They were on the Chesterfield Airport tarmac bright and early. On a non-school day. On a sleep-in day. Their facial expressions ranged from uncertainty to excitement. These young people were about to get behind the wheel—the wheel of an airplane. The Discovery Flight event was sponsored by the Hugh J. White Tuskegee Airmen Chapter. The main goal of the program is to introduce young people to aviation careers.

Most of the parents or grandparents who brought their children to the airfield said they were either tapping into the child’s passion for flying or exposing them to an incredible experience that could open up other life opportunities.

Jreme (pronounced dream) Hall is only nine years old. Her grandmother and aunt signed her up because they saw Jreme had shown an interest in flying the few times she was in a commercial airplane. She timidly climbed into the back seat to wait her turn in the cockpit as licensed and experienced pilots took the potential recruits into the blue skies.

Sixteen-year-old Alyssa Hill recalled that feeling. She was once afraid of heights and now is a Red Tail Cadet. The cadet program is named after the Red Tail Squadron, America’s first Black military pilots who became famous for their courageous efforts during World War II.

“I remember just wanting to get it over with,” said Alyssa, referring to the day of her Discovery Flight experience. Her principal had signed her up for the program and Alyssa wanted to follow through with the assignment. “When I hit the skies, a feeling of calm came over me.”  She’s been hooked ever since.

A confident Alyssa has already mapped out her plans to become a professional pilot. She intends to have her pilot’s license by her seventeenth birthday. The exceptionally motivated high school junior is already taking classes at St. Louis Community College.

The Discovery Flight program is free and introduces young people from 8-18 years old to flying and the history of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. The recruits for the Red Tail Cadet program have a higher bar to reach. The six-week program is about more than flying. It is also about building character and leadership, and ultimately a pathway to aviation careers.

The Discovery Flight program is a partnership with Elite Aviation, Henderson Aviation and the Ferguson-Florissant School District. For more information or to learn about upcoming events, contact Henderson Karl Smith at 314‑920‑9391.