User:RustyHumble/sandbox
Clint Simmons
[edit]Clint Simmons is an African American Professional Engineer, community activist, and licensed pilot from Warrington, Florida, notable for his contributions in the communities of Los Angeles and Compton in the state of California.[1] He has served as the Los Angeles County Aviation Commissioner since 2017, representing the County of Los Angeles Supervisorial District Number 2, Simmons has demonstrated unwavering commitment and dedication to public service. [2] Clint Simmons was one of the first African American member of the Jet Propulsion Lab Amateur Radio Club. [3]
As a community activist in the City of Los Angeles, he was instrumental in saving “The Proud Bird” [4] an aviation themed restaurant named after the Continental Airlines advertising slogan, “The proud bird with the golden tail” [5] in Los Angeles, California. The Proud Bird Restaurant is known to be an important gather place for the African American community[6] that features a a dedication to the Tuskegee Airmen with a replica of the planes they flew in World War II - the Red Tails.[7]
During a crucial meeting in February, coinciding with Black History Month, Simmons shed light on the forgotten history of Compton/Woodley Airport. He highlighted the airport's groundbreaking efforts in integrating its flight school, paving the way for the inclusion of the first Black Americans in pilot roles during World War II. Simmons, appointed by former Supervisor Yvonne Burke in 1993, remains the longest-serving airports commissioner in L.A. County’s 2nd District. His passionate narration emphasized Compton Airport's historical significance as the first airport west of the Mississippi to integrate its flight school, a landmark achievement in Black aviators' inclusion in military flight training. [8]
Simmons provided an insightful overview of Compton Airport's history, tracing its origins from Col. C. S. Smith's landing in 1924 to its expansion under Earl Woodley in 1936, marking a gap in documented African American flight training until the U.S. entry into World War II in 1941. During the war, Compton Airport was exclusively used by the military, and post-war, it resumed civilian flying activities. Notably, in the 1950s, the airport's flight schools trained over 500 Black civilian pilots, surpassing other training locations. [9]
Moreover, Simmons' efforts extended to modernizing Compton/Woodley Airport's legacy, highlighted by events in the early 1990s. He actively participated in the reconstruction and successful restoration of a damaged Jet Commander, an endeavor that showcased the airport's resilience and operational capabilities. Simmons, leveraging his expertise in electronics and management science gained from a career spanning private contracting, consulting, and working with esteemed entities like Douglas Aircraft and JPL, served as a flight instructor and advocate for the airport. [10]
Simmons' tireless dedication and advocacy were instrumental in securing the future of Compton/Woodley Airport. Following a change in ownership after Woodley's death in 1962, the county's Aviation Commission leased and eventually purchased the airport in 1966. Today, the airport stands as a thriving hub, facilitating over 60,000 general aviation takeoffs and landings annually, accommodating various aircraft sizes and equipped with advanced facilities such as dual parallel runways, fueling services, and modern weather reporting systems. [11]
Compton/Woodley Airport remains an integral part of the aviation landscape, hosting a diverse range of aircraft, businesses, and organizations while remaining accessible to general aviation around the clock. [12]
- ^ https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/03/04/compton-woodley-airports-hidden-history/
- ^ "Second District Commissioners". Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "January 1981 W6VIO Calling, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Amateur Radio Club". jplarc.ampr.org. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ https://www.laweekly.com/up-up-and-away-the-proud-bird-reimagined/
- ^ "The Proud Bird restaurant | South Bay History". blogs.dailybreeze.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "Bird Proud". Boom California. 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "Veteran visits The Proud Bird to remember his time serving". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/03/04/compton-woodley-airports-hidden-history/
- ^ https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/03/04/compton-woodley-airports-hidden-history/
- ^ https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/03/04/compton-woodley-airports-hidden-history/
- ^ https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/03/04/compton-woodley-airports-hidden-history/
- ^ https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/03/04/compton-woodley-airports-hidden-history/
Category:Community activists Category:Jet Propulsion Laboratory Category:African-American engineers