AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2019 - 112

PILOTS KENTUCKY GENTLEMAN

Bill Daugherty
A fine blend of oil, horses, and flying
B Y J U L I E S U M M E R S WA L K E R

LOGBOOK

WHO | Bill Daugherty
HOURS | 1,500 single- and

multiengine airplane; 1,500
rotorcraft
FAVORITE AIRCRAFT | "I love
everything that flies. I've
owned a couple of Cessna
182s and I enjoy the simplicity of such a reliable, capable
machine. Also, the Cessna
Mustang is the perfect
airplane for me."
EXTRA | "I've owned a B55
Baron with the Colemill
conversion for 17 years and
I enjoy how much fun it is
to fly. I use the Baron flying from Lexington to the
Illinois Basin where we have
oil operations, and to fly to
racetracks around Kentucky."

112 | AOPA PILOT July 2019

CHRIS ROSE

SOFT-SPOKEN BILL DAUGHERTY introduces us to trainers and stable workers as
we walk the Kentucky Derby grounds two
days before the biggest horse race in the
country (see "First Saturday in May," p. 58).
Daugherty's quiet demeanor belies the fact
that he is an owner of one of the winningest
racehorse in history (California Chrome);
leads one of the largest oil and natural gas
companies in the state; and has achieved
more honors from his state, alma mater,
and industry than most of us could hope for
in a lifetime. But this Kentucky gentleman
lights up when talking about flying. It's a
passion he got into later in life and somewhat by chance; however, it's the spark that
adds great depth to his life.

"Aviation plays an important role in both my
personal and business experiences," Daugherty
said. "I've accumulated a wonderful circle of
friends through aviation and both of my sons are
pilots. I also understand how important general aviation is in the business world. We do business in
areas that are not easily accessible by the airlines
or that are a long distance to drive."
Daugherty stumbled into aviation with a couple of friends in 1981 when the threesome bought a 1979 Cessna 152 with 10 hours total time and a bent tail. With no prior
experience, the group had the airplane repaired, started lessons, and "flew the heck out
of it," he said.
Since that time his aviation passion has grown alongside his passion for the Kentucky
horse industry. He and his wife, Zella, live in Lexington (ask him about how his early-age
marriage to Zella nearly got him kicked out of Berea College) and his family is involved
in his equine business named the same as his oil and gas business, BlackRidge. In addition to accumulating time and owning several fixed-wing aircraft, Daugherty has fallen
in love with helicopters. He uses his Robinson R44 (he's owned seven) like most of us
use our cars. "I started flying helicopters so I didn't have to spend so much time driving
to visit our field operations," he said. "Being able to do so allowed me to convert a threehour drive into a 40-minute flight, essentially freeing up half of my day."
Is there a connection between aviation and the horse industry? "It was not intended,"
he said. "But several of our business partners in both oil and gas and horses own their
own airplanes. Our connection in aviation certainly gives us camaraderie outside of our
business relationships."
AOPA

AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2019

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