“THAT YOUNG LADY WAS BORN TO FLY!” — 20-YEAR-OLD PILOT NATHALIA FILGUEIRAS REMEMBERED BY INSTRUCTOR AFTER FATAL FLORIDA PLANE 𝔠r𝘢sh

A 20-year-old pilot whose extraordinary talent impressed even the most experienced aviation professionals is being remembered in an emotional tribute after losing her life in a devastating private jet 𝔠r𝘢sh in Florida.

Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was serving as co-pilot aboard a Learjet 60 when the aircraft crashed in Palm Beach County on November 1, 2026, 𝘬iᩚlling all nine people on board.

In the days following the tᩚraɢedy, her former flight instructor, Chris Kirk, shared a heartfelt message describing the young woman who had once been his student.

After 40 years of teaching pilots, Kirk said Nathalia was the most naturally gifted aviator he had ever trained.

“That young lady was born to fly!”

His words have resonated throughout the aviation community, offering a glimpse into the remarkable young woman whose dream of flying had begun long before she entered the cockpit of a private jet.

A STUDENT WHO STOOD OUT AFTER 40 YEARS OF TEACHING

Kirk, who said he was one of Nathalia’s first flight instructors and mentors, remembered her as an exceptionally talented student with a genuine passion for aviation.

In his tribute, he wrote:

“She was without a doubt the most naturally gifted pilot I have ever taught, and I have been teaching for 40 years!! That young lady was born to fly!”

He recalled that her performance during flight examinations repeatedly impressed examiners.

According to Kirk, there was hardly a check ride in which the examiner was not amazed by her abilities.

One particular achievement stood out.

When Nathalia completed her Learjet pilot-in-command type rating, she had fewer than 1,100 flight hours. Yet, Kirk said, she performed so exceptionally that the examiner reportedly believed she had approximately 5,000 hours of experience.

For a young pilot at the beginning of her professional career, it was an extraordinary accomplishment.

SHE EARNED HER PILOT’S LICENSE BEFORE HER DRIVER’S LICENSE

Nathalia’s love of flying began when she was still a teenager.

She earned her private pilot’s license in October 2023, while attending high school at West Boca Raton High School in Florida.

She was just 17 years old.

According to reports, she obtained her pilot’s license before she even had her driver’s license.

Her father, Allan Filgueiras, had helped introduce her to aviation when she was younger. By the time she was 12, she had already experienced flying and developed a passion that would eventually shape her entire future.

Her ambition was not simply to experience the excitement of being in an aircraft. She wanted to make flying her career.

And she worked toward that goal with remarkable determination.

HER INSTRUCTOR REMEMBERED THE JOY SHE FOUND IN FLYING

Kirk also shared personal memories from their training sessions.

He recalled giving Nathalia opportunities to fly several different aircraft, including tailwheel airplanes and the Cessna Caravan.

He particularly remembered training her for the spin endorsement required for her Certified Flight Instructor qualification.

The two performed so many spins during one training session that Kirk joked he began feeling nauseated.

It was a lighter memory amid an otherwise heartbreaking tribute, reflecting the enthusiasm Nathalia brought to learning and improving her skills.

But what impressed him most was not simply her technical ability.

It was her passion.

Kirk expressed sadness over what he described as a growing number of aspiring pilots who viewed aviation primarily as a pathway to an airline career rather than a lifelong passion.

Nathalia, he said, was different.

“She was PASSIONATE about flying!!! She was a 100% natural born pilot!!!”

He ended his tribute with a prayer that she would continue flying among the clouds in heaven.