Bug-eyed and delighted, the students of pilots Courtland Savage and Jerome Stanislaus’ non-profit Fly For The Culture are all buckled in for their first flight.
What’s about to unfold is a gift that will change their lives.
The organization Fly For The Culture provides free exposure to aviation careers, flight courses, and mentorship for students who might otherwise believe that becoming a pilot - or any number of aviation roles in high demand - was out of their reach.
Their doubts are understandable.
Even Stanislaus feared he would never pilot a plane. He shared with CNN how he questioned his dream early on.
“I told myself I couldn't do it because I had never seen a black pilot — not one time. I didn't think that [B]lack kids actually grew up to be pilots. I thought it was just rich white kids."
His pessimism wasn’t far off, since barely 3% of U.S. commercial pilots are Black.
Today, community members love Fly For The Culture. By offering FREE introductory flights (costing the pilots $150 each) in their Cessna 172 or similar plane, the nonprofit helps remove prohibitive barriers to flight training and career advancements, such as cost and membership, for their young passengers.
Thanks to the support of generous donors, Fly For The Culture (currently based in Brooklyn, New York) will soon be taking their program nationwide!