Carole Hopson may have discovered flying later in life, but she’s certainly soared high in the aviation world After a notable 20-year career as a journalist and marketing executive, Carole pursued her dream of flying. She earned her pilot’s license in 2001, became a flight instructor, then piloted for United Express. She’s now a Boeing 737 Captain for United Airlines.
Her passion for aviation goes beyond just flying; Carole is a fervent advocate for empowering young Black women in aviation. Introduced to the legendary Bessie Coleman at a 1998 Women in Aviation conference, Carole dedicated herself to honoring her trailblazing hero—a daughter of a slave who defied societal norms to become an aviator. In her 2024 historical fiction novel, “A Pair of Wings,” Hopson chronicles Bessie’s incredible journey to France in the 1920s to earn her pilot’s license when no one in America would train her as either a woman or an African American. story of Bessie’s journey to France in 1920s to earn her pilot’s license because no one in America would train a woman or a Black person. 20% of the proceeds of all book sales support the Jet Black Foundation, also founded by Hopson to create change in aviation.
Today, there are fewer than 200 women of African descent flying for regional, military, cargo, and major airlines combined. Through the Jet Black Foundation, Carole is on a mission to change that narrative. The ambitious 100 Pairs of Wings project aims to train 100 Black women as pilots by 2035. As Carole passionately stated in “Business Spotlight” in 2023, “I am one of fewer than 20 Black women pilots at United Airlines, and we’re 14,000. And we have the most. Why? Let’s fix that!”
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