Gwinnett County Gears Up To Launch First Black-Owned Pilot School

Gwinnett County commissioners have recently approved launching the county’s first Black-owned pilot school, the Lookup Flight Academy.

This initiative, led by Michael Ojo, aims to empower a new generation of aviators with the skills and knowledge needed for careers in aviation. 

Ojo’s passion for flying sparked nearly a decade ago, and his vision for the Lookup Flight Academy is about getting more minorities into aviation while helping them build careers as pilots.

Addressing Underrepresentation in Aviation

The Lookup Flight Academy, set to operate at the Gwinnett County Airport, aims to address the underrepresentation of minority pilots, who currently make up only about 3% of the industry.

“What we are finding out, particularly with Black and brown, is it’s not so much that there is little representation there’s also a lack of knowledge,” Ojo said, according to Atlanta News First.

“Like I said there’s a lot of folks that don’t know this exists.”

Ojo is also the visionary behind digital solutions company Mojocreatives and digital aviation brand MojoGrip.

The The Lookup Flight Academy will operate in a renovated facility at Briscoe Field and is supported by Gwinnett County officials and the aviation community.

Looking Forward

With plans to open the academy by summer, Ojo recalled the inspiration from a young Black female pilot, which solidified his aspirations in aviation.

“I started flying almost 10 years ago and I remember it was 15-year-old girl, a Black girl, I was out in California, and I read that she had flown across the country. I was like if she can do it, I can. I’ve had the desire to fly since I was six or seven,” Ojo said.