For many aspiring aviators, the journey to their dream job is a long, rigorous, and daunting path. Aviation is a small industry, that at times, can be overwhelming and intimidating if you don't have a mentor or someone guiding you along the way. Mentorship and encouragement can be paramount in helping an individual achieve their dreams.
Project Aviator, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded by four mainline airline pilots as a way to help those ascending their own journeys. When the charity’s founders made it to their dream companies, they all started brainstorming on ways to give back and to be impactful. Since they viewed other such organizations as large and commercialized, they wanted Project Aviator to be unique. The founders decided that mentorship should be at the forefront. Their view that mentors are key to helping guide and inspire the next generation of pilots, launched the mentorship program of Project Aviator.
The founders also recognize that flight training can be very expensive and prohibitive for some. They decided a scholarship program would also be very beneficial. It was unknown how much money could be raised, but the founders all pledged their own money to get the scholarship program running. Even if no additional funding was raised, some level of a scholarship would be awarded, they concluded.
Project Aviator was founded in 2022 and is approaching its five-year anniversary. Since its inception, the charity has awarded over $36,000 in scholarships. The charity also has 120+ mentors volunteering their time to the 400+ mentees in the program. The president of Project Aviator and Southwest Airlines pilot, Sean O’Connor, stated, “The charity's success is thanks to those who believe in it. The founders and board members can work as hard as they can and be genuine, but if there is little or no support, the charity cannot thrive and be what it is. All our success is thanks to our donors, mentees, and mentors.”
The Mentorship Program is run by Southwest Airlines pilot Hannah O’Connor. This program has been her project since its inception and she is the reason for its great success, meaningful impact and positive results. When creating the mentorship program, Hannah wanted it to be unique and personable. In the onboarding process, the mentee is asked about their career goals and aspirations, along with a few other personal questions giving her the opportunity to get to know them and their needs.
The current mentorship program provides mentees direct access to two mentors: one from a regional airline or career time-building job, and a second from a mainline, cargo, or holding the corporate job of the mentees’ dreams. The organization’s work does not stop once the mentee goes to the regionals, as an example. It is their mission to shepherd the mentees all the way to their dream jobs. Currently, the charity has helped over 50 individuals into their first airline jobs and helped over 30 into to their dream jobs.
Project Aviator refers to mentees who become mentors as “boomerangs” and at present there are 12 former mentees who volunteer their time as mentors now that they are professional pilots.
A testament to the Project Aviator Mentorship Program comes from Noah H., a mentee. Noah was a student at the University of North Dakota. In 2024, his sophomore year, he met the Project Aviator team at a university career fair at the airport in Grand Forks, N.D. He signed up quickly after finding out that Project Aviator would be willing to help find him a mentor. At first, he was hesitant since he didn’t want to go to the airlines — he wanted a niche job, flying jets or turboprops for weather modification. Indeed, the organization had a mentor who did weather modification who would help. One year later at the career fair, Noah returned to the Project Aviator team to say hello and expressed how thankful he was that his mentor had helped him land a summer internship for a weather modification company. In his senior year at the UND career conference, Noah came to the Project Aviator booth and shared the great news that he had been hired by the weather modification company for which he had interned! This is one example of how Project Aviator shows personal interest, follows up, and exerts all the effort it can to help an aspiring pilot pursue opportunities to achieve their dreams.
With Sean and Hannah are two other founding members of the board, Captain Jake Spellacy (United) and First Officer M.J. Okada (United). Sean, Jake, and M.J. are alumni of the University of North Dakota. Hannah is a proud alumna of the University of Dubuque, in Iowa.
Left to right: Ryan Phillips, Jake Spellacy, M.J. Okada, Hannah O’Connor, and Sean O’Connor.
The scholarship program for Project Aviator has been fortunate to grow year over year. In 2026, the charity is aiming to award over $20,000 in scholarships. In addition to its own scholarship, Project Aviator assists and facilitates establishing other scholarships. Currently, they have aided four airline pilots who wanted to give back but didn't know how to set up a scholarship. The charity does not take a commission, nor do they charge a fee to facilitate establishing a scholarship.
One example of this assistance is for a Denver-based Southwest captain. Formerly a nurse, the scholarship donor followed her dream to become a pilot. Along the way, she had mentors guide her and she received a scholarship that helped give her to confidence to persist. It was her desire to pay it forward, wanting to inspire and help another on their journey into a career change. This year marked the third annual “Second Chance Scholarship,” which is awarded every July. Project Aviator is proud to uphold its founding mission — to be impactful, personal, and unique.
Project Aviator holds its annual fundraiser every June at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. The Broadmoor is the world's longest enduring 5-star and 5-diamond resort. June 25, 2027, will mark the fourth annual pickleball tournament and dinner reception. The dinner reception will be a full luau with a show featuring professional Hawaiian dancers and a full Hawaiian band. A silent auction will take place and live music will be provided by Denver’s favorite dance band, Thumpin’, starring Jerry, Joy, and Jeremy. For those who don't play pickleball, there are dinner-reception-only tickets available. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available via the link on the charity’s website home page. www.projectaviator.org
Beyond its mentorship and scholarship programs, Project Aviator has tried to attend aviation conferences to expand its reach and gain visibility. To help grow the charity by attracting new mentors, mentees, and procure funds from generous donors who believe in the mission of Project Aviator, the organization has had a presence at these conferences:
- University of North Dakota SAMA – 2024, 2025, 2026
- Women in Aviation International – 2025
- RTAG – 2025
- PAPA – 2024, 2025, 2026
- OBAP – 2026
Sean, Hannah O., and Hannah S. at the 2025 Women in Aviation conference, in Denver
Project Aviator is blessed to partner with great organizations that help drive its success:
- Southwest Airlines
- Southwest Airlines Pilots Association
- The Broadmoor Hotel
- Flight Uniforms
- Aviator Intelligence
- Ace Interview Prep, Vicki Ross
- Aero Crew News
- United Airlines Newark Chief Pilot Office
- University of North Dakota
- Inverness Wealth Management
- Flying With Big Ern
- My Overnight Life, Paul Holte
The mission of Project Aviator has always been to provide impactful mentorship and scholarship opportunities to those dreaming of a career in aviation. Project Aviator does not charge anything for its programs. The founders all agree that it was created to give back and not to profit. Proudly, all donations go toward mentorship and scholarship opportunities. If you are interested in becoming a mentee, becoming a mentor, wanting to donate, or wanting to learn more, follow the charity on all social media platforms or visit their website www.projectaviator.org.
