About Us

Smoky Mountain Flight Center, LLC is located at Knoxville McGhee-Tyson Airport near Alcoa/Maryville, Tennessee. McGhee-Tyson is the perfect airport to learn to fly. With two 9,000 foot runways and a 24-hour FAA control tower staffed with air traffic professionals who understand flight training, McGhee-Tyson offers students the chance to learn in a way that will help pilots be comfortable flying in all types of airports - from large to small. We are located just off Alcoa Hwy at General Aviation Exit 2 across from Ruby Tuesday's. You'll find us upstairs on the second floor beside Preston Aircraft Sales and Aircraft Technicians.

"This adventure started many years ago in the seventh grade when my 7th grade History teacher, Mr. Hubert Terry, told the class about the time he took flight lessons. Now many years later, I hope I can be an influence for someone else like he was for me." - Brandon Hughett

Brandon Hughett is owner/operator of Smoky Mountain Flight Center, LLC.
He is also owner/founder of Hughett Aviation, LLC which is an aircraft brokering company based in Robbins, Tennessee. He served as Director of Operations at Knoxville Flight Traning Center, Inc for over 4 years and was the first appointed Tennessee FAASTeam Safety Representative by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Brandon's aviation background includes scheduled airline service, corporate flight operations, aircraft ownership for over 5 years, FBO management, flight school management, and aircraft brokering & acquisition services. Brandon has over 4,000 flight hours and over 10,000 takeoffs & landings in over 40 different models of aircraft. His pilot credentials include: Airline Transport Pilot Multi-Engine, Certified Flight Instructor, Commercial Pilot Single-Engine & Glider, and Advanced Ground Instructor. Brandon also holds an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Contemporary Management from Roane State Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management from Tusculum Collge, and a Masters of Entrepreneurship Degree from Western Carolina University.