Gay pilots bring love of aviation to help kick off Pride Month in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — For the first time since it was founded in 1990, the National Gay Pilots Association is holding a major event in flyover country.

On Sunday, the nonprofit — which has 4,100 LGBTQ pilots and aviation professionals — won’t be holding its newest event in gay meccas like Provincetown, Mass., or Palm Springs, Calif. They’re holding it at The Eastern Iowa Airport the day after Cedar Rapids’ first Pride parade.

As part of the group’s mission to promote visibility of the LGBTQ community and aviation, association president Brian Gambino said it was important that the inaugural event be held in a smaller city and away from the coasts.

“We had to spread our reach to live true to our organization. There was a push to see where we could spread our mission and visibility,” Gambino said. “Sure, we could live out our mission in New York or San Francisco. But I didn’t feel that was a true testament to what we wanted to do and the lifesaving efforts our organization has done.”

A pilot since 2007, Gambino said acceptance of LGBTQ aviation professionals stopped at the cockpit door when he first started flying. In the National Gay Pilots Association, visibility has not just been a commodity toted during June’s Pride month — it has saved lives.

“Members of the NGPA have said that because of this organization, they found a family when they were turned away from their own,” he said. “They found mentors, they knew that they were not alone. It straight up saved their lives.”

While the Sunday gathering at the airport, meant to spark a love of aviation, will have through 18 aircraft on display, educational sessions and a variety of fun, the group’s visibility also is meant to help others.

“This could be a lifesaving venture for a little boy, a little girl, a nonbinary person,” Gambino said.

For those outside the LGBTQ community, the event is a new way to educate others on aviation, promote interest in aviation careers and promote tourism for Cedar Rapids. In addition, the 100 pilots flying in for the weekend plan to be part of other events, like the Pride parade on Saturday.

“It’s really designed to spur the love of aviation for young people and people in general,” said Marty Lenss, director of The Eastern Iowa Airport. “Like many industries, we have workforce challenges, particularly in the ranks of pilots and aircraft mechanics.”

The event is a chance to change perceptions of Iowa, and show it’s as an ideal place to live, work and play, Lenss said.

“It’s a good opportunity to open the gates and invite the community out and experience aviation firsthand in a different way than maybe a trip to Florida,” he said.

Wings Over Iowa is the first major LGBTQ event in the city secured by Julie Stow, director of meetings and conventions for the Cedar Rapids Tourism Office. She hopes the added visibility will begin a new era in attracting the LGBTQ population to Iowa.

“I hope it is validation that our local LGBTQ community is seen in our community and loved here,” she said. “The fact that we are a welcoming community opens us up to so many opportunities to host visitors, which is key to our economic success. … All we have to do is showcase it.”

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