Paralyzed Pilot Goes Beyond His Limits

Grant Korgan rediscovers freedom in backcountry skies after a life-changing injury.

Grant Korgan

Monday, June 15, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Grant Korgan flying a Carbon Cub FX-3 [Credit Grant Corgan]

Key Takeaways:

Grant Korgan, after a snowmobiling accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, pursued his lifelong dream of aviation, ultimately earning multiple pilot certificates and FAA first-class medical certification.
With his wife Shawna, he co-founded AOA Jets and the Moment Foundation, a non-profit that uses aviation to offer "hero flights" for veterans and first responders, and conduct humanitarian missions like animal rescue.
Through backcountry flying in a Carbon Cub FX-3, Korgan has reconnected with the wild places of the Sierra Nevada, finding a profound sense of freedom and rediscovering experiences he thought were lost due to his disability.
His story highlights resilience, the power of a supportive partner, and the transformative potential of aviation to expand one's reality and serve others.

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The Sierra Nevada has a way of telling the truth. Up high, the air is thin, the consequences are real, and the horizon keeps daring you to go one ridge farther.

It’s the kind of country that makes a Carbon Cub FX-3 feel less like a machine and more like a key that unlocks backcountry places most people only ever see from a trailhead sign or satellite map. To me, it opens the door to something even bigger—a return to the wild places that shaped my life long before aviation became my calling.