Peyton Wolter behind the controls of a “Magnaghi Sky Arrow.”
A story about the willpower and determination of Peyton Wolter
by Dave Weiman
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2024 Digital Issue
For those of us who have ever had a broken leg, a hip replacement or both, or something more debilitating, we know that life moves slower – at least during rehabilitation. You are also dependent on tools like walkers, crutches, and shower benches. Every move must be calculated or else you increase your pain and can cause further damage to your body. You just can’t jump out of bed in the morning and run to the shower. The challenges – physically and psychologically – for people with prolonged injuries, are much greater.
Such is the case for Peyton Wolter of Watertown, Wisconsin. A boating accident in 2017, while fishing in Canada, left her paralyzed from the waist down. Down but not out. She had the willpower to go higher than she had ever gone before. She took up flying!
From a young age, the outdoors has been a constant in her life. Peyton developed a passion for active pursuits and has never backed down from a new adventure. Hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, wakeboarding, scuba diving – Peyton does them all.
Flight instructor, Nick Kass, with Peyton Wolter and the “Magnaghi Sky Arrow” she learned to fly in.
During her recovery, Peyton was introduced to the world of aviation when she took her first flight at Wisconsin Aviation in Watertown, Wisconsin. The freedom and sense of community that flying offered resonated deeply within her, and she was hooked from day one. In 2020, with the help of an “Able Flight Scholarship,” Peyton obtained her Sport Pilot Certificate, marking a significant milestone in her story.
I asked Peyton what is it that she likes most about flying?
“Short answer… Like anyone, the freedom to defy gravity it offers. Long answer… The experience of being a pilot has added an extra layer to my journey. Flying has played a pivotal role in my recovery and in regaining confidence in myself. It has given me a sense of belonging within a community and a distinct perspective on life. More than that, it has filled the void in my life that was created when I no longer could walk or run. Flying is a dimension of existence that eludes most people… If I can’t walk, I can still fly!”
Nick Kass, a 2021 graduate of Purdue University, was Peyton’s flight instructor. Peyton was Nick’s very first student pilot he soloed and recommended for a checkride. “Nick was an excellent instructor and went above and beyond to train me.”
The aircraft Peyton flew was a “Magnaghi Sky Arrow,” a pusher-style, Rotax-powered, high-wing, Light Sport Aircraft, specially equipped with hand controls. “Hand controls are inserted for the rudder pedals and brakes,” says Peyton. “It functions as a normal airplane when the T-handle adaptation is in place. “
Peyton said flying the aircraft took practice, but since she was new to flying, she had nothing to compare it with. “The thing I struggled with the most was the rudder adaptation which wasn’t like your typical left and right motion. Instead, you push forward for right-rudder and pull back for left-rudder. Combined with the side-to-side motion of the aileron stick, it took some getting used to.”
I asked Peyton if she knew Jessica Cox, the first person born without arms who learned to fly. Jessica owns a rudderless 1946 Ercoupe and is currently building and adapting an RV (https://midwestflyer.com/?p=13704).
“Yes, I do know Jessica through ‘Able Flight,’ an organization whose mission is to offer people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight and aviation career training. By learning to fly, people with disabilities can gain greater self-confidence and self-reliance (https://ableflight.org/).
Being so new to aviation, Peyton does not know enough pilots who she can say she admires over another.
“I don’t have any specific idols in mind, but rather all the women who paved the way before me, as well as all my peers in my class. We all had unique challenges in life, and to pursue a pilot’s license in a short timeframe of two months, required a lot of dedication and hard work.”
Throughout her accident, recovery, and flight training, Peyton’s family has been by her side.
Her older brother, Nic, was not surprised that she would chase after an adventure like flying. “My parents were a little nervous at first about the thought of me learning to fly, but fully supported me along the way, and think it is great that I found something I love again.”
Peyton has taken her mom flying and looks forward to taking more family members flying once she has greater access to an “adapted” aircraft.
Peyton believes in the work aviation organizations are doing to promote and represent pilots, but wish they were more inclusive towards people with disabilities. “There isn’t a lot of representation for those of us with physical limitations.”
Peyton Wolter (left) with fellow members of the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF).
Peyton is a member of Chapter 320 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Watertown, Wisconsin, and the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), which she supports by helping the organization manage its social media outlets.
Education-wise, Peyton has a degree in Marketing from Moraine Park Technical College and is finishing up on her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She is currently working in marketing at “Trek Bicycle Corporation,” headquartered in Waterloo, Wisconsin.
Realizing that a career as a commercial pilot might not be possible, I asked Peyton if she ever considered becoming an air traffic controller.
“I considered it at one time, but ultimately the job wouldn’t be for me,” says Peyton. “I don’t think it would fit into my lifestyle very well. So, for now, I will continue to stay at Trek – a company I really like working for.”
Peyton continues to fly with friends and looks forward to owning her own adapted airplane one day. “The world of aviation holds boundless opportunities for me and fuels my passion for outdoor recreation and new adventures.”
