A 501(c)3 Charity Empowering individuals through flight training.
“The Arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
- MLK
Pilot Stats
There is a need to diversify the flight deck. Of all the professional pilots in the United States, 93.7% of professional pilots are White and 92.5% of professional pilots are male, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also shares that only 5.3% of all aircraft pilots and flight engineers were women, 93% were white, 3.9% were Black, 1.5 % were Asian, and 6.1% were Hispanic or Latino in 2021.
Although there have been rapid advances in commercial aviation, diversity in the aviation workforce has shown little progress. The Arc Flight Academy is working towards addressing this disparity and helping those from underrepresented and underprivileged groups break barriers in aviation.
Our Mission
This nonprofit works to:
• Bridge the gap between ambition and opportunity by providing aviation education to those facing financial barriers.
• Provide accessible aviation education to those who would not be able to embark on their aeronautical journey.
• Empower those who have a calling to the skies, to meet their full potential and give back in the process.
• Build a community that is inclusive, welcoming, and nurturing.
• Mentor the next generation of aviators and guide them through their aviation careers.
• Develop professionals who are driven, grounded, and ready to better themselves.
At The Arc Flight Academy, our mission is to empower individuals through flight training and introduce opportunities in the world of aviation. As a 501(c)3, we will provide fully funded grants for both comprehensive and quality flight education, mentorship, and resources to aspiring aviators from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are dedicated to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that nurtures the dreams and aspirations of our students. Our commitment extends beyond teaching aviation skills; we aim to inspire and empower individuals to pursue careers in aviation, breaking barriers and introducing a new generation of skilled pilots.
The first step is to introduce a career in aviation as a viable option and outline the steps needed to become a professional pilot. Our target audience will be kids and students that have no idea they could ever become a pilot or that flight training is a viable option. This will be done by organizing a day for discovery flights and a day-long event to talk aviation, meet with pilots, students, and instructors, and ask any questions.
The Introduction
Operational specifications
The day is broken up into 3 parts and students alternate between the below stations. We are calculating the entire experience to last approximately 5 hours total with 3 sessions per plane and could be scaled to the number of airplanes available.
Flight
Each discovery flight will be a 1.5-hour experience with two students for each session. The session will begin with a complete preflight with a certified instructor guiding both students through what a typical lesson would entail. After the preflight, one student will then be at the controls and be flying along with the instructor for a 30-minute flight while the other observes in a backseat. This introduction to flying will allow the student to experience actually flying an airplane for the first time. After 30 minutes they will return, switch positions and the other student will fly while the other observes. We believe this would enhance the experience and the student would be able to take more from the lesson. It will also increase operational efficiency.
Information Seminar and Q and A
This will be a session with an airline pilot and certified flight instructor to discuss the career paths in aviation as well as answer any questions. We want to make sure there is community representation and that students feel they are engaged by people who were once in their shoes and understand the hurdles they will have to overcome. This will be the opportunity for students to hear first-hand what the journey is like, how it will pay off, and most importantly that it’s possible.
Lunch Break
The Arc Foundation will provide students with lunch for a midday break. The break will allow the students to take in all they’ve learned in the day as well as congregating with like-minded peers. Our team of volunteer pilots will also be taking lunch with the students to answer any questions and give additional insight on career innovation.
From these events, we hope to be able to get motivated candidates to move forward with the training.
Job Prospects
“According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a pilot is $202,150, Medical doctors came in with a salary of $208,000, and lawyers $127,990.”
The aviation industry is currently having a massive pilot shortage and the best time in the history of aviation to become a pilot is now. With wages increasing and the rising demand of aviation there is a huge window of opportunity to diversify the workforce and introduce career prospects to underserved communities.
For less than the cost of an average college degree and half the time,
students will be eligible for a career filled with incredible benefits and the ability to change the trajectory of their lives and their family’s future.
The Arc Foundation seeks to put a spotlight on an untapped and
underutilized resource of talented individuals that would otherwise not be able to pursue their dreams.
Our goal is to take students from never having set foot in a plane all the way to becoming an airline pilot. The whole process can be done within 2-3 years. Within 1-2 years you will be a qualified CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) and can earn an income as you time build Funding will be distributed in various installments with passes being essential to progress to the next stage:
• Solo
• Private Pilot Checkride
• Instrument Time Building
• Instrument Checkride
• Commercial Time Building
• Commercial Checkride
• CFI Checkride
Once you are a CFI we will work with you to secure a job as an instructor with one of the schools we collaborate with. This will allow you to earn a wage at the same time as build hours up to 1500 hours of flight time, making you eligible to go to the airlines and become a commercial pilot with a starting salary of up to $120,000. Working from Private Pilot to Certified Flight Instructor we will guide them through the entire process offering full support.
The Process
The Arc Foundation will cover the costs of flight training from Private Pilot up to Flight Instructor. These costs include:
● Predetermined flight training costs for each rating. Broken down into stages and distributed after the accomplishment of each previous stage.
● Renters Insurance
● Medical
● Ground Training Courses
*Additional costs beyond the maximum required will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Requirements
Donations
Arc Flight Academy is a California-registered 501c3 Charity.
All Donations are TAX deductible to all businesses and individuals
As a program focused on creating opportunities and changing lives, it is the perfect message for advertisers and brand alliances - from the general to aviation-specific. We are currently focused on building a partnership with a major US Airline.
