This year marked the 49th anniversary of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) Conference, and the Envoy team brought their very best to the event.
Each year, OBAP chooses a new city to host their annual conference, and this year they landed in Tacoma, Washington. With Mt. Ranier as a backdrop, attendees at this year’s conference got to take in the beautiful sights the city had to offer throughout the week, while networking with others and learning more about what’s next in the aviation industry.
Building Relationships
One of the main events at OBAP is the daily expo, where conference attendees have a chance to go to multiple booths to network with different airlines, schools, suppliers, vendors and other businesses across the aviation industry.
“I’ve been to OBAP a few times before, but this is my first time attending as an Envoy pilot,” said First Officer Bradford Jackson. “I always encourage everyone I meet to find a way into the aviation industry because there are so many different career paths. I started as a ramp agent for Envoy in my hometown of New Orleans, and after completing my training through the American Airlines Cadet Academy and working as a Certified Flight Instructor through the Envoy Cadet Program, I get to wear my wings as an Envoy pilot with pride.”
Climbing Together
On top of the networking opportunities the expo itself provided, attendees gained even deeper levels of connection and understanding by attending different breakout sessions and events during the conference.
From celebrating the history of Black aviators at events like the “Lifted by Legacy” breakout session and the Hall of Fame induction luncheon, to breaking down barriers for the future by discussing the challenges sickle cell patients face when pursuing careers in the flight deck – all the additional sessions motivated attendees to keep working toward their goals.
A community is only as strong as their newest and youngest members, and OBAP never fails to include them. Over 50 students from the Seattle-Tacoma area came on the second day of the conference to take part in OBAP’s annual Youth Day event.
Youth Day included a luncheon, where the kids heard from other young aviators on the paths they’ve taken to jump into the aviation world, plus a full hour to roam through the expo hall, where they got to meet pilots and collect fun swag in a timeslot reserved just for them.
Dressing It Up
Throughout the week, members of the Envoy team were able to participate in all the evening events OBAP had to offer. From dusting off their boots for the Western Welcome Reception, to donning “flapper” attire for the Harlem Nights event, to dressing to the nines for the Awards Gala – the Envoy team was sure to show up and show out.
“I always love meeting everyone at our booth throughout the day at the conference, but these evening events are when we really get to spend some time together in a more casual and fun atmosphere,” said Envoy Air Operations Recruiter Alystia Tobie. “I love getting to see how creative our colleagues and industry partners are when it comes to their costume for each themed night, plus these events are always a great reminder of the personalities that everyone has outside the flight deck.”
With all the relationships that were developed and fun that was had at this year’s OBAP Conference, we can’t wait to see how big the celebration is for the 50th anniversary – we’ll see y’all in Chicago next year!
