Daniel Demmery

My name is Daniel Demmery and I am a Senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, FL. During the course of my studies, I have been extremely fortunate to have received the support of the GMAA through scholarships over the past two years. The financial support of these scholarships has allowed me to finish my flight training and become a flight instructor at ERAU quicker than I could have ever imagined. As a young child, my life revolved around airplanes and the airport. The thought of flying had always intrigued me, causing my obsession with aviation to develop rapidly.

A few short years later, at the age of 17, I was able to take my first flying lesson at Lantana Airport. Within a year, I had obtained both my Private Pilot Certificate and Instrument Rating. Around this same time, I graduated from high school and had determined that ERAU was the best choice to help me achieve my goals of flying for a major airline. The opportunities that ERAU has provided me with have helped prepare me as a professional pilot. One such opportunity was a summer internship with American Airlines. This internship allowed me to interact with both management and labor which provided unique insight into the operations of a major airline. The experience not only allowed me to travel the world, but also reinforced why I want to be a professional pilot. As I approach graduation in less than six months, I am excited to see what will happen in the aviation industry.

Whether I initially end up flying air ambulance flights in Fort Lauderdale or for the regional airlines, I look forward to making a positive contribution to aviation. I hope to be able to better the aviation community, just as the GMAA has done for me.