Cornelius Coffey
He was the first African American to hold both a pilot’s and a mechanic’s license. Together with Robinson and Janet Bragg, he founded the Challengers Air Pilots’ Association and established the airfield in Robbins, Illinois, which you were looking at on the map earlier.
Often pictured in civilian flight jackets or mechanic’s coveralls, frequently standing in front of the training biplanes used at the Robbins/Challengers airfield.
Coffey represents the Master Educator/Pioneer of Civil Aviation.
Challenger Air Pilots Association
Photo Courtesy of National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian
The Master Mechanic (The Early Years): Look for photos of him in greasy coveralls. Before he was a pilot, he was a mechanical genius who was initially denied entry to the Curtiss-Wright School of Aviation because of his race (until a lawsuit forced them to admit him).
The Robbins Airfield Era: These photos show him with the “Challengers Air Pilots Association.” You’ll often see him with Janet Bragg or Willa Brown. In these, he’s usually the “professor” figure—calm, focused, and standing near the tail or engine of a biplane.
The FAA Legacy: In his later years, Coffey became the first African American to be an FAA-certified aircraft mechanic examiner. Photos from this era show a distinguished elder statesman of aviation, often being honored at ceremonies at O’Hare or Chanute.
The Archives
A digital preservation project by New Dawn America.
1931 Launch
The Hub
The Legacy
The Challenger Air Pilots Association is formed, establishing a new era of self-sufficient Black aviation.
Robbins Airport becomes the national destination for Black pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts.
Training methods from Robbins are integrated into the Tuskegee Institute's flight program by 1939.
