Students at Tuskegee University will have the chance to train as pilots on the same airfields the legendary Tuskegee Airmen trained on starting this fall. We’ll tell you all about the funding + the new flight school it supports.

$6.7 Million for Tuskegee University flight school

Flight School Article 2 Copy — Katie Britt gets some Tuskegee swag. (Tuskegee University)

Tuskegee University will offer a flight school degree program in the fall of 2024. U.S. Senator Katie Britt helped secure the $6.7-million federal grant. The new program will consist of a Bachelor of Science in Aviation with two components:

First component: general education + aviation theory (aerodynamics, physics, etc.)
Second component: flight lessons + training hours

The first is mainly general education and some aviation theory classes like aerodynamics and physics; the second is the flight training + classes required to become a pilot.

The flight school is awaiting approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the accrediting organization of Tuskegee University.

Why it’s so important for Tuskegee University

Mural In Honor Of Tuskegee Airmen — This mural honors Sherman Rose of the Tuskegee Airmen. (Cheyenne Trujillo / Bama Buzz)

Black aviation got its start in Alabama with the creation of the Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black flight squadron that flew during World War II. Before the creation of this squadron, no Black men had been allowed to fly military planes. The Tuskegee Airmen were trained in—you guessed it, Tuskegee, Alabama, where the University now sits.

So, in a way, the creation of this flight school is a full-circle moment for the rich history of this quaint Alabama town.

“This program will create opportunities for young aviators who dream of spending their lives soaring through the skies – here and around the world. I think General Chappie James and Captain Alfred Anderson would both be proud.”
Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, President of Tuskegee University

Captain Alfred Anderson is considered the father of Black aviation—and the Chief officer of the Tuskegee Airmen. General Chappie James was the first Black member of the Air Force to reach a four-star general; he got his start in the Tuskegee Airmen.

About Tuskegee University

Tuskegee University Campus — Flight school to begin this fall at Tuskegee University, thanks to $6.7M boost 1

Tuskegee University is a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Black Belt of Alabama. It’s a smaller school, with around 2,000 students enrolled. It ranks number four on the list of top HBCUs by U.S. News & World Report.

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