This Women’s History Month is soaring to higher heights. Kamora Freeland, a teenager from Staten Island, New York, recently received her private pilot license at seventeen years old. Her journey in aviation began when her mother signed her up for a scholarship to become a private pilot.
“I never thought about becoming a pilot, I wanted to be a marine biologist, ” she told Fox Weather. “One day she tells me I won the scholarship to become a private pilot and so I was like ‘ok thats cool’,” she continued.
One of The Youngest Black Pilots
Flying didn’t always come easy to Freeland, so she studied hard to make her aviation dreams a reality.
As a matter of fact, she accomplished her solo and cross-country flights last summer. Additionally, she flew her mother to Martha’s Vineyard on her own. That’s a huge feat for a senior in High school.
Earlier this month she put her skills to the test to obtain her private pilots license.
Her family eagerly awaited the monumental moment. “I live in Atlanta, and I came to see it,” remarked Freeland’s sister, Mariama Toe-Freeland, to ABC 7. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Her mother, father and grandparents were there to support her. “Excited, I’m real excited about this here,” expressed Richard Greene, Freeland’s grandfather.
After about an hour flying with a designated pilot examiner, Freeland landed. She passed!
What the Future Holds
With her unwavering dedication and early achievements, Freeland already has a plan to enroll at Spellman College for the upcoming fall semester. Her ambition is to persist in flight training and pursue a commercial pilot’s license.
Her end goal is to work for a major airline and go on to open her own flight school. She yearns to teach other kids to fly like she did. At 17, the honor student achieves a pilot’s license, showcasing that young women of color can excel in aviation.
“It’s truly remarkable,” she remarks to ABC 7. “I’m contributing to the necessary change, and I hope to inspire other young Black girls to follow suit.”