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17-Year-Old Is Youngest Black Person To Earn Pilot’s License In N.C. And U.S.

@SpectacularMag

INDIAN TRAIL, NC – Ryan Garner made history by becoming one of the youngest pilots in the country. The 17-year-old from Indian Trail, N.C., recently obtained his private pilot license. Garner is also the first Black pilot to receive the distinction in North Carolina.

According to WSOC-TV, Garner was recognized for his achievement last week when Mayor Dusch of the City of Concord presented him with an official proclamation.

He says he has harbored a love for aviation since he was a young child.

“I have loved it since I was a kid,” Garner told WCNC. “It’s a little adrenaline rush coming into the plane.”

Garner added that he did not initially plan to pursue this career path but changed his mind after meeting a Delta Airlines pilot.

“I never wanted to be a pilot at first,” he told WSOC-TV. “I wanted to be a grounds crew member who would bring in the planes or marshal them. I got to talking with a Delta pilot about flight school, and that’s how I got into it.”

Garner is a senior at West Cabarrus High School, which specializes in aviation and aerospace engineering. 

“He’s the footprint … he is the footprint to future generations to come and say it’s possible,” his mother, Melissa Dixon, told WCNC.

“I trust his ability,” she added. “I trust what he’s capable actually of doing. So yes, I am willing to go up and get that experience and see life on a different level.”

Obtaining his pilot’s license is only one of the first steps in Garner accomplishing his career aspirations. 

“I want to take it to the majors and go to the airlines,” he said.