Learn how to fly a plane and become a pilot right in your own backyard

Local pilot and flight instructor Amalia Andaverde shares her aviation journey and how she can help you pursue your dream of flying

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Local Amalia Andaverde, born and raised in Yuma says being a pilot was always a dream and making it a reality was the best decision she's ever made.

She is now a flight instructor and hopes to educate and inspire others to pursue their aviation dream.

"I love it. I love it. So I always wanted to be a teacher, just didn't quite know how I wanted to fit that into my life because I didn't want to be in a classroom and this is just the best way to do it," says Andaverde. "You get to teach, so you still get a classroom feel, but then you get the hands on part of it where you go out and you teach somebody how to fly an airplane."

She has years of training and experience.

"I started my aviation journey when I was 18. I moved out of Yuma, went to Phoenix, started working for America West, and I fell in love with the industry," Andaverde says.

Arizona Active Air and Fly AmaliAir are both local pilot training programs that fly out of Million Air Yuma.

"You basically just write in, book a discovery flight, and then you focus on whatever program you're interested in. Most people start off with a private pilot, of course. So you start with your discovery flight, come in, do your private pilot that requires about 40 hours. Once you get your certificate, then you kind of move forward and see what else you want to add to that," explains Andaverde.

You can be as young as 13 to sign up.

Andaverde teaches all of their Yuma pilots for private pilot licenses, instrument and commercial.

As far as pricing, it can vary.

"We do have a minimum, right? So 40 hours minimally for the private pilot, but you could take more so it really just depends on how motivated you are. The cost of the airplane is about $159 an hour and the instruction will range between $65 and $75 here on the field," continues Andaverde.

Her mission is to empower you to become a skilled and confident pilot. She says she wants to see her students succeed and achieve their aviation goals.

"Just seeing that light bulb go off is probably my favorite part of this whole experience, is just seeing the students kind of like wow, it clicked. I get it. I get it. That's my favorite for sure," describes Andaverde.

Andaverde says not only do you get to learn in the skies, but also with a simulation.

"We have a simulator. Simulators are great for configurations. It's not going to teach you how to fly, but it's all muscle memory. So the simulator is awesome for brand new pilots, but also for instrument pilots that want to maintain their currency and don't want to lose that edge. It's great to just kind of sit in the sim and challenge yourself," says Andaverde.

She says she also wants to continue to break barriers and encourage women and women of color to be pilots.

According to Latino Pilots Association, women make up 7%, Latinas make up less than 1% and Latina commercial pilots are less than .003%.

Other programs in Yuma that are available are Civil Air Patrol which is great for youth.

They offer simulators, flight time and instruction, and an opportunity to learn more about the Air Force all for free.

As well as the Experimental Aircraft Association, a club of older aviators who love sharing their passion and time in their personal aircraft.

Buckle up and get ready for an incredible flight training experience with Amalia.

For more information regarding the qualifications or if you're ready to take flight, you can reach out to her using Arizona Active Air or Fly AmaliAir.