Collegiate Aviation Student Perceptions of Racial Influences in Aviation Education

The U.S. aviation industry has grown significantly in the last several decades, but existing literature identifies a gap between progress for the industry and representation of minorities (Ison et al, 2016; Stevenson et al, 2020). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2019, out of the 141,000 persons employed as either “aircraft pilots” or “flight engineers,” 2.6% were Black, 3.4% were Asian, and 2.2% were Hispanic or Latino, while 93.7% were White (BLS, 2019). What has yet to be investigated, however, is how that gap is perceived by students preparing to enter the aviation industry. This exploratory study examines the perceptions of collegiate aviation students, who represent the next generation of the aviation industry, and the impact race may have had on their choice to pursue an aeronautics or aeronautical science degree. Interviews were conducted with students currently enrolled in an aviation career degree program. Results indicated that while a slim majority of participants did not perceive race to be a barrier in aviation education, many participants identified examples of where racial barriers have played a role, in some form, during their aviation education career. In addition, several participants described the U.S. aviation industry’s lack of diversity as an obstacle after beginning their collegiate aviation program. This case study provides an opportunity for institutions to consider how current diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are impacting students, and what else may need to be done to increase minority representation within the aviation industry.