Flying school program launches at SE Raleigh High

Barrington Irving stands next to screen showing himself and the pilot who inspired his aviation career.Photo byAlex Bass/Tribune

By Alex Bass

Alex.bass@triangletribune.com

RALEIGH – Barrington Irving stood firm Wednesday morning with his silhouette adjacent to a drop screen in the Southeast Raleigh High School auditorium. Irving’s Patriot Day presentation offered a positive, professional perspective on airplane experiences at a time when the United States pauses each year to remember the horrors of hijacked airplanes, but, more importantly, the enduring resolve and triumphant spirit of the American people.

On the drop screen, Irving was pictured with a pilot who inspired him to pursue aviation as a teenager. “All of you guys want to go somewhere in life,” said Irving, 40, who in 2007 became the youngest pilot (23) and first African American to complete a solo, world-round airplane journey. “But you can’t do the simple, fundamental things like listening.”

Irving spoke specifically about the “Flying Classroom” program, a pre-apprenticeship opportunity for students to learn about aviation and related business details.

Irving initially discussed the program in generalities and did not say its name. He asked the students the name of the program. No one responded. He then offered $50 for a correct response. A student spoke up and said Irving had not named the program.

“As soon as I said, ‘for 50 dollars,’ what happened? They became researchers then,” Irving said. “They were asking people behind them, people in front of them. And they weren’t helping them. Why wouldn’t they help them? That’s the reality of life.”

The prevailing point, of course, was the vitality of collaboration, and that these students will have supported collaboration opportunities uniting what they learn in the classroom with field experiences at RDU International Airport.

“They study the information. Now, they have the opportunity to actually put their hands on how it connects together,” Southeast Raleigh Aerospace Engineering teacher Antonio Barnes said.

While school-based details are being finalized, 10 students will be selected through a school application and recommendation process to participate in the Flying Program sponsored by the Barrington Irving Technical Training School. Expenses are underwritten through partnerships with the Flood Group and Burroughs Wellcome.

The Flood Group – named after Dudley Flood, a retired N.C. associate superintendent of public instruction – was represented at Wednesday’s presentation by several individuals, including Patricia Taylor, a retired educator who worked as a Career and Technical Education teacher and Credit Recovery coordinator at the school.

In credit recovery, Taylor said she required students to engage in career exploration research once they completed their work. “Sometimes, they have to go beyond their households to know what is a good path to take in life,” Taylor said. “I was that person. I am that person. I’m still going to continue to be that person.”

Irving said other facts connecting today’s learning with tomorrow’s possibilities include differentiating between understanding one’s career and how money is made and flows through an industry. He challenged students to identify multiple careers in the same industry to realize the breadth of opportunities available beyond what they might have deemed possible.

“This is going to lead to a gateway for our students long-term, to be able to have success for years to come,” Barnes said.