Red Tail Cadets Class of 2022 Inducted at Elite Aviation

By Carmelo Turdo

Five high school students from the Ferguson-Florissant School District were inducted into the Red Tail Cadet Program Class of 2022 during a ceremony held on April 21 at Elite Aviation. The event marked the official start of the practical aviation and life skills training sessions that will be held throughout the summer. The program will provide the means for these students to explore the aviation field as a part of their overall Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. It is hoped that this program will be launched in cities across the country in the future.

The Red Tail Cadet Program Class of 2022 with Elite Aviation owners John and Donna Tipton (L-R):

Grace Ford, Micah Riggs, Jalen Reynolds, Tyrese Walker, and Anyah Brown     

The Red Tail Cadet Program is a cooperative effort by the Ferguson-Florissant School District, The Crossing Church, and Elite Aviation among other sponsors to use aviation as a pathway to a STEM career. The program  is named for the Red Tails of the 332nd Fighter Group, the first all-black military pilot unit that formed during World War II and popularly known today as the Tuskegee Airmen. The same drive and talent that made the Tuskegee Airmen legendary in war and in peace can be applied by these students in pursuit of their own future goals while participating in the Red Tail Cadet Program.

The inspiration for the Red Tail Cadet Program came from an encounter half a world away from St. Louis. Anthony Meyers, The Crossing Church Pastor of Community Development, was on a mission trip to Africa. While he was there, he took a flight with two young pilots. He asked one of them, a native of Nairobi, Kenya, how he became a pilot and was inspired by his answer. In a region where most parents encourage their sons to become doctors, this young man had a different calling: he wanted to become a pilot. So after high school graduation, his community raised the funds to send him to South Africa for pilot training. After consultation with the Ferguson-Florissant School District and other partners, the Red Tail Cadet Program was born. 

During the induction ceremony, before the introduction of the new class, aviation industry executives and community leaders addressed the previous cadet class and the guests who gathered at Elite Aviation. Guest speakers included:

Anthony Meyers, The Crossing Church Pastor of Community Development

Greg Holder, The Crossing Church Senior Pastor

John Tipton, Elite Aviation Vice President 

Dr. Joseph Davis, Ferguson-Florissant School District Superintendent

John Bales, Spirit of St. Louis Airport Director of Aviation 

Paul Niewald, The Boeing Company T-7 Red Hawk Program VP and Program Manager

Doug McCollum, CEO of SpiritJets

Brandon Mann, The Mann Family Foundation

A new development for this second year of the Red Tail Cadet Program is the Captain Ruth Mann Scholarship, named for Brandon Mann's mother who was a pioneering commercial pilot who learned to fly in the early 1960s. She earned her Commercial, CFI and ATP certificates and flew corporate executives as well as mercy medical missions from rural communities. Class of 2021 Red Tail Cadet D.J. Beal was chosen as the Captain Ruth Mann Honor Cadet and will receive a scholarship towards the achievement of a Private Pilot Certificate. Along with the flight training opportunity, Honor Cadet Beal will represent the Red Tail Cadet Program throughout the community and provide mentorship to the new class members.

 

Following the presentations, the Red Tail Cadet Program Class of 2022 was introduced. They were provided with a bag of aviation supplies and monogramed uniforms that will be used in training throughout the coming months. The Aviator sunglasses were an instant hit. Following group photos on the apron, the cadets were paired up with Certified Flight Instructors from Elite Aviation and escorted to an aircraft for a flight around the local area.

Over the next several months, the cadets will have online access to pilot ground school materials and will attend concentrated training courses outside of their regular high school classes. The Aero Experience will have regular updates as the Red Tail Cadet Program Class of 2022 progresses in their training.