC 700 autopilot, and other features, this ain’t your granddaddy’s Skyhawk.

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Coming Soon! Our new location.

We are excited to announce an expansion of our presence at Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) in Smithfield, North Carolina! We have broken ground on a large training center to house Blue Line Aviation, Blue Line Technical Services, and an eatery named Flights by Simple Twist. While construction is taking place, Blue Line is now conducting flight training operations from the JNX airport. We expect the project to be completed in 2020.

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It’s a Blue Line takeover on the ramp 😏 . . .

Training in new aircraft with state-of-the-art avi

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Jet A please 👌 . . . #aviation #avgeek #flyblue