Photo By Senior Airman Renee Blundon | U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Quincy Brayton, 22nd Attack Squadron MQ-9 Reaper pilot,...... read more read more
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The creation of nonprofit organizations is often rooted in personal experience or shaped by a shared journey. For U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Quincy Brayton, an MQ-9 Reaper pilot with the 22nd Attack Squadron, that journey began as a young Airman on the flight line, looking up at the aircraft he dreamed of flying.
When the topic of aviation was brought up, Brayton’s voice carried a mix of gratitude and responsibility, reflecting the duty he says he now holds to “pay it forward.”
Long before he stepped into a pilot seat, Brayton worked under the wings of a C-130 Hercules that climbed without him. As he turned wrenches on the aircraft at Kadena Air Base in Japan and watched each departure, a feeling of passion and awe began to grow. Eleven years later, he now serves as an MQ-9 Reaper pilot and prepares for undergraduate pilot training.
The journey feels long, yet he still speaks with the same excitement of the young Airman who once stood on the hot flight line, looking upward with quiet hope.
“When I first started flying, I did not have the funds,” said Brayton. “My mom paid $13,000 for my private pilot license because I could not afford it. Later I used my GI Bill for more ratings, and it hit me how blessed I was. But most people do not get that chance.”
That realization shaped the idea which would later become The FlyBraviation Foundation. It formed during night shifts at Creech Air Force Base and during soft hours at home while his newborn rested in a quiet room nearby. He created the foundation to lift people towards the passion of aviation, even if the cost of training was out of their reach.
What began as a simple social media account turned into a mentorship hub and then into a foundation with a clear purpose: “to help people climb into the sky.”
Before the foundation existed, Brayton once searched for guidance himself. As a staff sergeant, he posted a question on a commissioning page. The message felt small amid the flood of comments, but one person noticed; Enter U.S. Air Force Maj. Kate Hewlett, who saw his post and became curious about the person behind it. “I went to check his background, and I could not believe it,” said Hewlett. “Degree done, private pilot license, instrument rating, RPA certification. This guy had put in all the work. I knew instantly he was someone worth investing in.”
She connected him with U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Manning, a former instructor at the Air Force Officer Training School. Manning helped Brayton sharpen his application, writing skills and after strengthening his presentation, they guided him with honesty and high standards. When he earned selection for OTS, he asked how he could repay them. Their answer was simple: “Pay it forward.”
Manning later described the result of that promise. “He took that charge and ran further than any of us imagined. He built forums. He mentored applicants. He interviewed officers from across the Air Force. And now he has created a scholarship program. Every goal he achieves, he brings others with him.”
The first cycle of the foundation opened with 33 applicants. Brayton reviewed every submission and assembled a board that included Hewlett, Manning, and several aviators familiar with the journey. Together they looked for someone with heart, discipline, and perseverance.
One application stood out: a young woman named Shaniya Marshall, with a fierce work ethic and a record of earning every step she of her training. She funded her aviation goals entirely through scholarships and relentless effort.
“When Quincy called to tell me I won, it meant everything,” said Marshall.
Brayton recalled how her application resonated with him after weeks of evaluation.
“She has funded all her flight training with scholarships, so she has a way of writing to win scholarships,” he said.
“But she was kind of discouraged because as she was going for her certified flight instructor rating, I think she was starting and stopping for upwards of a year. She told me it was difficult because of funding. So, the $1,500 helped pay for her examination fee.”
As Marshall pursued her certification, Quincy recognized his own past in her determination. “She carried momentum and kept pushing through setbacks and uncertainty. She kept her vision steady even when the cost of training forced long pauses.”
Weeks later Marshall passed the examination and stepped into the role of instructor.
“I can teach now,” she said. “I can actually teach the next generation.”
The importance of that moment settled inside Brayton with quiet pride. “It showed me the ripple effect. Helping one person can help dozens more. That is what this is about.”
Hewlett agreed. “The ripple effects are huge. He helped hundreds on commissioning pages, in flight forums and on mentorship calls. And now his scholarship winner is out there teaching. It is full-circle leadership.”
At its center, the FlyBraviation Foundation holds a simple truth. Aviation shaped Brayton and opened the world to him.
“Aviation gave me freedom,” he said. “I want others to feel that same lift.”
With his selection for manned pilot training approved, Brayton now prepares for a chapter he has pursued for more than a decade. He embraces the work ahead and keeps his focus on the foundation.
“Sometimes people see flying and they think it is impossible,” he said. “I want them to know it is not. Someone helped me. Now it is my turn to help them.”
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2025 13:37 |
| Story ID: | 553152 |
| Location: | CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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