The pilot association was started in the early 70’s to provide a means for the local black pilots to come together and enjoy the camaraderie and joys of flying airplanes. The early 80’s saw the association diminish and fade away until Ben Henderson and Lawrence Herd staffed an information booth at the Oakland airport open house in the late 80’s. That sparked a renewed interest in the group and new members started to join.

The goal at that time was to inform the public of the existence of BABPA in particular and “African American Pilots” in general. As the number of members grew so did the number of aircraft owners. We planned and flew many flights around the region and the country. For many years pilot from across the country would fly there private planes to Tuskegee, Alabama over the Memorial Day weekend to participate in an annual fly-in to celebrate the accomplishments of the veteran Black pilots of World War II, now known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

BABPA and the Tuskegee Airman sponsor a summer flight academy for youth from the local area. The academy consisted of 40hrs of classroom instruction and 6-8 hrs of actual flight instruction with certified flight instructors. The program is designed to introduce young people to the field of aviation and provide them with a basic knowledge of what it take become a pilot. Some of our students have gone on to become professional pilots.

The BABPA executive board endeavors to reorganize the monthly meetings by taking less time on business issues and incorporating training sessions to encourage member participation.

We have reestablished our 501c3 status, and in the process of establishing and monitoring a scholarship fund. Our V.P. Darrell Edward has already prepared the necessary paperwork for the scholarship. .

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