Welcome to the Black Aviators Network (BAN)

The Black Aviators Network (BAN) was founded in Pensacola, FL in 1982 as a means to provide mentorship and advice to minority student naval aviators. The BAN is an aviation-focused subset of the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA). The NNOA worked with the Navy leadership to track the progress of minority students and identify systemic impediments to their success in the training program. This proactive intervention resulted in substantially lowering the attrition rate for minorities in all of the various aviation training programs.

The BAN is an informal group of active duty, former, retired and reserve aviators. Members include, but are not limited to, Pilots, NFOs, Aircrew and Flight Surgeons.

The common thread among all members is two-fold:

• A member of an ethnic minority group
• Have earned or working on earning a set of private, military or commercial aviation wings.

Although most of the members have a military background, that is neither a requirement nor a prerequisite for membership. The primary focus of the group is to provide timely career advice in the field of aviation to those who seek it, as well as a forum for lifelong networking and mentorship.