EXPERTS: Oneida James Rollins, above, was named chair of the aviation and safety program and Capt. Yograj S. Raghunauth is the new associate chair and chief flight instructor. PHOTO COURTESY OF FMU

Miami Gardens Fla. – Florida Memorial University is taking off.

This after Miami-Dade’s only HBCU launched a revitalization aviation and safety program in which students can earn degrees and pilot licenses, certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to fly commercial and cargo jets and drones.

Students can also earn a degree in aviation mechanics and FAA certification to maintain and repair large aircraft.

The program, which debuted in 1987, has been in decline over the years, as students appeared lukewarm about learning how to fly and fix aircraft, with fewer students enrolled in the program.

But instead of dropping the program, FMU decided to hire two aviation and mechanical experts to lead the program and pique students’ interest in becoming a pilot or aircraft technician.

Oneida James Rollins was named chair of the aviation and safety program and Capt. Yograj S. Raghunauth is the new associate chair and chief flight instructor.

Rollins, a Chicago native, earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and joined the U.S. Navy where he became a pilot and flew on missions including across Southeast Asia.

At 27 years old, he became a pilot for American Airlines.

As a certified commercial pilot and powerplant mechanic, Raghunauth earned a master’s degree in Aeronautics and a bachelor’s degree in aviation maintenance management.

He is currently working on his doctorate in aviation leadership.

The FMU aviation program currently enrolls 80 students but the two say they are optimistic they can entice more students to pursue careers in the industry and restore the program to prominence.

Alumni Barrington Irvin, who earned his private and commercial pilot license while attending FMU, became the youngest and first Black pilot to fly solo around the world in 2007 at 23 years old.

Capt. Arnold Tolbert, a former U.S. Air Force pilot and retired American Airline pilot, took over leadership of the program in 2008, and helped the school earn an accreditation from the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI).

The program has graduated more than 500 students since the early 1990s, with 85 percent of them securing jobs in the industry.

To get the program rolling again, Rollins and Raghunauth said their plans that include developing a partnership with some of the airline carriers at nearby Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport, including cargo operations.

The aircraft operators can recruit students once they complete the four-year program and help them earn their licenses and certification.

Rollins said the program is a perfect fit for FMU because it’s located in South Florida, one of the main hubs of aviation in the country.

"We have all the resources here … we have multiple airports with different categories and we have students looking for those degree programs that we are offering here," Rollins told the South Florida Times.

"We have four different courses that they can take, and we also have a connection with Wayman Aviation Academy which handles our flight training."

Rollins, who earned his Navy Wings of Gold as a lieutenant, said once students earn their bachelor’s degree, it gives them the ground school training that prepares them for flight school.

Rollins said by the time they finish, they end up with a commercial license which for starters allows them to earn compensation for flying assignments.

"The key to all of this is education and certification through the FAA," he said. "So, by the time they finish, they end up with a commercial license that at a minimum allows them to get paid."

As part of an FAA requirement, students must complete additional training courses that allow them to fly in all weather conditions.

In addition, FMU’s aviation and safety program allows opportunities for internships with local businesses at Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport and large cargo carriers at Miami International Airport that fly all over the world.

"We have several jet operators that are very active in terms of taking up internships and students can see how these companies operate," Rollins said.

The biggest challenge for students to earn their aviation and aircraft maintenance licenses to fly and fix commercial and cargo planes is finance.

Rollins said it could cost as much as $100,000 for commercial flying lessons and other courses required by the FAA to obtain an aviation license to fly all over the world and in any weather conditions, "which has to be financed one way or another."

He said some aircraft carriers at Miami-Opa-locka are willing to assist students with scholarships and loans to complete the program.

"Certainly some schools, like FMU, will go in every direction to assist students to help come up with those funds," Rollins said. "It has to be financed one way or another." Raghunauth said his plans for FMU’s program include artificial intelligence which some students already have experienced.

"A lot of our students play video games and we want to tap into that skill and the love they have to influence them in a career that can benefit them for years to come."

Raghunauth said a goal is also to get students in the airplane technician field as the aviation industry needs more mechanics.

He said FMU will start its drone program in January in which students can leave school with a drone pilot license to work in law enforcement, the film industry or the food distribution business.

Some drone careers pay as much as $95,000 a year, according to Indeed, a career guide company that helps people find jobs worldwide. "These are some of the opportunities we are doing in terms of drones," Raghunauth said.

The effort to revamp FMU’s aviation and safety program comes after airline companies and the federal government are pushing for diversity in the aviation industry including pilots, mechanics and air traffic controllers.

A nationwide survey suggests Blacks want to pursue careers in the industry especially for better pay but get discouraged over the costs for lessons and other FAA requirements.

But some were fortunate enough because they were pilots in the military and could land a job as an airline pilot when they returned to civilian life

The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2024, is expected to provide a major funding boost to the industry’s diversity efforts.

The law appropriates $105 billion to finance the FAA through 2028, including $240 million to promote flight deck diversity by lowering the high costs of flight training.

To recruit more students in the program, FMU and its partners will host an expo Sept. 20-21 at Opa-locka Airport for college and high school students.

"We will be there to explain the program and have papers ready if they want to sign up for the program," Rollins said.

For other information about Florida Memorial University’s aviation program and the expo, call 305-6263600.