‘No man is an island’

They all looked terribly anxious, waiting for us to shut down the airplane so my applicant could get out and tell them if he was successful. I was not prepared for the chorus of shouts that split the air when he gave his friends and fellow students the thumbs-up.

They ran across the ramp, laughing and hugging and insisting we pose for countless pictures by the airplane. I didn’t mind. Sharing in my applicants’ joyful success is one of the best parts of my job as an FAA designated pilot examiner. This guy must be well liked around here to have so many dedicated cheerleaders, I thought. But the next time I did a checkride for LWFA, the same thing happened. Only this time, I was prepared for the happy screaming as soon as I opened my door. Luke Weathers Flight Academy is a flight school in Olive Branch, Mississippi, with the objective of increasing minority participation in aviation through training, mentoring, and scholarships funded in part by OBAP, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP.org). I’ve often wondered why it is that the students at LWFA are so supportive of each other. It might have something to do with the fact that aviation has historically had almost insurmountable entry barriers for people of color. The students of LWFA have figured out something important: When you’re stretching to meet a challenge and the odds are against you, you have to get help from people who have gone before. Don’t try to go it alone.

The most challenging part of my aviation career was training as a first officer for a regional airline. For weeks leading up to the checkride, I went into hiding, my typical study routine that involves locking myself in a room with my books and generally being a bear to civilization until the test has passed. I thought I was well-prepared for the big day, but I didn’t know the answers to the questions that were asked, and I failed that portion.

It doesn’t matter your level, student pilot or airline transport pilot, the truth remains the same: You cannot do this aviation thing in a vacuum.Would things have turned out differently if I had asked a more experienced person to help me prepare instead of believing I could study on my own? Probably so. But I’m an introvert by nature, and involving other people in my preparation process isn’t something that comes naturally to this Type A gal. So, years later, when my little brother was heading off to his first day of training at a regional airline, I gave him only one piece of advice: Ask for help. As the second-born, laid-back guy that he is, I can guarantee he did not spend as many hours as me stressing over and preparing for that checkride. But he studied with his classmates and did a mock oral with his mentor pilot from the union. When I called him after to find out how he’d done, he said, “Oh, it was easy. No surprises.” He took the hand that was offered, and it made his training experience so much smoother than mine. (He’s also really smart, but don’t tell him I said that.)

It doesn’t matter your level, student pilot or airline transport pilot, the truth remains the same: You cannot do this aviation thing in a vacuum. You have to seek out help from other people who have crossed these hurdles before. Maybe you don’t have an aunt or father who has flown airplanes. You’re not alone. There are people who want to help you. Go find them. Yes, I know this will be hard for all you introverts out there. But we can do this. (We have to do this.) There are so many organizations who help pilots along: OBAP, Women in Aviation International, the Civil Air Patrol, AOPA, just to name a few. Maybe you’re not a big group person. I get that. Why not just hang out at the airport, become a fixture on the flight school couch until you can make some aviation friends? Or why don’t you find the most respected pilot at your airport and invite them for coffee or a beer and pick their brain on local resources that might be available to you. Better yet, ask them to be your mentor. I am constantly amazed by the people in this industry who will go out of their way to help someone coming up behind them.

Earning pilot ratings is not easy. Maybe that’s why less than 1 percent of the United States population holds a private pilot certificate. Lucky for us, that’s a really supportive group. So, if you’re just getting started with your pilot aspirations, surround yourself with people who can help guide you. And if you’re on the other end of the journey, see if you can find someone and share what you’ve learned along the way.

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