Sky’s the limit for Black pilots

In the evenings, Ken Johnson often climbed up a tree and stared off into the horizon. The teenager had dreams of piloting a plane, but it would be a half-dozen years before his maiden flight. That was the mid-1970s.

“I wanted the opportunity, but it didn’t happen until I was 21,” Johnson said.

A member of the Black Pilots of America (BPA), Johnson reminisced about his love affair with flying while preparing for the BPA’s Memorial Day Fly-In, “Operation Skyhook,” Friday through Sunday at Pine Bluff Regional Airport’s Grider Field.

EARLY DREAMS

“I was eager, interested. I had to find some way to do it,” Johnson said about attaining his goals.

Johnson’s father was a logger and his mother a factory worker in their hometown of Rison.

While in high school, he saw an “Ebony” magazine cover featuring Capt. Leslie “Les” Morris. In November 1965, Morris became the first Black pilot for Eastern Airlines.

With that picture, the direction of Johnson’s life pivoted. Sure, he would go on to earn undergraduate and master’s degrees in biology from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. But he was yearning to fly.

THE NEXT GENERATION TAKES FLIGHT

So while still a college student in 1981, he learned to fly through the Port City Aero Club under the direction of ROTC Lt. Col. Oscar Mack, and graduated with a private pilot license that allowed him to fly a single-engine plane. That was at Grider Field.

Later, he would fly multi-engine craft, and become a commercial pilot and a flight instructor. He made many aviation friends along the way, and one of those included his hero, Les Morris.

Johnson served on the Arkansas Aeronautics Commission for 12 years and remains active in the Pine Bluff chapter of the BPA. Currently, he serves as Pine Bluff Aviation Commission chairman.

About 38 years ago, Johnson went to work for the city of Pine Bluff as an environmental specialist, and then about 20 years ago, he was named general manager at the Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility Department.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Palmer Sullins belongs to the New Orleans Golden Eagles chapter of the BPA and plans to be at this week’s Pine Bluff event. Unlike many other kids, Sullins was exposed to aviation early in life and

was intrigued as he watched planes overhead, he said.

Sullins grew up in Tuskegee, Ala., near the historic Tuskegee Army Airfield that was used to train the famous Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

Instead of leaving, he attended Tuskegee University, and while there, he met and became friends with Charles Alfred Anderson Sr., who is known as the Father of Black Aviation, and earned the nickname “Chief ” while serving as the Tuskegee Airmen’s chief flight instructor.

A TIME TO GIVE

Even nearing retirement, Johnson hasn’t lost his passion and he still keeps his eye on the horizon.

“Flying gives you a totally different perspective of the world. It opens up places that might not be when driving,” Johnson said.

It’s a gift he graciously shares with the next generations through the BPA.

“We will work with anyone who has a passion or interest in aviation,” Johnson said.

Many of Johnson’s students now go by captain or officer for a commercial airline captain. For example, there’s Southwest Airlines’ Capt. Eric Burdette.

“Ken Johnson has been a family friend and mentor for nearly 40 years,” Burdette said. “My aviation career would have been severely delayed if it were not for Ken taking time to share his knowledge and experience as a pilot with me and giving me my first flight in a Cessna in 1989 when I was in high school.”

Because of Johnson, along with others and the BPA members’ love and dedication to aviation, Burdette said, “I was able to achieve my goal as a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 captain. I thrive to be as great of a mentor as Ken has been to me.”

“I have mentored three Pine Bluff natives who have excelled in the aviation arena,” Burdette said.

These include William Flowers, who now serves as deputy director of Colorado Air and Space Port near Denver, Colo.; Derek Nelson, who serves as captain for Envoy Airlines flying the EMB-145; and Courtney Rayford, who recently landed his first airline job as a first officer for Southern Airways Express.

Sullins said the BPA mission is the same in Louisiana.

“It’s about exposing youth to all phases of aviation,” Sullins said.

BLACK PILOTS ACTIVITIES

Johnson will have an opportunity this weekend to possibly reach future pilots at the Memorial Day Fly-In, “Operation Skyhook.” It’s hosted by the BPA and licensed pilots from around the country will offer rides to kids.

It’s free to the public and the activities will take place at Grider Field.

The three-day event starts Friday at 9:30 a.m. with an official Welcome to Pine Bluff ceremony, followed by the Flour Bomb Drop Competition at 11:15 a.m.

On Saturday, the Pilot Proficiency begins at 10 a.m., and Formation is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Then on the final day, Sunday, at 10 a.m. the pilots will compete in the Balloon Burst and Spot Landing.

The real fun begins each day immediately following the daily competitions as BPA members from across the country volunteer to give free airplane rides, called “Young Eagle” flights, to kids until 5 p.m.

The event closes Sunday evening with an awards banquet. Trophies are awarded to the members who have demonstrated superior flying skills, as well as recognition of the chapter with the highest accumulated points.

There is also an individual “Top Gun Award” for the supreme pilot accumulating the highest number of points.

OPERATION SKYHOOK AT PINE BLUFF

Operation Skyhook started 23 years ago and at that time, Johnson had no idea it would become an annual Pine Bluff tradition. Because of the covid-19 pandemic, it was put on hold for two years, he said.

“I’m glad to say it’s back,” Johnson said.

“We have missed the members of BPA and the event itself… . Not only does this event boost our local economy…but it also brings us together and instills a sense of community pride,” he said in a May 16 press release.

In support of the event, the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission (A&P) awarded the BPA a $10,000 grant for this year’s event.

“We are proud to support the Black Pilots of America and are thrilled to have them return home to Pine Bluff for Operation Skyhook,” said Sheri Storie, A&P executive director.