National Gay Pilots Association

They can't wait to give it away, and they can't wait to give access.

So in or since the time that I joined Women in Aviation, an organization of Black a- aerospace professionals, there's National Gay Pilots Association.

There's PAPA.

I love the name.

Yeah, I think that's what it was.

An openly gay member of the National Gay Pilots Association was killed when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.

Gay couple Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa and their three-year-old adopted son David also died aboard 93.

And I, I just, it, this, it is such a heartbreaking thing to think about the, the people within our community that have been lost.

Now, throughout his life, he had a deep passion for flying and set out to make his dream a reality right out of high school, enrolling in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, graduating in 1984.

Now, David was very open about his sexuality all his life and was a prominent member of the National Gay Pilots Association.

He often took part in marches and protests, calling for better rights for same-sex partner relationships, and always did so in his pilot uniform to show his devotion and his passion, and that he was not ashamed.

Now, on September 11th, David was serving as first officer, which from my understanding is essentially the co-pilot.

Correct me if I'm wrong, aboard Flight 77 traveling from DC to LA.

Shortly after taking off, the plane was hijacked, and approximately 9:37 AM, the plane crashed into the Pentagon, killing everyone on board.

Now, the National Gay Pilots Association established the David M. Charlebois Memorial Scholarship, honoring his commitment to aviation and the LGBTQ+ community.

The association describes the scholarship as recognizing someone who demonstrates exceptional citizenship to the queer community, their local community, their nation, and the world.