A K'gari (Fraser Island) man will take to the skies under an Australian-first scholarship designed to increase opportunities for Indigenous people to enter the aviation industry.
Sydney Flight College has introduced the new scholarship to cover student loans for selection Indigenous participants.
For its first year the scholarship was awarded to Butchulla man Thomas Blackman, who has grown up in various areas in Far North Queensland.
Mr Blackman said he was overwhelmed with happiness when he was presented with the scholarship.
The opportunity had given him the chance to live out a lifelong dream of becoming a pilot.
"This has always been a childhood passion to be up in the sky in control of an aircraft," Mr Blackman said.
Mr Blackman said a child he could remember running outside every time a plane flew over the house, watching it glide through the air with wide eyes.
Becoming a pilot was no surprise to his family either, and it was only a matter of time until Mr Blackman decided to pursue that dream.
"My family was so stoked that not only did I get into the commercial pilot course, I also received a scholarship," he said.
Mr Blackman is on track to earn his commercial pilot licence and currently has about 40 hours of flight time to his name.
After he completes his course, Blackman will move onto multi-instrument flight rating, something the determined pilot is looking forward to.
"I have definitely made the decision that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life," Mr Blackman said.
"No one day is the same, that's what I really like about being a pilot,"
While ambitions to fly airlines are a way off, Mr Blackman's short-term goal is to fly charter routes back home in northern Queensland.
He also hopes to encourage more Indigenous people to enroll in aviation.
"Take the leap, go down to your local flying school, take a (trial instructional flight)," Mr Blackman said.
"Only from there you will realise nothing beats being up in the sky, the worst thing is living in doubt of not taking that leap.
"I definitely hope that I will inspire many Indigenous people to chase down their dreams in the aviation industry."
Blackman will complete his commercial pilot licence in by February 2023.
