In A Tribute To The Tuskegee Airmen A 15 Year Old African American Sets Flight Record

By Dana Murphy

July 13, 2009, Kimberly Anyadike age 15 becomes the youngest African-American female to fly a private airplane from coast to coast. On June 29, 2009, Kimberly Anyadike, in a tribute honoring the Tuskegee Airmen piloted a Cessna 172 airplane, a single-engine red tail four seater from Compton, California to Newport News, Virginia and back on July 9, 2009. Ms. Anyadike was accompanied by three safety pilots; Ronell Norman, Levi Thornhill and Ronell Norman.

 Ms. Anayadike’s trip was sponsored by Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (TAM), a organization that provides scholarships and after-school programs for aspiring young pilots.

The TAM program encourages youth involvement in aviation as an alternative to drugs, gang violence and other self-destructive activities. The program offers elementary, middle, and high school students the opportunity to work one on one with qualified tutors, mentors and aviation staff five days per week. TAM requires that students maintain above average grades and stay out of trouble.

Ms. Anyadike, states she wants to become a cardiovascular surgeon and hopes her accomplishments inspire other young people. "The sky is no longer the limit," Anyadike said.

Ms. Anyadike’s older sister, Kelly, also set a world record in 2008 by being the youngest African American female to solo in four different fixed-wing aircraft on the same day. She was 16 year-old at the time. Both young ladies say they were inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen.

The sisters also recognize and honor the fact that they stand on the shoulders of Bessie Coleman, pilot, and Mae Jemison, the first African American female to travel in space.

Over the past several years, the TAM program set 9 World Records. These world record young pilots including Jonathan Strickland, Breean Farfan, Jimmy Haywood, and Kenny Royhave demonstrated the positive results of the Life-Changing programs offered by Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum. Additionally, with the help of The Tuskegee Airmen they have been able to stay focused and inspired.