Aviation In the Nation takes flight

By Samiyyah Muhammad | Last updated: Apr 7, 2015 - 8:14:19 PM

The “Aviation in the Nation” presentation has been conducted in Detroit, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Soon it will be coming to your city!

“Welcome aboard! Welcome to Aviation in the Nation!”

This announcement has now been heard from Detroit, Atlanta and Phoenix. The adventure began in June 2014 after presentations were made by several members of the Nation of Islam at a National Training Seminar in Chicago.

Among those presenting were two commercial pilots, Donald Muhammad and Jamal Muhammad.

“Their talk made me think, ‘Wow the students need to hear this so they can see there are possibilities like this for them as young people growing up in our Nation of Islam.’ Meanwhile two other sisters, Sister Kai X and Sister Celestine Muhammad had similar thoughts. From different parts of the room, we each approached the two brothers afterward, requesting that they come to our respective Muhammad Universities of Islam and speak about their experiences as pilots in our Nation,” said Sister Bonsiwa X, MUI Detroit directress.

“With no money, no special connections, and no previous template to follow, ‘Aviation In The Nation’ was born. The program started as just a simple visit to M.U.I.-Detroit by our magnificent N.O.I. pilots to teach about the science of aviation and their journeys to become pilots. It soon evolved into a three-day weekend filled with unforgettable experiences,” she said.

An August weekend Aviation In The Nation session in Michigan included a visit to the National Tuskegee Airman Museum, a workshop featuring Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a guided tour of Fort Wayne and a visit to the Detroit City Airport. Through the Young Eagles Program students were given the opportunity to take flight.

Pictures taken that weekend attested to the excitement that Aviation In the Nation had generated.

According to Flight Captain Jamal Muhammad, “Aviation In The Nation is really a team effort. For me it was something I read on pages 258-265 of ‘Closing the Gap’ where the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan talks about making use of the talent inside and outside the Nation of Islam, and I started speaking at schools and my local mosque and created a folder on my computer called ‘aviation in the nation,’ which contained photos and notes on what I was doing. Then Sister Kai and Sister Celestine came along with a wonderful concept and took what Brother Donald and I were doing as individuals and turned it into something much bigger.”

What they had done in Detroit enhanced a desire to have the program come to Muhammad University of Islam in Atlanta.

“So the planning began for AIN to come to Atlanta. We added to the program the participation of as many flight professionals as we could think of. We reached out to flight attendants, air traffic controllers, flight instructors, ground and baggage handlers, and aircraft engineers, all in an attempt to show the students how to run an airport and an airline from the ground to the air,” said Flight Captain Jamal Muhammad.

“As a result the team grew, we added Jennifer Muhammad and Belinda Muhammad, our flight attendants; Doyle Muhammad, airplane mechanic and engineer; Brother Venson, flight instructor and pilot; flight student Hasan Muhammad and Samiyyah, a history presenter. Each gave presentations which gave students a glimpse into the duties of each presenter. As a result, Doyle’s son told his father, ‘I didn’t know how important your job is.’ ”

Future young pilots in training.

Flight Captain Donald Muhammad and Flight Captain Jamal Muhammad shared their stories which helped students see becoming a pilot took desire, determination and the willingness to make sacrifices as well as putting in plenty of hard work—but they too could realize their dreams.

We provided a simulated in-flight flying experience by transforming the interior of Muhammad Mosque No. 15’s sanctuary to resemble the inside of an airplane, said Flight Captain Jamal Muhammad. This included boarding gates, boarding passes, in flight beverage service served by students dressed as flight attendants guided by our N.O.I. flight attendants whom they were shadowing, he added.

“As we searched the history of aviation among Black people we came across the N.O.I. history of our purchasing the executive jet for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the story of our First Flight Captain Sultan Muhammad. We were blessed to share history of hieroglyphs of flying machines discovered in an Egyptian tomb dating back 3,000 years. The discovery was made in 1849 and at the time no such craft were in existence and the tomb raiders had no idea what these objects were, hence, we flew before they came,” said Flight Captain Jamal Muhammad.

That weekend included a visit to the Aviation Wing of the Marietta Museum of History and a trip to the airfield at Lawrenceville, Ga., where students were given the opportunity to take flight as well as explore the instrument panels of several planes. Then there was a tour of Delta Airlines’ “tech ops” at their Atlanta facility.

“We received an email message at the conclusion of our weekend whereby a mother quoted her son’s remark upon entering the room where the flight simulators and other activities were set up saying, ‘They did all this so we could learn?’ ” added Flight Captain Jamal Muhammad.

Young brothers seated near one of the airplane’s turbine engines.

“Final Call for Flight 32—The Flight of the Phoenix!”

The weekend began with a brief welcome and introduction to the program by Flight Captain Donald Muhammad. Two vanloads of children, followed by a caravan of cars, departed from Muhammad Mosque No. 32 on the way to the Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum in Mesa, Ariz.

At the museum young people heard and witnessed the history of planes, how they are made and how they function. At the Tuskegee Airmen Exhibit, students were treated to a firsthand witness in the person of Tuskegee Airman Rudolph Silas.

He was very excited to see so many young men in the group and expressed an interest in staying in touch with them to continue to share his knowledge and expertise.

For the little ones the highlight of this visit was being able to peddle around in a small toy plane.

Day Two began at the early hour of 7 a.m. Vans were once again loaded. The destination this time was a local airport where some students were given a tour of many small planes and others were blessed to take flight. When one of the children was asked how his flight was? “EPIC!” was his reply.

Next came a tour of the Southwest Airlines maintenance hangar. The children explored all types of planes—inside, outside and all around. They saw planes being repaired by mechanics as well as parts being worked on.

The highlight of this trip was when the children boarded a huge 737 aircraft with the assistance of Aviation in the Nation flight attendants Belinda Muhammad, Jennifer Muhammad and Ladeana Muhammad.

The experience ended with a guided tour of the cockpit given by Captains Jamal Muhammad and Donald Muhammad where each child had a picture taken at the controls. Students were invited to participate in a special dinner.

Day Three took place at Mosque No. 32 which was transformed into a live boarding experience. Everyone stood in line to board Flight 32 at Gate 19 following an announcement by flight attendant Jennifer Muhammad. The participants went through a security check gate which had been constructed by the students. The AIN team members made presentations, which this time included the story of pioneer Nuri Muhammad, who obtained a pilot’s license as a result of being inspired as a member of the Nation of Islam. He is a survivor of the police attack on the Los Angeles mosque in the 1960s.

The Muslim pilots shared how their wives’ had a willingness to sacrifice time and money as the two men worked to fulfill their dreams of becoming pilots. They gave the students a clear picture of dedication necessary to make a dream come true and make a desire become a reality.

The presentations were followed by a question and answer session and hands-on activities, including remote helicopter flying as well as flight simulation exercises. Venson Muhammad donated a flight simulator to continue Aviation in the Nation Phoenix and instruction of youth.

Not since the 1974 90-day-drive which led to the purchase of the Messenger’s jet plane has there been so much excitement surrounding aviation in the Nation of Islam.

The city of Phoenix was able to witness the energy and spirit of our youth as three days of dynamic insight and guidance unfolded.

Aviation in the Nation Phoenix was thankful for the wonderful weekend of education and excitement. The Aviation in the Nation team looks forward to more scheduled flights and can come to a city near you.

Contacts: [email protected], Facebook: Aviation In The Nation, Twitter: AviationInThe Nation

Contributing writers for this article include Kai X, Celestine Muhammad, and Tremikus Muhammad.

The Final Call