Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame set to honour Gimli Glider pilots

A Canadian pilot who became part of a global aviation story will be recognized with a national-level award next year. Barb Gluck, president of the Gimli Glider exhibit, framed the honor as a Canadian achievement tied to pilots whose actions are remembered worldwide.

On July 23, 1983, Captain Robert Pearson safely landed a Boeing 767 on a decommissioned airstrip in Gimli, Manitoba, after the aircraft ran low on fuel. All 69 people on board survived the emergency landing, which involved Air Canada service from Montreal to Edmonton.

The Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame has announced new inductees for its 2027 awards ceremony in Calgary, with Pearson and the late First Officer Maurice Quintal receiving the Canadian Aviation Distinction Award for the teamwork and skill that brought the plane to the ground.

Gluck noted Pearson long declined earlier hall of fame induction so Quintal could be honored alongside him, a stance that will be honored with their joint installation in the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. The recognition follows decades of international awards for the pilots.

In related efforts, Gimli Glider exhibit volunteers are restoring the cockpit and seeking to display it as part of an anniversary event next July, with Pearson invited to attend. The exhibit continues to attract pilots and visitors seeking to learn about Pearson’s actions and the 1983 emergency.