Kamora Freeland, 17, Becomes New York’s Youngest Black Female Licensed Pilot

Move over, Amelia Earhart there’s a new queen of the skies, and her name is Kamora Freeland. At just 17 years old, this Staten Island native has made history as the youngest Black female to earn a private pilot’s license in New York state.

And if you think that’s where her ambition stops, think again. This high-flying powerhouse is already a college sophomore and has no plans of slowing down. Buckle up, because this girl is on a whole different altitude.

How It All Started: From Marine Biology to the Cockpit

Believe it or not, Kamora didn’t grow up dreaming of being a pilot. Nope. Originally, she had her heart set on marine biology until the universe quite literally threw her into the sky.

At 15 years old, her mother signed her up for a scholarship program with United Youth Aviators (shoutout to moms who see the vision before we do). One flight was all it took to get Kamora hooked.

“I have a passion for it, and I love it,” she said, and that was that. The ocean lost a future marine biologist, and the skies gained an aviation trailblazer.

Flying Before She Can Drive (Yes, Really)

Most teenagers are sweating over parallel parking but Kamora was learning how to land a whole damn plane.

As a high school senior at Kingsborough Early College Secondary School, she somehow managed to balance school, college coursework, and grueling flight training at Republic Airport on Long Island. And she did it all while still waiting to get her driver’s license.

On February 26, 2024, after passing her check ride (basically the pilot equivalent of a final boss battle), Kamora officially earned her private pilot’s license before ever legally driving a car.

Iconic behavior.

A College Sophomore at 17—Because One Achievement Just Isn’t Enough

Kamora isn’t just flying planes. She’s also flying past her peers academically.

Thanks to dual enrollment at Kingsborough Community College, she racked up so many college credits that when she graduated high school, she skipped freshman year entirely.

Now, at 17 years old, she’s a sophomore at Spelman College (aka one of the most prestigious HBCUs in the country). Her major? International Relations, with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation because being a record-breaking pilot apparently wasn’t enough.

Talk about overachieving in style.

What’s Next? Commercial Airlines, Baby!

Kamora may have just shattered glass ceilings, but she’s already looking at the next level.

“The next step is to become a commercial airline pilot,” she says confidently. She’s got her eyes set on flying the big leagues, and honestly? The airline industry desperately needs more pilots like her.

With Black women making up less than 1% of professional pilots in the U.S., Kamora’s presence in the industry is a bold and necessary shift.

She’s not just breaking records, she’s opening doors.

Inspiring a New Generation of Black Girls in Aviation

Kamora knows she’s not just flying for herself, she’s flying for all the little Black girls who’ve never seen someone who looks like them in the cockpit.

“I’m a part of the change that’s definitely needed, and I want other little Black girls to do the same,” she says.

She’s proof that aviation isn’t just for old white men in epaulets. Black girls belong in the skies, and Kamora Freeland is making damn sure they know it.

So if you ever find yourself on a flight in the future and hear Captain Freeland’s voice over the intercom, just know that you’re in the hands of a legend.