09-02-2025
Daniel Boone's Gavin Pearce 300th student to solo fly with the F.L.I.G.H.T. Foundation
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — High School senior Gavin Pearce completed his first solo flight Sunday at the Greeneville Municipal Airport, marking the 300th successful student solo flight made possible by the non-profit F.L.I.G.H.T. Foundation.
Pearce, a senior at Daniel Boone High School, completed the common student-piloting milestone in which he was completely alone in the plane during an entire flight— what many call earning his wings.
His family, instructor, friends and teachers from Daniel Boone watched on as he boarded, took off and landed the plane. Pearce told News Channel 11 that he sees learning to fly the same as riding a bike.
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'It's like anything,' he said. 'You study, you learn, you just learn from experience, I guess. And after that, I mean, it's like a piece of cake, really.'
Pearce noted that piloting an aircraft is no simple feat, and his instructor and founder of the F.L.I.G.H.T Foundation, Lt. Colonel Bill Powley, made things as easy as possible.
'I mean, it's luck of the draw (being the 300th solo flyer), but Colonel Powley is amazing. There's no reason in my mind that he shouldn't have more than 300. So if anybody's watching this and you know, you're thinking about it, Colonel Powley would be the way to go if you want to get into this career.'
The non-profit was founded by Powley in 1992 and has since gone to be an instruction hub for students at more than 30 schools. The foundation provides instruction to teenagers through grants.
Pearce officially marked the 300th student in the foundation's solo flight program to earn a certification. The next step for Pearce is to attend Averett University to study aviation and play basketball for the school. He said he hopes to turn aviation into a career.
For more information about the F.L.I.G.H.T. Foundation and how to get involved, visit or call (423) 502-1605.
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