Brown Hiltz became the first Black woman to serve as a pilot for a major U.S airline when she was hired at the age of 28 by Texas International Airlines in 1978. She was introduced to flying when she was very young by her family. When she was just 17, Brown Hiltz earned her flying license. In 1974, she also became the first Black woman to join the U.S. Navy flight training program.
At 23, Hayes Ng became the first Black woman to become a pilot in the U.S. Armed Forces in November of 1979. She broke new ground by completing helicopter training at the Alabama based Fort Rucker U.S. Army Aviation Center.