Originally Posted by
Embraego
And we take check rides like everyone else, but don't fool yourself, finding a black american(not african american) female pilot is like finding a green zebra, why shouldn't they have a better chance?
Also Dilla, how many black pilots do you know of personally that have made it in this industry? Captains? Chief Pilots? DO's/VP's?
Lots of pilots play golf, have you ever hung around a golf course? DO you know the fine points of the game? Thats one less networking venue.
Have you ever had a neighbor that owned their own company but also owned a plane? An aunt/uncle? Grandparent? Parent? Probably not. Another lost chance.
How great was the high school you went to? Did it have more fights than it had classrooms? Was college pushed on the kids? Or did recruiters promoting a GI Bill paint the hallways with posters to enlist? Race has always been an issue, and it always will be.
Trust me, I agree on all points...I am fully aware of our situation in the industry...as it is with us in many other industries. I am an engineer by trade (for the past 8+ yrs) and a pilot by hobby...working on my advanced ratings and hoping to make flying a (primary) career soon...still gonna have a side hustle though.
I spend a lot of my time volunteering in schools and programs on the south side of Chicago promoting the STEM fields and showing kids that there are other options in life besides sports and entertainment.
I agree, race has always been and will always be a hotbutton issue, but I tell the kids that they can still achieve their goals and dreams in spite of it...its been proven time and again.
I did not grow up with any personal connections to aviation. I had a chance encounter with a Black captain on a flight who mentored and counseled me in what I needed to do in order to make a profession out of it. The plan was to go into the ANG or Reserve, but due to my age, those plans fell through. So I am working the civilian route...such is life. I have been fortunate enough to befriend a few current and retired 121 pilots (black and white, male and female) who are more than willing to put in a good word when the time comes.
Some have told me that with my educational background and the fact that I'm a Black male, I wont have a problem getting to the majors when I get the hours/experience. Perhaps, but none of that will matter to me if I can't fly the plane.