The Next Generation of Pilots Take Flight in Fresno

A New Flight Path

In a dusty hangar on the edge of Reedley, California, something extraordinary is happening. The whir of small electric aircraft cuts through the morning heat as a group of teenagers — hoodies, sneakers, headsets — run through pre-flight checks. They’re about to do something no one in their families ever imagined: take to the sky.

Every time one of them lifts off, I see more than just a plane leaving the runway. I see possibility.

I earned my pilot’s license at 22. Flying shaped who I was, but life - rent, diapers, responsibilities - eventually pulled me back to the ground. Years later, when I returned to the cockpit, I couldn’t shake one question: How do we make aviation accessible to the next generation?

The more I looked around the Central Valley, the clearer the answer became. All around us were small, underused airports — in Reedley, Mendota, Chandler — sitting idle while students from historically excluded communities dreamed of opportunities that felt impossibly far away. What if we could connect the two? What if the future of aviation was already here, waiting to be reimagined?

Building From What’s Already Here

That idea became a plan. We applied for and received a grant from the Fresno County Transportation Authority to install electric charging stations at three rural airfields and purchase a fleet of electric aircraft. With just over a million dollars, we created a network where students could learn to fly without the prohibitive costs that keep so many grounded.

But infrastructure alone wasn’t enough. We needed an organization to steward the vision. In 2018, we founded New Vision Aviation, a nonprofit dedicated to opening aviation’s doors to young people of color. Partnerships soon followed: Reedley College stepped in to help revive a local flight program, and together we began training the next generation of pilots.

We didn’t start with a polished business plan. We started with a simple question: What can we do with what we have? And we’ve been answering it ever since.

Changing Who Gets to Fly

Dozens of students have earned their private pilot certificates through our program — many of them the first in their families to ever set foot in a cockpit. Some have gone on to top aviation schools like Embry-Riddle. Others now mentor new students, building a cycle of opportunity that extends far beyond the runway.

There’s Javier Morales, who earned a $6,000 AOPA scholarship despite personal hardships. Brothers Moe and Zade, who trained side by side. And a student who once texted me late at night:

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be on this path.”

That’s why we do this. Because every certificate earned is more than a license- it’s a door opening.

A Community-Led Model

With support from DRIVE, the Central Valley Community Foundation, and funders like the WoodNext Foundation, what started as a small pilot project has grown into a regional talent pipeline. Fresno Unified now partners with us to bring aviation and STEM programs to local high schools. A new model - where paying students help subsidize those who can’t afford training — ensures no one is left behind.

And we did it without building a single new airport. We simply reimagined the ones already here.

Why It Matters

At a time when airlines are scrambling to solve pilot shortages, Fresno is quietly building a diverse workforce from the ground up. But this is bigger than workforce development. It’s about dignity. About futures that once felt out of reach. About young people realizing they can be pilots, engineers, leaders — because someone believed they could.

We’re not just flying planes. We’re rewriting the story of who gets to fly.

Join Us

For families: The path to aviation starts here. Through free and low-cost programs, students can earn their first pilot’s license, explore aerospace careers, and be mentored by those who’ve walked the path before them.

For partners and funders: The model works, and it’s ready to grow. The infrastructure is in place. The community is on board. And the students are ready. Together, we can make Fresno a national model for equitable aviation and workforce innovation.