24-year-old Nigerian American on course to become young Black female commercial airline pilot

In the U.S. where Miracle Izuchukwu is, there are less than 150 professional Black women pilots that hold airline transport pilot, commercial, military or certificated flight instructor certificates, according to figures cited by ABC News.

Izuchukwu is quite aware of this stark reality. Knowing that there are few Black women pilots to inspire other young Black women, she is determined to create a path for others who look like her to emerge.

The 24-year-old born to Nigerian parents is currently training to become a Commercial Airline Pilot. Izuchukwu started her journey in the aviation industry as a flight attendant with American Airlines, Black News reports.

While at American Airlines, she developed her ambition of becoming a pilot when she first encountered one while she was still working as a customer service representative. She discussed it with her father whose words were not encouraging.

Izuchukwu’s father told her that “if he gets on a plane and sees a woman as the pilot, he would get off the plane.” However, her father’s uninspiring comments did not break her resolve to become a pilot. Rather, she decided to take inspiration from her father’s pessimism.

By 2021, she had earned her Private Pilots License. “Whoever it is praying for me, don’t stop, it’s working. I joined the elite group of 7% of females and 1% of black female pilots in the world. It’s an exhilarating, yet surreal feeling to introduce myself to the world as a Pilot,” Izuchukwu wrote on her Instagram post.

Now training to become a Commercial Airline pilot, she shares on her social media pages stories detailing how she got to where she is today and how others can do the same as well as tips about pilot training.