As part of Jet It’s ongoing commitment to supporting future pilots and elevating the voices and lives of underrepresented people, CEO Glenn Gonzales was proud to offer the commencement speech at this year’s RedTail Flight Academy graduation ceremony.
The RedTail Flight Academy honors the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen by recruiting, developing, and placing people of color in the aviation career pipeline. Inspired by the tagline, Diversify the Sky, the RedTail Flight Academy celebrated its inaugural graduation of six aspiring aviators of color on May 21, 2022. The graduation was the culmination of 10 months of flight training that took students with next-to-zero flight experience to multi-engine commercial pilot licenses with instrument ratings.
Glenn Gonzales was honored to commemorate these students’ accomplishments not only because their endeavors as aviators of color is close to his heart, but also because he was inspired by the life of Charles McGee, a Tuskegee Airmen. May marked the the 80th anniversary of the first graduating class of Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen (DOTA). The graduation included two of the last living Tuskegee Airmen.
Glenn’s furtherance of the RedTail Academy’s mission is just one example of Jet It’s philanthropic efforts for individuals, communities, and the aviation industry as a whole. Other examples of Jet It’s corporate citizenship include supporting veterans’ programs, providing transportation to those who need access to life-saving medical procedures, and participating in fundraising events.
For a glimpse into the RedTail graduation and Glenn’s speech, watch this video! If you’re interested in supporting the RedTail Academy, visit their contributions page.