To increase diversity within the military aviation field, United States Senator Chris Coons D-Del. and other lawmakers have introduced the Fostering Leadership and Inclusion by Growing HBCU Training (FLIGHT) Act.
The FLIGHT Act, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act, was passed by the Senate in late July.
Overall, African-Americans make up 20% of the Air Force but only 1.7% are pilots in the Air Force and less than 3% are civilian pilots, according to Coons.
The Flight Act aims to “supplement flight training costs for Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) members enrolled at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).” Additionally, it will “lower the barriers to ROTC participation for students at HBCUs and minority institutions.”
“You’ll note that there are very few HBCUs that have flight training programs,” said Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University (DSU). “But those that do, like Delaware State University, would be a significant benefit because that will help a number of our ROTC students consider the aviation program as a real opportunity. It also extends itself with respect to training for military flight training as well as civilian training. The delegation that put this Act together was really thinking about how to increase the higher ranks of military executives of color.”
According to Allen, DSU has the “largest fleet of aircraft among HBCUs and is documented to be the high quality and low-cost provider of commercial pilot training in the United States.”
As of 2017-2018, flight training costs at DSU are $49,972. At other institutions such as Bridgewater State University, for example, fees are $57,333 while costs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University reach $91,200, a DSU chart reported.
