Red Tail Flight Academy continues Tuskegee Airmen legacy

NEWBURGH, N.Y. — On the 80th anniversary of the first graduating class of Tuskegee Airmen, the Red Tail Flight Academy (RFA) graduated its class of 2022.

RFA is a flight training program inspired by the original Tuskegee Airmen that offers free flight training to people of color.

The class of 2022 — Mya Coley, Calvin Frederick, Jasmine Frederick, Anthony Gilbert, Traye Jackson, and Jarious Gordon — received their private pilot certificates, advanced ground instructor certifications, drone pilot certifications, and more, according to academy officials.

“One of the things that is exciting about this program is to see the caliber of talent that comes here,” said Anne Palmer, an RFA board member and daughter of a Tuskegee Airman. “The unique piece of the equation is that many of them are the exact same ages of the original Tuskegee Airmen heroes. It’s incredible to watch these students blossom throughout their time at the academy and realize the opportunities and possibilities for themselves. That’s why we do what we do.”

RFA, based at New York Stewart International Airport (KSWF), is an all-volunteer program that focuses on the need to increase diversity within the aviation industry. RFA strives to increase the percentage of minority aviators from less than 2% to at least 4% in the next 10 years, officials said.

The 2022 students came from cities across the country and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands to participate in the 10-month program.

“I want this opportunity for other students like me because I know the journey of pursuing a career in aviation is difficult,” said RFA graduate and flight instructor Mya Coley. “It’s emotional because growing up I was told all the time that I need to forget about my dream and that women like me, African American women, aren’t supposed to be pilots. We hold the Tuskegee Airmen history on our shoulders and that’s a big name to carry and follow-up on. It means a lot to me that I’m able to continue their legacy and that I get to open the door even wider for others that want to be a part of the aviation industry.”