Nathalia Filgueiras: Friend Remembers Florida Crash Victim

Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, the 20-year-old co-pilot killed in Sunday’s Florida Learjet crash, has been remembered by her friend Mikaela Schluth as a warm, inspiring person who made those around her feel loved and cared for.

Speaking to CBS News, Schluth described Filgueiras as someone whose presence brought happiness to others. “She was like sunshine, she really was just like the best person to be around,” she said.

Schluth recalled their friendship with affection, saying Filgueiras made people feel “loved” and “cared about”. She added: “I am going to miss everything about her, every day.”

Friend Praises Co-Pilot’s Calm Communication During Flight

Schluth said hearing about Filgueiras’s death was “probably the worst thing” she had ever heard or would hear. She also praised the co-pilot for remaining composed and communicating information while the aircraft was losing altitude.

“I’m just so proud of how she handled it,” Schluth said, referring to Filgueiras’s actions during the flight’s final moments.

She praised how the young pilot “was able to stay calm and give information up until the last minute.” Schluth said she would particularly miss spending time with her friend, including their workout sessions and conversations about aviation.

Calling Filgueiras her biggest inspiration, Schluth described flying with her as “a wonderful experience”. She also remembered their sleepovers, during which they would watch videos of aircraft taking off while Filgueiras explained the different planes.

Although Schluth said she was heartbroken about facing life without her friend, she expressed gratitude for the time they had shared.

Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras Earned Pilot’s Licence at 17

Filgueiras began pursuing aviation at a young age and earned her pilot’s licence when she was 17, while still in high school. She attracted local media attention in 2023 for achieving the milestone even before obtaining a driver’s licence.

“I definitely do brag because people say, ‘Oh, you can’t drive,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I can fly’,” she told CBS12 at the time.

A senior at West Boca Raton High School, Filgueiras began taking pilot lessons in 2020. Her father, who had learned to fly recreationally in 2018, also taught her aviation skills.

She graduated from American Flyers, a flight school based in Addison, Texas, which also operates a branch in Florida. She later began working as an instructor at another flight school in Fort Lauderdale before moving on to another job.

Mother Says Filgueiras Was Living Her Aviation Dream

According to the New York Post, Filgueiras’s mother, Camila, said her daughter had been working as a commercial pilot for nine months and would have turned 21 in January 2027.

Reflecting on her daughter’s passion for flying, Camila said she had always feared that aviation could eventually take her daughter away, but wanted her to pursue the dream she loved.

“I wanted her to live her dream, but I knew that her dream was going to be the thing that would take her away from me. I knew that a plane was gonna take her away from me. I always knew it but I was so proud of her. I know she was living her dream,” she told the publication.

Camila’s husband told the New York Post that Filgueiras had accumulated 1,300 hours of flying experience.

Her friends and family have remembered her as a young pilot who pursued aviation from her teenage years and inspired others through her dedication to flying.