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Photo: An aerial view of the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson, Ariz. during an EcoFlight trip in April 2026. (Gabriel Pietrorazio)
Today is Earth Day and earlier this month, the Colorado nonprofit EcoFlight came to Arizona as part of its annual aerial educational program — Flight Across America.
A cohort of college students soared through the skies for an environmental tour of endangered landscapes across the West.
KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio took flight with them and has this report.
On the Tucson International Airport tarmac, a fleet of three Cessna 210s taxi for takeoff.
Manufacturers ceased production of this 6-seater model four decades ago, but these very planes have lately been the college students’ main mode of transportation.
Their four-day adventure across the Grand Canyon State kicked-off in Flagstaff.
“And I am in awe of just what the world looks like from a bird’s eye view.”
Back on the ground, 23-year-old Kimmale Anderson reflects on her ride. She is from the Hopi village of Kykotsmovi and a senior majoring in environmental science at Fort Lewis College in Colorado.
Anderson and seven more students met tribes along the way.
While here in Tucson, Tohono O’odham Vice Chairwoman Carla Johnson joined her and the rest.
“These leaders coming and being with us in these planes and giving their perspective is very powerful. And I think that they don’t really speak for all of their people. And I appreciate the fact that they always express that.”
An aerial view of solar panels near Tucson during an EcoFlight tour in April 2026. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ)
Arizona State University data science junior Sophia Honahni is Diné-Hopi and from Tuba City.
“They had a lot to share – coming from both a western science and a traditional ecological knowledge perspective.”
Eager high schoolers were the first to learn about the land from above through Flight Across America – until the nonprofit EcoFlight shifted its attention to career-bound college students who could make the most meaningful change in areas of conservation.
This opportunity can, in part, be credited to one of the nation’s most popular folk singers — John Denver.
This passion for piloting and astronomy only grew when he moved to spend much of his life in this snowy Colorado city.
Aspen is also where Bruce Gordon founded EcoFlight.
“My good friend John Denver, you’re old enough to know who he is? (laughter)”
Gordon was one of the pilots that ferried students around Arizona.
“But I laughed like that, because, even a number of the students we just had – maybe a third of them raised their hands.”
Flight Across America was their brainchild for Earth Day 2000.
“This idea sort of came to a huge fizzle when he passed away.”
In 1997, the eight-time platinum album recording artist crashed an experimental plane into California’s Monterey Bay.
Gordon dedicated the maiden Flight Across America voyage in 2004 to Denver’s memory.
About 180 students have taken to the skies of the West since then. It is something Gordon thinks would have inspired Denver, too.
“Yeah, he would have really been excited about this – getting up in the air, getting the people involved – because that was one of his main loves for sure.”
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Check out today’s Native America Calling episode
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