Trailblazer: Lt Colonel Brandi “BB” King

by Stephen Trerotola and Holly O’Meara

Dreams of earning a pilot’s wings are no longer off limits to young girls who have just the right stuff. Trailblazers like Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Brandi B. “BB” King, a seasoned military C-5 pilot, have paved the way so that the young girls of today can reach for the stars. In doing so, she and her sister Airmen of the last generation have redefined the role of women in aviation.

“Flying is so cool…so fulfilling,” King says.

Charged with promoting diversity as part of her duties at Joint Base San Antonio Randolph in San Antonio, Texas, King believes that a major stumbling block for women is the fact that aviation is often not even considered an option.

“Many young people come from a culture where it’s just not done or even thought of,” King says. “If you can see it, you can be it.”

King, a U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer, is also a pilot for a major commercial carrier. She credits the 1986 film “Top Gun” with sparking her interest in flying as a young girl.

“The movie was a great recruiting tool,” King says. “All my girlfriends wanted to be Charlie, Kelly McGillis’ character. I, on the other hand, wanted to be Maverick.” She laughs, remembering the iconic role played by Tom Cruise.

Fortunately, shifts in perspectives within the last two decades have caused the Air Force to promote diversity, reaching out to women and other overlooked minorities to help fill aviation jobs in the 21st century. She notes that currently, seven percent of pilots in the Air Force are female and many have families.

“The Air Force is expanding its traditional mindset and seeking diversity,” King explains. “It’s important for today’s youth to see a female pilot like me. I’m married and have children.”

As part of its emphasis on inclusion for the diverse population of aviators, the Air Force identifies and mitigates unnecessary obstacles to help attract, recruit and retain a diverse workforce. King believes that pregnancy and childbirth are real issues encountered by female pilots. Carrying a breast pump and ice chest on overseas missions for weeks on end is not an easy feat.

“Flying across the pond takes hours and hours. These are legitimate hurdles facing women aviators,” King says. “However, more than ever before in my 19 years of service the Air Force is trying to remove unnecessary barriers. It can be difficult to find a female in our culture who has no desire to have a family or does not care if she is away from family.”

One solution may be in technology.

“The Air Force is currently exploring telecommuting in lieu of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, which would allow someone to do the nonflying portion of their job from home, wherever that may be,” King explains. “This also allows military-to-military couples flexibility, and it allows for quality of life. Job satisfaction is not about the salary, but rather the quality of life.”

King also credits the Boys and Girls Scouts Flight Badges program and Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) as additional sources for launching an aviation career. AFJROTC Flight Academy offers private pilot’s certification upon completion of an eight-week summer aviation training program. It also offers a scholarship program to address the national pilot shortage. King recommends calling the nearest high school JROTC unit to find out about possible scholarships. EAA’s Chapter 32 Aviation Resource Center also offers a free program aimed at fostering interest in aviation among today’s youth.

King adds that she has lived in San Antonio her whole life and that one does not have to move every three years as a condition of service.

King also recommends working with organizations such as STEM Flights (www.stemflights.org), AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association), EAA’s (Experimental Aircraft Association) Young Eagles program and Civil Air Patrol as possible routes to career success.

“There are many ways to serve, not just one way,” King explains. “The Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard are fantastic options for those that desire to serve but are unable or unwilling to relocate. There are a lot of roadmaps to the cockpit. Today I would tell a young person to explore the internet as a resource.”

With pilot demand sharply increasing, numerous organizations offer scholarships, including the EAA and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), among others. Women in Aviation offers the 2022 WAI scholarship program for a variety of career choices including aerospace, engineering, aviation maintenance, flight training, helicopter ratings, dispatch and professional development. Additionally, the Air Force Recruiting Service’s Detachment 1 offers Aim High Flight Academy scholarships that provide flight training and solo flight opportunities in addition to familiarization flights on Air Force airplanes.

“Even FBOs can feed into ROTC and the military,” King says, referring to Fixed Base Operators or private businesses who offer aviation services at the airport.

These programs also provide great opportunities for those lacking the means or grade point average to qualify for college entrance or a four-year degree. The Air Force offers Career Enlisted Aviator positions that do not require any college experience or credits, but still allows one to pursue flying. Additionally, the Air Force provides tuition assistance and the GI Bill that both help pay for college for those who desire to pursue a degree. There are also numerous means by which enlisted Airmen can gain a commission and become officers.

“There are many pathways to a flight career,” King says. “It’s really important for everybody in all components of the Air Force including the Reserve and Guard to think of the operation as a “Total Force.”

Additionally, becoming a military aviator sets one up for a follow-up career.

“Every airline wants military aviators,” King adds, citing the robust training the Air Force offers. “We are fortunate that many can have two careers and two retirements.” she says, saying that she has had a “fulfilling profitable life.”

King believes that face-to-face encounters with airline personnel can be key to landing an interview.

“For me, I applied at a major airline in September, and I was hired by January. I found out about a Veteran’s expo and was able to meet key airline personnel at the event.”

Since King’s family is of utmost importance to her, she only applied to one airline, knowing it would provide the best quality of life for her family.

Citing the roots of her own journey, Lt. Col. King explains that she didn’t seek out a career as a pilot right away. She started as a psychology major at Texas Tech University, where she minored in Italian. She later accepted a full scholarship to attend graduate school at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She credits her mom with helping her launch a career in aviation.

“I had been in college on a full scholarship. I gave up that scholarship for flying,” King says. “I went into flying because my mom knew I was interested in it and encouraged me to pursue my dream. She bought me a 30-minute discovery flight at a local flight school. I was scheduled to fly with a retired Air Force B-52 pilot who became like a grandfather to me. I taught school to pay the bills and purchase flying time. I didn’t join the Air Force until I was 27. So I was older.”

Currently a Reservist on active-duty orders, King is on a leave of absence from her airline employer and is on a mission to improve diversity in the Air Force and empower young women everywhere. She hopes that her experience will serve to inspire young females to explore aviation careers.

“Flying is a very rewarding career and can definitely be conducive to raising a family,” King says.

In order to connect students with flying careers at a younger age, King believes the school system needs to be updated and revamped to integrate industry with education.

“We have to inspire children to be ready for life’s opportunities,” King says, adding that books about aviators, pilots visiting schools and perks given to kids, such as pilot coins and patches, can be used to spark an interest in flight for the youngest student populations.

King believes our current model of education should integrate STEM-based aviation into the curriculum and include low-cost simulator training for those students interested in such opportunities.

“We need to do a better job now in grades K through 12,” King says. “Joint efforts between the military, commercial airlines and industry partners should invest in enhancing education with simulator technology and teacher training. There are ways to introduce the industry to the young.”