17-year-old makes history as the youngest black person to earn private pilot’s license in North Carolina

A North Carolina teenager is making aviation history.

Ryan Garner is a 17-year-old pilot. He is also the youngest Black person ever and first African American from Concord to earn his private license out of Goose Creek Airport in North Carolina.

“I actually never wanted to be a pilot at first,” Garner told Channel 9. “I wanted to be a grounds crew member that would bring in the planes or marshal them in. I got talking with a Delta pilot about flight school, and that’s how I got into it.”

The City of Concord recognized Garner’s efforts last week by presenting him with an official proclamation.

The proclamation was presented to Garner by Mayor Dusch.