DANIEL ADEYILEKA: THE YOUNGEST PILOT IN NIGERIA

Kindly do a little bit of introduction?

My name is Daniel Adeyelika; I was born on the 6th of February 1995 in Newcastle, England. I have spent most of my life in the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Nairn, Scotland and other countries abroad. I had my elementary education in Rose Bank Primary School, Nairn, Scotland, from there I moved to Grantown Grammar School also in Scotland where I completed my secondary school.
 In 2008, I came back to Nigeria and enrolled into Avicenna International School, Ikeja, GRA. I finished in 2009. I equally obtained my A-Levels in Greenville School, GRA. It was right after my A-Levels that I went straight to flying school in America

Where did you train?

I did my flight training in Texas, Dallas with Delta Flight School for nine (9) months. I knew I went there for a reason and not to play, I needed all the concentration, I go to school from Monday to Sunday. My Private Pilot License (PPL) was for one and a half month and my International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) was for three years.

During your training, were you teased for being the youngest in your class?

I was never teased but I was the youngest in my class and got along with everybody but there was a time I could not write certain exams due to my age, there were restrictions. I was asked to wait until I turned 18 years before I can do my commercial, so I was just reading all through those periods.

What were your challenges during training?

The challenge basically was when I was sent to Amsterdam for my Type Rating, it was really the toughest period I cant lie to you because it was not an easy task. I actually thought I was going to fail because I was the weakest in the class at the beginning but I came top of the class at the end. I kept telling my self “I can do it.” God really saw me through. The exercise lasted for one month. The challenge basically was when I was sent to Amsterdam for my Type Rating, it was really the toughest period I cant lie to you because it was not an easy task. I actually thought I was going to fail because I was the weakest in the class at the beginning but I came top of the class at the end. I kept telling my self “I can do it.” God really saw me through. The exercise lasted for one month.

What is your present position?

In the cockpit I am a first officer but salary level is second officer but it doesn’t really matter.

On which aircraft are you type rated?

A.Boeing 737 600 series to 900 series.