ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - From the cost of training to a lack of representation, pilots and aviation experts say airlines face big barriers in their efforts to address shortages and diversify the industry.
At Elizabeth City State University, the university reports nearly 200 in its fast-growing flight training program, but it barely makes a dent in the shortage of commercial airline pilots expected over the next several years.
“The data right now says we need around 18,000 pilots every year for the next ten years to fill the demand," said Dr. Kuldeep Rawat, Dean of ECSU's School of Science, Aviation, Health & Technology.
In response, airlines and aviation companies have launched efforts to fill open seats by reaching communities that haven't been traditionally represented.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2023 population survey released in late January, women made up 8.3 percent of aircraft pilots. African Americans made up 3.6 percent.
A Historically Black College and University (HBCU), ECSU is training a diverse group of students to fly, and it's doing it at a relatively affordable rate compared to other schools.
“(We train) all the way from zero to multi-engine instructor for $32,000," said Rawat.
Compare that price to the country's largest flight school, ATP, which, on its website, tells prospective pilots it would cost over $108,000 for someone with no experience to become certified to fly a commercial plane, though financing is available.
The high cost of flight training can be attributed to the time and equipment it takes for pilots to get the flight time required to become an airline pilot.
Rawat tells News 3 that the N.C. Promise tuition program helps, capping tuition costs for in-state students at $500 and $2,500 for those coming from out-of-state, but that doesn't address what's a nationwide issue for prospective pilots, regardless of race or gender.
“There’s just no way you can get around it. Cost is a big part," said Tennesse Garvey, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), a national group dedicated to supporting and mentoring African Americans in the aerospace industry, which includes airline pilots.
Garvey has been a pilot for 21 years and flies as a First Officer for United Airlines. He says he hears from many aspiring pilots that the career just isn't affordable, so OBAP steps in as it can.
“Every year, OBAP gives out over $100,000 in scholarships," he told News 3. “We actually created our own in-house flight school.”
Rawat says he believes there's still a lot more that can be done to help.
"There has to be investment from the airlines. Basically programs to make sure that we can offset the cost of flight training, or there has to be federal funding to support students who want to pursue these careers," he said.
That still doesn't address another barrier Garvey says affects specifically people of color and women: a lack of representation. He tells News 3 that not seeing someone who looks like you in a career can limit what people see as career options.
OBAP's outreach aims to fix that issue.
“Students see a Black pilot with the hat, try on our jacket, they’re just blown away. They never thought this career would even be accessible," he said.
ECSU grad and flight instructor Reginald Thomas says he was taken aback, recently, as he trained for his new job with PSA Airlines, a company under the American Airlines umbrella.
“When I was on that Zoom call, I was the only African American...the only African American, and it hit me hard," he told News 3. "I put a lot of pressure on myself. I said, 'I can do this.'"
He finds inspiration in his fiance, who's pregnant with his first child. Moving up through the ranks would allow him to support his family well financially, with pilot salaries reaching well into six figures as they advance their careers.
"It will literally change your family for generations to come," said Garvey, who adds that it's important that successful pilots not only remain visible, but available to those breaking into the industry.
OBAP offers a number of mentorship programs to guide young professionals in aviation and aerospace.
An OBAP member himself, Thomas says he won't stay away from the ECSU campus for long.
If I come from ECSU, I have to come back to ECSU in that uniform," he said. "'I’m here, you can do that, as well.”
One of this students, Katie Kelly, is taking that message to heart. You could say she was born to fly, having grown up on the Outer Banks, a stone's throw from the location of the Wright Brothers' first flight.
She even graduated from First Flight High School. A woman and member of the LGBTQ community with her sights set on the airlines, she has the opportunity to break multiple barriers on her way to the top.
“Looking the way I do, I have, you know, throughout the years gotten lots and lots of comments," she told News 3. "I just use it as motivation and keep going and be that face for other LGBTQ aviators.”
Which could open the door for others who have the talent, but just need a little lift to make their dreams reality.
