Few women of color are pilots. United Airlines' flight school is changing that

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/05/ [login to see] /few-women-of-color-are-pilots-united-airlines-flight-school-is-changing-that
As she sits comfortably in the cockpit of a small Cirrus SR20 airplane, 38-year-old Ricki Foster goes over her pre-flight checklist.

"Weight and balance under limits. Emergency equipment's on board," she says into her headset. "Pre-flight checklist complete."

With flight instructor Aiden Zabiegalski next to her, Foster fires up the single engine of this four-seat propeller-driven plane.

"We got the, we're all clear, so you can go ahead and start," Zabiegalski, 21, tells Foster. "Good luck!"

"Thank you," Foster responds.

As the engine roars to life, and the propeller starts spinning, she exclaims, "All right! She is ready to go!"

Foster is one of 30 members of the first class at United Airlines' new United Aviate Academy flight school, in Goodyear, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix.