Meet Nigeria's Youngest Pilot-He's Only 19!

According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority, NCAA, Daniel Adeyileka (pictured
above) is the youngest pilot in Nigeria.
He was born in 1995 in Newcastle, England and
had his primary and secondary education in
Scotland then came back to Nigeria to do his A-
levels. At 17, he proceeded to Delta Flight school
in Texas, USA, where he obtained his Private
Pilot License (PPL) and his International General
Certificate of Secondary Education. He is
currently a First Officer.
#Beinspired . You're never too young to pursue
your dreams.
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