US Air Force selects TSU as first HBCU to host summer flight academy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee State University (TSU) is preparing teenagers from around the world to become the next generation of airplane pilots and technicians, marking a sky-high moment for students and the school.

The U.S. Air Force selected TSU as the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to host this aviation training program for 19 students from across the country and across the globe, including as far away as Japan, according to officials.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provided TSU with a $500,000 grant to host the Aim High Flight Academy for students ages 16 to 18.

On campus, TSU said participants are completing lectures and flight simulators before heading to John C. Tune Airport for hands-on training. By the end of the three-week program, students will have up to 15 hours of flight training that will go toward the necessary hours for a pilot license, as well as an education in STEM and robotics.

According to TSU, this program allows teens to play a critical role in contributing to the industry’s growth while ensuring aircraft safety and reliability.

“For me, engineering is one of my childhood passions, but just being able to make change with your own two hands, like, to be able to see a problem in front of you and not just be a bystander, but be someone who actively works to solve a problem…I’m very happy and very impassioned to be surrounded by such motivated and talented people and that really pushes me to do my best, as well,” explained Mark Tian, a California resident and incoming first-year at Stanford University.

Several of the students with whom News 2 spoke said they’re not only passionate about aviation, but also serving their country.

“To be a commercial pilot, we need 40 hours and buying flight hours are really expensive, and my mom was also in the Air Force, so being able to learn about the Air Force and getting to meet people from there also helped with the exposure,” Naomi Hill, a rising junior from Virginia, told News 2, adding that her mother inspired her to be a pilot, but she also wants to travel the world.

The summer flight academy kicked off June 1 and is set to wrap up by June 21.