Page 28 - Appendix A

1990 Black Male SUPT student

What would you say was the percentage of blacks was in your training class?
20%

Describe how the number of minorities in your pilot training environment compared to your
high school, college and home environment (growing up).
The percentage of blacks in my pilot training class represented my high school, college and
home environment very closely. I believe the percentage of black people in the U. S. is 13%,
and the cultural makeup that I have been exposed to in life has always been relatively close to
that level of diversity.

If there was a significant difference describe what impact it had (if any) on your success in
training and why?
There was not a significant difference in my particular pilot training “class.” However, if you
look at the overall number of students in UPT, and compare the number of black students, you
will find a very dismal number. With that being said, I don’t think it made a significant
difference in my development as a pilot.

In your opinion, does make a difference, regarding your success, how many other black pilots
are going through training at the same time as you? Why or why not?

Socially, yes, it makes a huge difference. I think it is critically important for the black students,
families, and children to have others in their environment that look like them. Culturally, we

tend to have different needs, do things differently, and have different priorities. Professionally,
however, I found UPT to be a relatively level playing field. I think a large part of that had to do
with the fact that General “Fig” Newton was the Wing Commander. He was the only black
Wing Commander at the time, who happened to be a past member of the Thunderbirds, and
many of the black pilots from AFA chose to go there solely due to his presence. The mantra at
the time was, “Go to Vance to have a chance.”

In your opinion, does it make a difference what the racial demographic of your training cadre

or leadership team is? Why or why not? Please share any specific examples from your
experience?
Absolutely! I found there to be an inherent bias by some of the training cadre who may have
had a difficult time getting accepted into UPT themselves, or had friends who were not
accepted. Although white males often make up more than 90% of the instructors, there were
definitely a number who felt Black pilots were given a handout and didn’t deserve being there.
I guess 90% was still not enough… There were also those who were raised in an environment