Bronze Eagle Fly-In

The Waco Chapter of The Links Inc. and the Bronze Eagle Flying Club of Houston partner together each year to bring to the Central Texas community the Bronze Eagle Youth Fly-in.

Co-sponsored by the Waco Chapter of The Links, Inc. and the Bronze Eagles Flying Club (BEFC) of Texas, the event targets African Americans, Hispanics, girls and members of other groups that are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations.

Demetra Kennedy, Links chair, said the 2011 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook indicates that by 2030 the global aviation industry will require 460,000 new commercial airline pilots and 650,000 new commercial airline maintenance technicians,

“The good news is there are many scholarships available in the aviation field,” she said. “We need to make sure our children take advantage of them!””

The Fly-in gave local youth the opportunity to meet an astronaut/pilots and experience flying in a plane. Participants also operated flight simulators, learned about Black aviation pioneers and experienced the world of air traffic control.

The Bronze Eagles Flying Club (BEFC) of Texas is a nonprofit charity flying organization and chapter of the Black Pilots of America, (BPA).The organization also offers a variety of services including: free familiarization flights, free aviation career training, and a National Summer Flight Academy for eligible students