One Flight, One Mentor: How Josiah Bates Discovered His Future as a Pilot
Career-deciding moments are generally forged by long-standing patterns of behavior, by insightful perspectives from family and friends, or by the trusted opinions of people we value.
Rare is the case when that path is charted by "one brief flickering" event.
A member of that latter class is Josiah Bates, a WMU sophomore with a double major in flight science and aviation management and operations.
Let him tell the story in his own words. The path's "never-to-be-forgotten" origins can be traced to his junior year at Chippewa Valley High School located in Bates' home community of Clinton Township near Detroit.
"Before even boarding a flight," he says, "I remember seeing the pilots and pointing out to my Mom how young they looked. That surprised me because I had imagined pilots to be older and distant, almost like they were on a completely different level than me.
"After the flight," Bates recalls, "Mom did something that changed my life. She asked the captain how it was that he was flying planes professionally at such a young age." Out came the information that, as a recent graduate of the University of North Dakota, he was just starting his career flying for SkyWest.
When she mentioned that her nearby son was nearing graduation from high school, Capt. Aaron Cary asked Bates whether he had ever considered becoming a pilot. "That caught me off guard," he says. "Until then, I had always placed pilots on a pedestal. They were supposedly far removed from where I was."
Not true, Bates found out. "They are normal people, and their path was something I could follow too." Cary gave the youth his contact information and an invitation to reach out. "That simple interaction turned into a mentorship that has changed my life."
Today, Cary has reached almost "brother" status, offering guidance, encouragement and real-world advice that flight science was a reachable goal. The "brothers" have experienced Christmas together and Bates will be attending the pilot's wedding this summer in San Francisco.
Prior to enrolling at Western Michigan University (and not Cary's Dakotan alma mater), Bates played for the Chippewa Valley football team, ran the hurdles in track, and served as the president of the student body. His peers picked him as the class' "busiest student" and "most likely to be president" because of his achievements in leadership, athletics and academics.
When Bates arrived at the Kalamazoo campus, he brought with him not only Cary's valued advice but his private pilot license as well. Complementing the mentorship was Bates' attraction to airports and aircraft because of youthful travel to such destinations as Orlando, New Orleans, and the state of Texas. Showcasing a passion for technology, he logged hours on computers playing video games and even creating a few of his own.
While he checked out other higher-education aviation programs, WMU won the day. "I wanted a school that offered diversity," he says, "not just in background, but in passion and ambition. I also wanted the opportunity to attend NCAA Division 1 athletic events while receiving strong flight training, hands-on learning and real-world experience." The final selling point was a tour of the Western campus that was guided by "good friend Chaston Byra."
He has basically followed in his footsteps as well, serving as one of the college's aviation ambassadors and hoping to convince prospects that Western is part of their future. Bates has been president of the WMU chapter of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals. His resume also includes the vice presidency of Western's Young Black Male Support Network and being a "proud" member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Upsilon Gamma Chapter.
Bates helped bring "Omega" back to WMU's campus, a fraternity whose notable members include Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Steve Harvey. Becoming a member of a "Divine 9" chapter gave Bates another opportunity to serve his campus and community.
"These experiences," he says, "have helped me grow beyond the classroom, build confidence and develop leadership skills. They are preparing me to know how to communicate effectively and operate in professional environments."
That dedication and leadership recently caught the attention of his hometown NFL team – the Detroit Lions. Bates was awarded a $5,000 scholarship towards his WMU education.
"Obtaining this scholarship was a huge honor, especially as I continue pursuing my education and flight training," Bates says. "Aviation can be a very expensive field to pursue, so receiving this support means a lot and helps me continue towards my goal of being a professional airline pilot."
Bates also believes that the non-aviation electives he's completed have benefited who he is, especially the psychology-related ones. "I enjoy understanding how people think and perform under pressure," he says. "Aviation requires both thinking memory and trained memory, particularly in high-stress situations where the margin for error decreases. I want to ensure that my future passengers and crew always feel safe and confident, no matter the circumstances."
One would think that there is not enough time in the day for Bates and his variety of interests, especially when learning he is disk jockey D.J. Raskii at campus events, and also follows an early-childhood yen to be a roller coaster engineer by designing theme parks. That's not enough? How about creating a short feature film in any spare time he can find.
"I am passionate about creating experiences through aviation, music and design," he says. "I want to encourage others to go beyond the status quo and pursue their dreams. I have grown to embrace being a 'jack of all trades' and take pride in it."
And what is Bates' ultimate dream? To be in a United Airlines flight deck with Aaron Cary at his side sharing the controls.