Charlie Chambers - Model Airline Pilot

Just when I thought my African American airline pilot story could not get any better, I was blessed to have a conversation with my dear friend, Charisse Chambers-Smiley, the daughter of Charlie Chambers, a “model” airline pilot.

Charisse remembers that her father “loved to fly.” His passion for flying began as a child. As he got older, his life revolved around flying – literally and figuratively. Not only was it his career; it was also his hobby. After coming home from flying assignments, he made and flew model airplanes. Family trips were planned around model airplane competitions. And, he even met his best friend at a flying field in Chicago.

In the mid-1960s, he worked as a mechanic in the Air Force. He paid for his own helicopter lessons in the Army in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he was commissioned as an Army captain. After he became an airline pilot, he began flying helicopters in the Army Reserve.

Even with all of his passion, knowledge and experience, Charlie did not work as a commercial airline pilot until the 1970s. This could have been because of his race. Regardless of the reason, he worked as an airline mechanic at Midway Airport in Chicago just to be close to what he loved most. Changes in the airline industry opened doors for him to actually do what he loved in 1973.

Charlie’s wife, Rosemary, had heard about pilot openings at Ozark Airlines, and encouraged him to apply. Initially, he was hesitant because he had applied to several airlines previously and was rejected. He followed through, and became the first Black airline captain at Ozark Airlines. He worked there from 1973 until TWA bought the carrier in 1986. Then, he worked at TWA from 1986 until he passed away in 2000.

Not only did Charlie make his mark in Black history, he left a lasting impression in the aviation industry for his professionalism and craftsmanship. Charisse recalled a time when everyone on a flight was upset with him for not allowing his flight to be cleared for departure because airplane mechanics brought him parts that were not in a condition he felt was satisfactory. Since safety was his priority, he would not allow the plane to take off until he was certain that everything was OK.

Charlie Chambers - P-61 Black Widow

His model airplanes were examples of his craftsmanship. Charlie was a regular contestant that frequently placed in the Top Gun model airplane contests. Because of his passion, dedication and workmanship on model airplanes, Top Gun created the Charlie Chambers Memorial Craftsmanship Award in his honor after his death.

In addition, Rosemary created a one-time scholarship for Black students who wanted to attend the aviation program at Florida Memorial College.

Although Charlie Chambers has ascended on heavenly wings, he would always be remembered as a “model” airline pilot because of his passion, professionalism and craftsmanship.

 Last week I introduced Robert Holmes, an African American airline captain. Now, I am going to introduce Stacey Marcus, one of seven African American female captains in an industry of over 175 airline pilots. As you can see by these figures, Black pilots are virtually invisible in the aviation industry. Outside of the two captains that made history as members of an all Black female flight crew in February, African American female pilots have not been seen on TV. Thus, it is an honor to share Stacey Marcus’ story on As Not Seen on TV.

Some people fall in love at first flight; others fall in love at first bite. Stacey Marcus fell in love with airplanes on her very first airplane ride from New York to Washington, DC at age 6. Thus, it was love at first flight.

The courtship began when she enrolled as a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. She received all of her pilot licenses at the same time she earned her Bachelor’s degree. Like Robert, she was qualified to fly, but did not have the required flying time for commercial planes. To gain the experience she needed to apply for commuter and major airlines, she obtained worked as flight instructor which she did for four years. And she has been flying ever since. She flew for American Eagle for two and a half years, and has been with working for United Parcel Service (UPS) for over 13 years.

As with any relationship, there are good times and there are challenges. Generally speaking, Stacey has had quite a successful in her career. Not only did she have lots of family support; she was blessed to have landed a job in the industry she loved even as layoffs were occurring.
“Traveling around the world at someone else’s expenses” is an additional blessing. Her travels have taken her to Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia.

She could not recall any obvious challenges. However, being one of seven Black female captains in the airline industry is hardly unnoticeable. Stacey is hopeful that “sometime within the next 10 years there will be significantly more than seven [captains].” On a more positive note, there seems to be a larger pool of black female pilots that are just getting on with major commuter airlines, but it is taking them longer to obtain the “left seat” due to the economy and shrinking pilot forces.

To young people that want to be airline pilots, Stacey shares the following wisdom:
• Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything for whatever reason regardless of finances, race, or sex.
• If you want to do something, do it.
• If someone is offering to help you obtain your goals, accept it. In the future, look to offer that same amount of help to someone else.

This concludes Stacey Marcus’ tale of love at first flight. Her love of flying is as strong today as it was when she first fell in love at first flight over 35 years ago.

Editor’s Note: I would like to thank Stacey for taking the time to share her story with As NOT Seen on TV. I would also like to thank the leaders of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP) for assisting with this story.

Robert Holmes - African American airline pilot

Robert Holmes, a 28-year-old airline captain, has been a pilot for almost four years. His fascination with airports, airlines and airplanes began when he was a little boy. His parents noticed his interest in aviation, and supported him in his dream of becoming a pilot. Today, he is one of very few African American commercial airline pilots.

He almost let his dream fly away. At age 13, a pastor in East Orange, New Jersey took a group of kids to the Aviation Enrichment Camp (ACE), a program sponsored by the Organization of Black Airline Pilots designed to expose minorities and women to aviation. He almost didn’t go, but his parents talked him into it. What could have been a missed opportunity became “a defining moment in my career,” says Robert. This trip exposed him to the beginning steps necessary to becoming a pilot. Not only did he get a chance to sit in a cockpit and work the controls of an airplane, he met people who were role models.

The United Day in Chicago was another important program for Robert. United Airlines donated one of its Boeing 737s to take junior and senior high school students from O’Hare Airport to Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale to show minorities and women the aviation facility at Carbondale. After this trip, he was set on SIU. He applied and got in.

Armed with his pilot licenses and Bachelors Degree from SIU, his dream was temporarily delayed because he did not have the minimum hours required for flying time. To obtain the hours needed, he had two options: to pay for training or to become a flight instructor. Because pilot training is expensive, he spent a year-and-a-half teaching n Hartford, Connecticut. In addition to fulfilling his much needed requirements, he got paid to teach what he had just learned and learned more about himself in the process. His career took off from there.

What are some of the rewards of being a pilot? He doesn’t take his work home with him; he flies for free in the United States and low cost in other countries; and he’s “the boss.”

Although Robert is living his dream, he warns that being a pilot is “not for anyone interested in instant gratification. You have to put a lot of time into it…a lot of studying.” Persistence and desire are the two things that can make difference between wanting to be a pilot and actually becoming one.

Robert shares the following advice for youngsters considering a career as an airline pilot:
• Identify what you have an interest in and what you want to do.
• Find a mentor.
• Check out the websites of OBAP and other airline associations.
• Talk to people at local airports or introduce yourself to pilots when you get on planes.
• Read books about your career interests.
• Play Microsoft Flight Simulator or similar programs.
• Don’t be afraid to stand out and take chances. Expose yourself to as many different opportunities as possible.

Editor’s Note: I would like to thank Robert for taking the time to share his story with As NOT Seen on TV. I would also like to thank the leaders of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP) for assisting with this story.

I have been traveling via airlines for along time, and I can honestly say that I have never seen African American airline pilots in all the years I have traveled.  I know they exist; I just haven’t seen any personally.  History was made February of this year when the first all-Black female flight crew traveled from Atlanta to Nashville.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcxD4XFU-M

Even though those lovely ladies have been seen on TV, they are truly an exception.

To learn more about African American airline pilots, I contacted the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP).  Who knew that this organization existed?  Anyway, I wanted to know how many Black pilots there were in the aviation industry.  The actual number of African American pilots is unknown (1).  However, I did learn that there are 7 Black female captains.  Based on those figures alone, it is safe to say that Black pilots are virtually invisible in this industry.

Thus, I would like to share the stories of two airline captains, Robert Holmes and Stacey Marcus.  I am certain that they have not been seen on TV.  Stay tuned for their stories on As NOT Seen on TV.

(1) I submitted an Information Request to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to find out how many total pilots there are; the number of Black pilots; and the number of female Black-pilots.  I am still awaiting a response