HAMPTON, Va. — Students in Hampton University’s aviation program have a new way to learn how to fly.
Carmen Pena Soto is one of those students and was eager to learn how to fly.
“I like that you’re always learning about something new. There’s so many different parts of aviation. No matter what type of plane that you’re flying, small planes big planes. There’s always more to learn," Soto said.
Watch: HBCUs train future aviators amid pilot, air traffic controller shortage
Texas-based Thrust Flight is partnering with HU to provide planes and simulators for her and fellow aviation students to practice flying.
Student Keiton Harrison told News 3 this new partnership was easier for him financially.
“It makes me excited and has me dedicated to fly again," Harrison explained.
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Two other students, Zayden Buford and Brian McDonald, said while the partnership had just started they were already taking advantage of it.
“I was able to do a discovery flight in one of these planes with one of the flight instructors, Natalie. It was an amazing experience.," Buford said.
“I was also able to do a discovery flight with Colby. It was a great experience to fly a new plane with new avionics and completely new system that I’m not used to," said McDonald.
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They’re getting into the industry at a good time.
According to Boeing, 674,000 new pilots worldwide will be needed over the next 20 years.
Additionally, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows in 2025 less than four percent of pilots identified as black or African American.
Watch: Sky's the Limit: The challenges in breaking barriers as airlines face pilot shortage
The new partnership comes as a fatal crash in 2022 involving HU aviation students remained under litigation as of Monday. News 3 asked if this new partnership has anything to do with the incident. A university spokesperson said they did not believe it does.
As News 3 has reported, Virginia State Police said in 2022 an 18-year-old HU student was piloting a plane and pulled the plane up at too steep of an angle. The plane stalled and crashed into a ditch. The 23-year-old instructor on the plane was killed. The 18-year-old and another HU student who was also on the plane were injured.
Watch: Flight community hurting after plane crash kills flight instructor, injures Hampton U students
“We love to move into a new locations and move fast," Thrust Flight CEO Patrick Arnzen said.
Arnzen said the partnership with HU is a first for the company. The area’s weather, military population, and the university being an HBCU were all factors in the decision.
“We’re excited to make aviation more accessible to a more diverse group of folks," Arnzen said.
Something staff at the company's location at the Newport News Williamsburg International Airport that work directly with the students said is being felt by the community as well.
“We’ve had lots of positive feedback," said Thrust Flight Team Lead Natalee Adams. "Everyone’s been super excited about it."
The company was planning to have an open house at the airport September 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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