Pilots Jonathan Neal, 32, and Wayne Tonkins, 23, are on a mission to help the community soar with its new aviation program for youth. Outreach Aviation (OA), a nonprofit organization based in Prince George’s County, Maryland was founded by Neal and Tonkins in July 2011 out of a personal desire to help fill the void of innovative educational programs in predominately Black communities, which were not available to them as youth. The program, which aligns with President Obama’s education reform agenda to foster critical thinking and problem solving, is the first of its kind in Maryland to couple an academics program with actual flying lessons.
Jonathan Neal, a certified flight instructor, was born on the Arkansas banks of the Mississippi delta. Being confined in a small rural town with limited activities and possibilities, Neal created fun by watching the lights of passenger jets fly by at high altitude. “Watching those planes would take me into another dimension of living. That was my fun, my action, my escape, and my dream,” Neal remembers. However, he had no mentors to help cultivate his dream. “An African American flying a plane was unheard of in my hometown. No pilots as mentors and no such thing as an aviation program for youth. In fact, I knew very few who had even traveled on a passenger jet. Being a pilot wasn’t a reality for us,” says Neal. However, that didn’t stop Neal’s dream since his parents instilled in their children that the sky was the limit. Neal took this literally by pursuing an education and career in Aviation.
In 2010, Neal met Wayne Tonkins at the A.T.C. Flight Training Center in Fort Washington, Maryland. Tonkins, who was not yet legal age, was a licensed pilot that needed assistance in flying a complex larger aircraft. Neal provided that assistance and they became instant friends, which led to them becoming business partners. Sharing the same desire and passion to help youth they sought advice from local education experts prior to establishing Outreach Aviation.
In September 2011, Neal was invited to preview the movie release of Red Tails, at the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C. “It’s always inspiring to be in the same environment with the Tuskegee Airmen. They are a great part of my inspiration to do what I do.” says Neal. Both men are excited about the release of Red Tails and encourage EVERYBODY to see the movie. “In addition to it being a great movie with an all-Black cast, it’s a true story of how at the core of our being Blacks give unselfishly no matter the circumstances we face. It is important that others be reminded that Blacks are far from lazy and are fighters for the things we believe. This is just one of the significant things about the Tuskegee Airmen,” says Neal.
About Outreach Aviation
Outreach Aviation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is an outreach program designed to educate youth in the theory, mechanics, and practical use of an aircraft. At the core of the program, youth are developed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. However, whether youth decide to explore a career in aviation or not, it is a part of OA’s mission to help prepare them for college and careers by using aviation’s innovative techniques to equip them in their critical thinking to make sound decisions throughout their lives.
OA, a no-cost program for its students, is planning to begin classes in summer 2012. OA is currently seeking funding to meet the demands of the program. OA is governed by a carefully-selected Board of Directors comprising educators, pilots, and community and business leaders. For more information on Jonathan Neal, Wayne Tonkins, and Outreach Aviation visit www.theOutreachAviation.org.
