Young Eagles Program Success Story of Tammera L. Holmes
Tammera Holmes was introduced to the world of aviation when she was 16 years old. This happened during her participation in the Young Eagles Program. Sponsored by the Chicago “DODO” Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc., the Young Eagles Program offers introductory airplane flights to children ages 7-17. This experience changed her life. Doing anything at 8 am on a Saturday morning was the last priority of this teenager, but a determined Uncle convinced her that a free plane ride would be well worth it. That day, Tammera found her dream.
After arriving at Chicago Meigs Field, a volunteer pilot took her up on her introductory flight. While in the air, he offered her an opportunity to fly the plane and she accepted. As they came down from what would become a life-changing experience, she decided that this thing called aviation was for her.
Tammera graduated from Proviso East High School (Maywood, IL) and enrolled at Southern Illinois University (SIU, Carbondale, IL) to major in Aviation Flight and Spanish. After only 4 weeks of flight training, she was one of the first in her class of over 200 students to solo, but with mounting social challenges as well as financial costs, associated with the Flight Program, Tammera decided to transfer to another program, Aviation Management. This has proved to be one of the best decisions she has ever made. She graduated from SIU having completed both the Spanish and Aviation Management Programs in only four and a half years. She assumed employment with the oldest and largest privately owned aviation consulting firm, Landrum & Brownwhere she continues to be successful. Her career as an Airport Planner has afforded her more versatility and opportunity in the Aviation Industry than she could have ever imagined. She loves her job, most of all because it keeps her intertwined in a world, that she was so casually introduced to one Saturday morning, nearly 10 years ago. She thanks the Tuskegee Airmen, Chicago “DODO” chapter for giving her the dream, one she would probably never have had without them.