Mr. Jackson began his early interest in aviation listening to his mother talk about her flying as a teenager before he was born. Birdel as a seventh grader and his mother joined a model airplane club and built flying models.

In college, Birdel joined Army ROTC to become a pilot. However, he did not pass the physical. After college, he moved to Washington DC where he continued his aviation endeavors as a squadron commander of the all-Black General Daniel Chappie James of the Civil Air Patrol of the National Capital Region.

Mr. Jackson earned his private pilot's license Single Engine Land (SEL) certification on November 12, 1985.

The WWII Tuskegee Airmen formed Negro Airmen International (NAI) to encourage Black youth to pursue aviation careers. Birdel was mentored by one of the NAI founders, Col. Spann Watson. He participated in the Tuskegee Alabama fly-ins designated Operation Skyhook to assist with their mission until 1996.

Birdel joined the newly formed Black Pilots of America in 1997, BPA # 97-081. Birdel served as president of the Atlanta Mentors chapter of BPA in 2001 and presided over the renaming of the chapter and the development of the chapter logo in 2001. Birdel began the chapter tradition of presenting new members with a custom-made chapter shirt which includes the member's name and call sign. Mr. Jackson has represented the chapter and BPA at yearly career days in Metro Atlanta at secondary and post-secondary institutions for 25 years. In January 2025, Mr Jackson was elected to the Black Pilots of America's Hall of Fame.

Professionally, from 1988 to 2012, Birdel and his firm, B&E Jackson Engineers, made significant contributions to the aviation community with his designs of aviation facilities throughout the southern and mid-western United States.