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- Willie Murdock completed his first solo flight, describing confidence and the wonderful feeling of takeoff.
- Program operates at Moton Field, training students to earn the FAA commercial pilot certificate.
- Students honor the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, calling the experience humbling and walking in giants' footsteps.
- Vontasia Smith marks a milestone as a Black woman pilot trainee; demand grows with an expanding waitlist.
July 19, 2025
Tuskegee University is reviving its historic ties to aviation with the launch of a new Aviation Science program.
Tuskegee University is charting a new course for students with the launch of its Aviation Science program — a major that’s already helping students take flight.
“Flying was amazing,” Tuskegee student Willie Murdock told WSFA, who recently completed his first solo flight. “I felt nice and confident. I wasn’t nervous at all. Just the feeling when you take off nice and smooth. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
According to WSFA, the new program, based at the historic Moton Field — home of the historic Tuskegee Airmen — aims to prepare students to earn their FAA commercial pilot certificate.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps, trained at Tuskegee Institute during World War II.
For Murdock and his Tuskegee classmates, it’s not just about flying planes, but also about continuing a powerful legacy.
“It’s extremely humbling,” Murdock said.
“It’s excellent to walk in the footsteps of giants like them. It reminds me I’m doing something much bigger than myself.”
Dr. Javed Khan, who leads the Aerospace Science Engineering Department, said the program marks an exciting new chapter for the university.
“We’re finally able to reignite the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen,” he said. “We just launched our Aviation Science Program.”
For fellow student Vontasia Smith, taking her first solo flight was a powerful milestone in a field where Black women remain vastly underrepresented.
“They really do prepare me for this moment. I have a great instructor,” Smith said. “So far I’ve learned the principles of the aircraft, how lift works, and things like that.”
Smith is especially proud of the example she’s setting. “It’s important for me to continue the legacy,” she said. “Also, being an African American female, it’s exciting to me to be that .1% contributing to help us grow as a society.”
With its first cohort now flying solo, the program has sparked widespread interest. According to Tuskegee University, the waitlist for Aviation Science is already growing.
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