Well this discussion wasn't centered on Blacks specifically, but your comments make me believe that we're not as far along as you imply.

I guess to even begin to consider the validity of your statement, one would need to ask...

1) Where did you go to school?

2) How many black students did you know in a intimate enough way to know their future career plans and dreams?

3) Did you know any other white, hispanic, asian or other students in High School that wanted to be pilots, and if so was it a large enough statistical number to add any validity to your statement?

4) Is the ghetto culture in the black community any different from the "trash" culture in the white community (you know the Cops/Jerry Springer show variety) and what does that have to do with pilots when we've already discussed that most minority pilots as well as white pilots come out of the american middle class.

By the way. when I was in High School I knew several Blacks and Hispanics that wanted to be pilots. Through involvement in CAP, NAI, I could say I've known hundreds. I have several personal friends who are black that are pilots, I've also have been involved with a privately funded program in New Jersey called Eagle Flight where many poorer white, black, and hispanic students are exposed to aviation. Many have gone on to becoming pilots, joining the military in aviation fields, etc. etc. I would say in most college aviation programs you will find they are quite well represented by black students. In fact AOPA's national college representative for the learn to fly program was black?

I'm not sure what the source of your information is for the implications you make in your statement, " most blacks aren't interested in aviation". Well neither are most whites! Your own experience may or may not be consistent with reality.

Onfinal