Author: Tanya Austin
Tanya Austin
For more than twelve years, Tanya Austin has worked in the aviation field as a first responder, brand ambassador, and customer service representative to travelers worldwide, as operations and safety manager, representing regional and global carriers such as Delta Airlines and United Express. Tanya has worked in charter, private, and commercial aviation. She has been passionate about her work with nonprofit groups such as Black Pilots of America and Tuskegee Airmen Inc., where she is a national board member and Eastern Region Representative. Tanya is an active member of Women in Aviation International, the Organization for Black Aerospace Professionals, Sisters of the Skies, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. She contributes her spare time supporting those who need help in these and other organizations. Tanya is an aviation business owner and commercial pilot. She is a Certified Aviation Safety Manager. Tanya has over 25 years of sales, service, and management experience and has worked for both government and private sectors. Tanya attended Kaplan, where she completed studies in business and real estate. She also has an international mediator certification.
During an annual Black Pilots of America General Membership meeting, I had the privilege of interviewing one of New York’s living legends, Les Morris. I intended to gain knowledge firsthand about the barrier-breaking organization NAI (Negro Airman International), as well as BPA (Black Pilots of America). After speaking with Mr. Morris, I was not only humbled and inspired, but I was genuinely amazed. I wanted to know more about Morris, president of NAI for 12 years and one of the founders of Black Pilots of America. Mr. Morris was the very first president of BPA. Mr. Morris was born on…
Documented original Tuskegee Airman, 2nd Lieutenant Herbert Thorpe, is not your average male in America. He is a living legend, and he has surpassed many averages. Born in New York 100 years ago on January 9, 1923, Thorpe has exceeded the average life expectancy, and he and his younger brother Richard both have a place in history for their military careers as Tuskegee Airmen. Herbert Thorpe attended Brooklyn Public Schools and received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from New York University. Thorpe had his basic military training at Fort Dix in New Jersey. He then traveled throughout the United States…
Aviation’s landscape is constantly evolving, so safety should always be the top priority. Emerging technology advances, turnover due to mandatory retirement limits, and increasing post-pandemic air traffic are just a few reasons to be more vigilant as an industry in all matters concerning safety. With all of the growth trends in the industry, safety culture and the management of that culture are hot topics. The Department of Transportation is committed to the safety of all modes of transportation, and aviation is no exception. The Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) has provided a customizable training solution for federal, state, and local governmental,…
With more than 400 in attendance, the NBAA Leadership Conference was a success. Covid protocols including CLEAR verification and rapid testing were issued to each registered attendee. Brad Self (Chief Pilot VF Corporation) and Dave Salvador (aftermarket VP of GoGo Business Aviation) kicked off the “Return to Service” themed conference. With a well-rounded list of presentations, the industry training offered perspectives from leaders from a broad spectrum. Dr. Amy Grubb (renowned international speaker, special assistant to the Chief Information Officer at the FBI, two-time FBI director award winner, and Bombardier Safety Stand-down Advisory Council) spoke about transparency during transitions, only…
The formation of the first all-black squadron of combat soldiers of World War II in 1941 forever changed the path of aspiring African American aviators. Although there were only 992 pilots trained, there were approximately 15,000 trailblazers that were a part of this historic experiment including various engineers, navigators, bombardiers, mechanics instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, and cooks. Now known as the Tuskegee Airmen, they dispelled myths, biases, and racism by their exemplary leadership proving African Americans were brave leaders who could operate complex machinery such as airplanes. The “Double Victory” that the Airmen achieved created a paradigm shift. It was…
United Airlines celebrated the official grand opening of the United Aviate Academy at Goodyear Airport in Arizona. The event was located on the grounds of the campus located at Goodyear Airport in Phoenix. The $10 million facility is the former site of the Lufthansa Aviation Training Center and has everything needed for the United Aviate Program to be successful. The training fleet includes at least 20 Cirrus SR-20 aircraft with more to come. The program’s first class of trainees, the Alpha class, began training the first week of December 2021, and the Bravo class was on hand for the celebration.…
Major General Irene Trowell-Harris Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc. celebrated the opening of the Redtail Flight Academy (RFA) located at Stewart International Airport (SWF) in New Windsor, NY. Original Tuskegee Airmen Lt. Col. Enoch Woodhouse and United Airlines Pilot Carole Hopson were both were guest speakers at the event . The Redtail Flight Academy opened on September 10th at SWF with seven minority youth scholarship recipients from various parts of the country and the Caribbean. The Redtail Flight Academy is designed to take these students from little or no cockpit time to commercial multi-engine rated pilots within ten months. The…
The Cradle of Aviation Museum honored Hempstead Long Island resident, William M. Wheeler. This Tuskegee Airman was a 2nd Lieutenant, Combat Fighter Pilot and apart of both the 332nd Fighter Group and the 302nd Fighter Squadron. To provide a more permanent commemoration, a section of Lindbergh Boulevard is now “William M. Wheeler Way,” honoring a longtime Hempstead resident who as one of the acclaimed Tuskegee Airmen helped shatter the U.S. military’s ban on Black pilots. Wheeler died in 2011, but his family was on hand outside the Cradle of Aviation Museum, where Nassau County Executive Laura Curran oversaw the naming,…