Pilot Gordon Boettger discussed aviation careers and his recent record-setting glider flight during the Pathways to Aviation event held at the Joe Crowley Student Union, according to an April 14 announcement. The event brought together about 400 attendees, many of them students, and featured interactive experiences such as a virtual reality flight simulator at the Women in Aviation booth.
The gathering was sponsored by nonprofit group Pathways to Aviation and the George W. Gillemot Foundation, along with support from the University of Nevada, Reno; Washoe County School District; and the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. The focus was on inspiring future aviators through talks and hands-on activities.
Boettger, who earned his glider license at age 14 and is now a FedEx pilot with experience as a Navy pilot, shared details about his December 15 flight from Minden, Nevada to Dodge City, Kansas—a journey covering 1,112 miles in just over twelve hours. “Flying expands your horizons, not just geographically, but mentally,” Boettger told attendees. “It’s a recipe for a great life.” He emphasized that flying gliders requires constant decision-making: “No autopilot, (just) constant decisions… they say if you’re not making a decision every minute in a glider, you’re not flying the aircraft.”
University President Brian Sandoval addressed the crowd by drawing parallels between aviation challenges and academic pursuits: “Talks like the one tonight remind us of the courage, training and fortitude that it takes to go beyond the horizon,” Sandoval said. “In many ways this mirrors our University’s mission. To realize the dreams and potential of the people of Nevada… we must continue to provide educational and research programs that provide breakthroughs.”
The George W. Gillemot Foundation has played an important role in supporting aerospace education at UNR with its $36 million gift made in 2023 for engineering programs and planetarium renovations. Tom Hall—chairman of both boards for Pathways to Aviation and Gillemot Foundation—noted that up to $250,000 in scholarships are available for candidates from northern Nevada and eastern California.
Reflecting on how aspiring pilots can begin their journeys regardless of background or resources available today Boettger said: “Every airline pilot you see started somewhere small… For me it started with gliders.” He encouraged young people by adding: “You don’t need to know your entire future today… You just need curiosity commitment—and courage—to start flying.”