Kids Prepare World Record Tribute to Tuskegee Airmen!

Compton, California—February 7th, 2008—Young people at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (TAM) are celebrating Black History Month by making plans to set new aviation world records. Kelly Anyadiki, 16, will become the youngest African American female to solo 7 airplanes on the same day, and 16-year old Jonathan Strickland will solo 7 airplanes and 2 helicopters in tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen. The world record events are scheduled to take place at Compton Woodley Airport on March 15, 2008.

“The kids at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum want to tell the world that the heritage of the Tuskegee Airmen is alive and well in a new generation,” says TAM founder Robin Petgrave. “These new world records the kids will set are an example of where the past meets the present and the future!”

At age 14 Jonathan Strickland became the youngest African American to fly solo in a Robinson R-22 helicopter and a Cessna 152 on the same day. Strickland flew an R-44 with an instructor from Compton, California to Canada to set those records, and in doing so also became the youngest African American to fly a helicopter internationally, and to fly a helicopter on an international round-trip. All four of those world records have been recorded by the Smithsonian Museum. Strickland also appeared on the Montel Williams Show to celebrate his accomplishments.

On March 15, Kelly Anyadiki will fly solo in a Piper Tomahawk, a Cessna 150, a Cessna 172 RG, a Cessna 152, a Piper Cherokee 140, a Cessna 172 SP and a Piper Warrior. Jonathan Strickland will solo in each of those aircraft as well, plus two more flights in a Robinson R-22 and an R-44 helicopter.

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum located on the airport in Compton, California offers aviation-themed afterschool programs for more than 800 kids from grades K-12. Kids can take part in projects ranging from washing airplanes to graffiti mitigation. Instead of earning money, kids are earn ‘museum bucks,’ which they can apply toward flight instruction.

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum will soon be opening additional locations across the country, thanks to the support of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots and the Tuskegee Airmen. The Newport News, Virginia chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen will open a TAM operation this spring, and the city of Norwalk and the ‘Adopt A Bike’ program in San Bernardino, CA. have plans to open a TAM as well.

The media is invited to visit Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum throughout Black History Month to see the preparations underway for the world record events scheduled on March 15. Interviews with kids and Tuskegee Airmen are gladly provided.

For more information, contact Robin Petgrave at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (310) 938-2727 or visit http://www.tamuseum.org.