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\u201cAs soon as I went up to the air traffic control tower and\nwatched the planes land and take off \u2014 I was hooked,\u201d he said. Today, Jaime\nworks with 12-year-old (and younger) students in his free time to help them\nrealize their dreams of working in the aviation industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He strives to inspire young people in his hometown of\nBrooklyn, New York, to soar to new heights by sharing his passion for aviation\nbecause he knows how access is the key to igniting the spark that can shape\ntheir futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jaime pursued his passion for flying after he graduated\ncollege in Charlotte, North Carolina, continuing his journey into aviation at\nEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. When the\nrecession hit in 2008, Jaime knew he had to put his aspirations of becoming a\npilot on hold to meet his financial needs. He decided to pursue a career in\ncomputer science for more immediate stability and joined American as a Customer\nService Manager in 2011, giving him the opportunity to work in the industry he\nloves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI knew I wanted to be a pilot very early on, but there\nweren\u2019t many resources for me at the time,\u201d Jaime said. \u201cI had no idea what\npath to take, and I didn\u2019t have a mentor to guide me on my journey \u201c\u2026 that along\nwith creating more financial stability is why I had to set my dreams aside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Jaime\u2019s mother, Dr. Lena Gates, has been the principal of\nthe Ronald E. McNair Public School 5 in Brooklyn for more than 30 years. She\nwas inspired to start an aviation program at her elementary school as she\nwatched Jaime\u2019s love for aviation grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jaime recalled sitting down with his mom and thinking\nthrough the barriers he faced in embarking on his own pilot career, wondering\nhow they could better support students\u2019 journeys into aviation and what hurdles\nthey could help flatten?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started with access. If you can see yourself there, you\ncan be there. \u201cWe begin to dream as early as elementary school,\u201d Jaime said.\n\u201cSo, if we provide the seed at the early stages of students\u2019 liv es, they may\nplant their roots and grow a career in aviation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a management meeting in April 2022, Jaime and his fellow\nteam members were called on by American Airlines leadership to be intentional\nand impactful by reaching out to underrepresented communities to search for its\nnext generation of aviators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when the light bulb went off for me. I boldly asked\nif American would be open to supporting the aviation program at my mother\u2019s\nschool,\u201d Jaime said. \u201cEveryone was on board and wanted to get started\nimmediately \u2014 and I was absolutely thrilled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In October 2022, the American Airlines Aviation Recruiting\nteam and New York Flight office partnered with the Ronald E. McNair Public\nSchool 5 to rebrand the school\u2019s aviation center. American is helping the\nschool expose its students to the power of flight at an early age and\nencouraging them to dream big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen the students look up, they see themselves represented\naround the classroom. And when they have questions, pilots from the American\u2019s\nNew York Flight office frequently visit to provide mentorship and support\nthem,\u201d Jaime said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jaime said the most important reason for connecting American\nAirlines to the school is to expose the students to a profession they might not\nsee as available. \u201cThis career path has the potential to change generational\nrecurrences and the trajectory of many families in my hometown,\u201d he said. \u201cWith\nthe achievable pathway laid out by the American Airlines Cadet Academy,\nstudents can graduate high school and streamline into the commercial industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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After putting his dream on hold 10 years ago, the passion in\nthe eyes of the students at his mom\u2019s school reignited Jaime\u2019s dream of\nbecoming a commercial airline pilot. He applied and was recently accepted into\nthe American Airlines Cadet Academy program. Now he\u2019s back on course to live\nout his dream of becoming a pilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like all the stars aligned for me, and I\u2019ve been on\ncloud nine from the moment I first approached American with the idea. To see\nAmerican come into the classroom and help support my mother\u2019s school and to now\nlive out my own dream, it\u2019s so special to see it all come together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His next goal is to focus on becoming a commercial pilot\nwhile continuing to give back to communities and expand his reach to\nsurrounding areas that need support and mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n