As a child of immigrants, Claudia Zapata-Cardone’s journey to becoming an Airbus 319/320 Captain is a remarkable story of grit, passion, and her parents’ steadfast belief in the American Dream. She is living proof that becoming a commercial pilot can be achieved, regardless of one’s socio-economic background, race, and gender. Captain Zapata-Cardone credits her father,…
In 1957, former Air Force B-26 pilot Marlon Green applied to multiple airlines without a response. Rather than accept his fate, he took his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, and won. Article By Lisa Tyler, FAA Aviation Safety Office During the golden age of air travel in the 1950s and 1960s, there appeared to…
South African businesswoman Siza Mzimela made history this past September after the launch of her domestic airline, Fly Blue Crane. She is the first Black woman to own and operate her own airline. Sizakele Petunia Mzimela is an airline industry veteran and no stranger to the executive level. She was the CEO for South African Express Airways…
Jonathan Strickland may as well have wings attached to his back as the young pilot already owns several world records in aviation. The Los Angeles native recently achieved another mark by becoming the youngest pilot hired by UPS at just 25 years old. At a very young age, Strickland developed a love of flying via…
Black women are continuing to break down barriers one first at a time. The latest woman representing #BlackGirlMagic is Andrea Lewis, a Delta Airlines flight attendant, who has just been named by the Georgia National Guard as its first Black female pilot. Andrea Lewis is the daughter of a military pilot and a commercial flight…
Lauren Willliams knew she wanted to fly after going to an air show with her parents at the age of four. She described being mesmerized by a F/A-18 at a military air show during Fleet Week in San Francisco. “I was blown away,” Williams said. “I knew then that’s what really sparked my interest.” Now,…
Malik Sinegal took his first airplane flight as a teen when a local volunteer offered to take him up for a flight lesson as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles program. But, he says with a laugh, “there was no way my grandma was going to allow me to get into an…