Leia Arianna Pope
Congratulations to Leia –
1st SOLO FLIGHT @ Age 18 March 7, 2025
About Leia
Leia Pope is a 18-year-old senior at Grayson High School with a 3.6 GPA. Leia plays the violin at Grayson High School, reaching Chamber Orchestra, the highest level of violin obtainable by her sophomore year. As an accomplished violinist within Chamber Leia volunteers as a student assistant.
At the age of nine, Leia’s parents found an amazing organization called The Young Eagles chapter 690 where Leia began flying quarterly as a passenger in a private plane. This experience sparked her interest in Aviation and helped cultivate her decision to become a Pilot. At the age of 11, Leia was allowed to enroll at the Centennial aviation Academy Atlanta’s Premier Flight Academy for Adults & Young Aviators, where she was the youngest students in her class. Ranked as one of the top 10 flight schools in the nation, 2021-2022 Distinguished Flight School by AOPA, her aviation instructor quickly informed her that should would be expected to keep up with the rest of the kids and would be expected to completed the course with no less than a 80% passing rate.
3 years later, Leia set records as one of the youngest students to graduate a Top 10 flight academy program nationwide and is now within days of her Private Pilot license.
Meet Leia Pope
FORMAL TRAINING:
EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship
Leia is the recent recipient of the EAA Ray Aiation Scholarship is a Merit-based scholarship program that is funded by the Ray Foundation. EAA provides up to $12,000 to deserving youths to help cover their flight training expenses.
Centennial Aviation Academy
Graduate of Centennial Aviation Academy A Top Ranked flight school in the nation. Attended 2018-2021
As an inductee to Women In Aviation International, Leia participated in the acclaimed National Flight Academy summer program (2019) in Pensacola, FL where she was able to focus on all things related to aviation and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as well as hone her leadership and teamwork skills.
EAA 690
Leia completed the 3 year EAA 690 Build A Plane Youth Aviation Program, where high school and college students learn the fundamentals of aircraft construction.
Personal Statement
Being involved in aviation over the past 9 years has shown me that young African American and Latina girls like me are vastly underrepresented in this male-dominated industry, with women of color making up less than 2% of aviation professionals. This reality inspired me to start my nonprofit, Wings of Color, in January 2024, dedicated to providing awareness, information, and resources to other people that are like me. This has become part of my purpose and mission for pursuing a career in aviation.
Leia Pope
ORGANIZATIONS SHE BELONGS TO:
Young Eagles
The Young Eagles is a program program created by the US Experimental Aircraft Association designed to give children between the ages of 8 and 17 an opportunity to experience flight in a general aviation airplane while educating them about aviation
Women in Aviation
Women in Aviation is an organization dedicated to increasing the number of women involved in all aspects of aviation and aerospace.
Organization Of Black Aerospace Professionals
Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals is a world-leading organization that changes lives by creating a pathway to success through educating youth.
Aero Ventures
Aero Ventures is a Georgia non-profit flying club created by aviation enthusiasts for folks who are interested in aviation. The club mission is to provide a community for pilots and those who dream about becoming one.
Currently in pursuit of her private pilot’s license doing flight simulator lessons and flight training.
Please help support my goal of becoming a commercial pilot and my Mission to encourage other young people of color to pursue a career in aviation!
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