American aircraft manufacturer Boeing is donating almost one million dollars to help fund pilot training programs as the industry continues to face significant shortages. Today, Boeing announced it is investing $950,000 in scholarships for pilot training to grow and diversify the talent required to meet continued significant long-term demand for commercial airplane pilots.

Where is the money going?

The contributions are split between two major areas. The most significant individual investment is to Fly Compton. Boeing is donating $450,000 to the Los Angeles-based nonprofit, which aims to introduce minority youth to career opportunities in the aerospace industry. Fly Compton announced this investment would directly increase the number of flight training classes offered to students in LA's Compton community and introduce young people to career topics related to designing, building, and maintaining airplanes and drones.

Training to become a pilot remains prohibitively expensive for many who dream of taking to the skies. The intensive training often costs close to $100,000. Even candidates with a private pilot's license face costs of over $70,000 in the United States. Demetrius Harris, Fly Compton's President, and Executive Director, commented on how the new funds will open doors for potential aviators:

"We are grateful for the tremendous support from our partners at Boeing. They continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers for minority youth within the aviation industry. At Fly Compton, we know that lack of exposure, access to resources and the high cost of flight training prevents underrepresented populations from exploring careers in aviation. We focus on eliminating these barriers to entry, and this funding package from Boeing helps us continue this important work."

Photo: Fly Compton

Demand for newly qualified aviation personnel remains strong in the present and long term. Boeing, which will release its latest Pilot and Technician Outlook tomorrow, projects 602,000 new pilots will be needed to fly and maintain the global commercial fleet over the next 20 years.

Who else is benefiting?

In addition to the Fly Compton initiative, Boeing is donating half a million dollars to fund 25 scholarships for developing future pilots. The $500,000 will be split between five aviation organizations firmly committed to providing training and services to traditional applicants and those facing various barriers to entering the field. The recipients of this round of funding include:

• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Latino Pilots Association
• Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals
• Sisters of the Skies
• Women in Aviation International

Boeing's Executive Vice President of Government Operations, Ziad Ojakli, specifically mentioned how the five organizations selected are helping the next generation of pilots realize their full potential while also showing communities that are historically underrepresented in the industry that a future in aviation is possible by removing some of the social and financial barriers to entry.

Another critical factor in helping future pilots is the mentorship and guidance that aviation organizations like these provide for early career professionals. Stephanie Grant, Sisters of the Skies board member and development director and a United Airlines first officer, noted how few Black women pilots there are in the country and her hopes that the scholarships will help encourage more women to take to the skies:

"Sisters of the Skies is an organization of professional black female pilots committed to improving scholarship opportunities, mentorship, professional development, and outreach. Being able to support our members through scholarships like this helps offset the high cost of flight school and ultimately see these women become professional pilots.

"With less than 200 Black female commercial airline pilots nationwide, we remain focused on increasing this number through the pillars of our mission."

Boeing, a corporate powerhouse and significant employer in the US, has invested over $8.5 million to bring pilot training programs to underrepresented populations in communities across the United States since 2019.