“THAT YOUNG LADY WAS BORN TO FLY!” — FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WITH 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE PAYS HEARTBREAKING TRIBUTE TO 20-YEAR-OLD NATHALIA FILGUEIRAS

FLORIDA, UNITED STATES — A 20-year-old pilot whose life was devoted to aviation has been remembered by her former flight instructor as one of the most naturally gifted students he had ever taught.

Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was among nine people who lost their lives when a Learjet 60 crashed in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 1, 2026.

Now, her former instructor, Christopher Kirk, is sharing emotional memories of the young woman he watched develop from an enthusiastic teenager into a qualified commercial pilot.

After four decades of teaching, Kirk says he had never encountered another student quite like her.

“She was without a doubt the most naturally gifted pilot I have ever taught, and I have been teaching for 40 years,” he wrote in a tribute.

“That young lady was born to fly!”

A TALENT THAT IMPRESSED EVEN EXPERIENCED EXAMINERS

Kirk first became connected with Nathalia through her father, Allan Filgueiras, who was also a pilot. He eventually began teaching Nathalia when she was just 17 years old.

Her ability quickly became apparent.

According to Kirk, there was hardly a flight examination in which the examiner was not impressed by her performance.

When Nathalia pursued the additional qualification required to serve as pilot in command of a Learjet, she reportedly had fewer than 1,100 flight hours.

Yet she performed so well during the examination that the examiner reportedly thought she had approximately 5,000 hours of experience.

Kirk also gave her opportunities to fly different types of aircraft, including tailwheel planes and a Cessna Caravan.

He remembered one particularly amusing experience during her aerobatic training.

Nathalia loved practising spins in his Cessna 150 Aerobat. They repeated the manoeuvre so many times that Kirk eventually became nauseous and had to stop.

He recalled that she found the situation hilarious.

It was a small but memorable example of the enthusiasm that made her stand out.

SHE DIDN’T JUST WANT TO FLY — SHE LOVED IT

Kirk explained that what distinguished Nathalia was not simply her technical ability but her genuine passion for aviation.

He contrasted her enthusiasm with what he described as a growing trend among some trainee pilots who viewed flying mainly as a route to a lucrative airline career.

Nathalia, he said, was different.

She loved the experience of flying itself.

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

Her journey had begun while she was still in high school. She earned her pilot’s licence at 17, before obtaining her driver’s licence.

For a young woman who had dreamed of spending her life in the skies, becoming a professional pilot was not simply a career achievement. It was the fulfilment of something she had wanted for years.

THE FINAL RADIO CALLS THAT REVEALED HER DETERMINATION

On November 1, Nathalia was serving as co-pilot aboard a Learjet 60 travelling from Austin, Texas, towards the Bahamas.

The aircraft encountered difficult weather conditions, including icing and turbulence, before the situation rapidly deteriorated.

Audio recordings reviewed by PEOPLE captured Nathalia communicating with air traffic control as the aircraft descended at an alarming rate.

“Mayday, mayday — we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” she reported.

In another transmission, she warned that the aircraft was descending at 20,000 feet per minute and said: “We’re going to crash into the ground.”

All nine people aboard the aircraft died.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, and the exact cause has not yet been established.

Kirk said he did not want to speculate about what caused the disaster, explaining that determining the cause was the responsibility of investigators.

However, he believes Nathalia’s final radio transmissions could provide important information about the aircraft’s final moments.

He also praised her ability to continue communicating deliberately under extraordinary pressure.

“There are very few aviators in this world who would’ve had the strength and stamina to continue to make those deliberate transmissions,” he told PEOPLE.

“IT RIPPED MY HEART OUT”

In an interview with PEOPLE published on November 6, Kirk spoke about the personal impact of losing a student who had become so close to him.

“Because I was close to her, it ripped my heart out and left me with a deep feeling of emptiness,” he said.

He remembered her as a sweet and wonderful young woman who was respected and adored by the people she encountered.

His tribute was not only about her abilities in the cockpit. It was also about the person behind the controls — someone whose enthusiasm, humour and determination had left a lasting impression.

Kirk ended his public tribute with a heartfelt prayer:

“I pray that she continues to fly amongst the clouds in heaven. May she rest in peace and God watch over her.”

HER FAMILY WANTS THE WORLD TO REMEMBER HER FOR WHO SHE WAS

Nathalia’s father, Allan, has also spoken publicly about his daughter’s life and the devastating loss.

At a November 6 news conference, he described her as gifted and remembered the pride he felt watching her pursue aviation.

He revealed that he had listened to her final radio transmissions repeatedly, hoping to understand what happened.

But amid his search for answers, he found himself reflecting on how bravely she continued communicating during the emergency.

“She made me so proud,” he said. “She showed me what it is to be a hero.”

The family has also pushed back against online criticism questioning whether Nathalia was experienced enough to serve as a Learjet co-pilot.

According to CBS News, she had accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours and completed extensive training for her role.

Her family’s attorney said the November 6 news conference was intended to preserve not only her memory but also her reputation.

The NTSB investigation remains ongoing, and no final determination about the cause of the crash has been announced.

For Christopher Kirk, however, one thing is certain: Nathalia was much more than a young pilot whose life ended tragically.

She was a student he admired, a passionate aviator who made him laugh, and a remarkable young woman whose potential was still unfolding.

“That young lady was born to fly.”

And those who knew her will remember the dreams she carried into the sky.