Yuma flight instructor helping locals achieve aviation dreams

YUMA (AZFamily) — A Yuma flight instructor is motivating locals to reach for the skies.

Amalia Andaverde is a Yuma native and a first-generation pilot who hopes to motivate people to enter the field of aviation.

She’s a flight instructor with Arizona Active Air under her own brand, Fly AmaliAir.

“I’m a woman in aviation, a Latina in aviation, and an instructor and it’s very rare. That’s why I advocate for more women in aviation and more Latinos,” said Andaverde.

She started AmaliAir with a goal of building confident pilots.

“I wasn’t given the opportunity to build my confidence. It was more let’s hit the ground running, let’s go, let’s get it,” she said.

Taking charge of an aircraft can be intimidating but she empowers her students.

“I tell them, trust the airplane and trust yourself,” she said.

Each student starts off with a discovery class, where they navigate a pilot’s daily tasks.

It’s open to students as young as 13 years old.

“We bring in people, community people, locals, people from out of town that may be are interested in flying,” Andaverde said.

It takes 40 flight hours to receive a private pilot license.

She said Yuma is a great place to fly because of its clear, sunny skies.

“I did have a student recently who came down from northern Las Vegas during the winter time. It was snowing and lots of wind. He came down here and got it done in two months,” she said.

Students get to practice in a plane simulator. It’s the only one like it in Yuma.

“It could be a lucrative career. So if you go all the way through commercial, you have the opportunity to do commercial work or go through the airlines,” she said.

Juliana Razo Lugo is one of Andaverde’s students.

Razo Lugo said her father instilled in her a love of aviation.

“He kind of started this dream in me and it became our dream,” she said.

She’s a full-time nurse but on her days off, you can find her at the Yuma International Airport.

“I definitely see myself making this into more than just a hobby,” said Razo.

Andaverde encourages anyone with an itch for flying to go for it.

“There isn’t a right time, you just have to go for it,” said Andaverde.

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