BPA, Inc. is registered in the State of Delaware and was qualified as non-profit by the IRS by the provisions of 509(a)(2) under 501(c)(3) in 2002. Chartered member chapters which do not have their individual non-profit status operate under the National Office non-profit status Tax ID # 85-0852905. Donations are welcomed under this tax number. The aims and purposes of this Organization are:

• To train youth to participate and advance in various types of employment within the field of aviation.  
• To stimulate and encourage broader job opportunities for under privileged youth in all phases of aviation.  
• To encourage youth to enter the field of aviation and to remain in school by showing films and lecturing in schools on opportunities in the field of aviation.  
• To organize and set up a school for such training.  
• To develop scholarships for youth who will partake in such training and development. 
• To acquire, own, hold, sell, lease, pledge, mortgage or otherwise dispose of any property, real or personal, necessary to the operation of the Organization.

The Arkansas Thunderbirds Chapter was formed in 1993 with members, Ken Johnson, Dr. Milton Brunson, Bill Boyd, Eric Burdette, Lawrence Nicholson, and Roderick Cooper.  The Chapter started as a flying club which later originated into a Chapter of the Black Pilots of America.  The Chapter was instrumental in having regional Fly-Ins at Grider Field (PBF) in the early 1990’s .  Chapters from Memphis, TN, New Orleans, LA,  St. Louis,  Missouri, Tulsa, OK and Houston, TX participated in the annual spring regional Fly-In.  In 1996, a local member invited the Black Pilots of America to hold its National Fly-In (Operation Skyhook) in Pine Bluff.  The rest is history - over the last 12 years this national event has been held in Pine Bluff, AR during Memorial Day weekend.  The Arkansas Thunderbirds chapter was also involved with the local Pine Bluff Air Force ROTC under the leadership of Colonel Tatum.  Many of the students in this Program were cadets in the BPA Summer Flight Academy held in Pine Bluff in 1998.    The Chapter has been reconstituted since 2008 and continues to seek other interested members to join our ranks!