From the small Caribbean islands of St. Martin/Sint Maarten & Anguilla, Ariél Weiss, the only FAA-certified flight instructor, faces a challenging situation. While on an educational flight, his aircraft encountered a mechanical problem, which resulted in him making an emergency landing in the sea and the aircraft was severely damaged in the process.
His student, turned-friend Emilio Kalmera, has organized a GoFundMe campaign for Ariél to help him raise funds to purchase a used aircraft, already in flying condition, to avoid further delays in flight training for the aspiring pilots of these two islands.
Born in New York on July 1967, Ariél has dedicated his life to training individuals seeking to learn to fly on the idyllic islands of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten and Anguilla. His story has been an inspiring tale of resilience and overcoming hurdles, no matter how difficult or big the challenges have been.
Despite having a lack of financial resources in his early years, Ariél gradually progressed to become an FAA-certified flying instructor, training numerous ambitious individuals and notable personalities across his career. He actively participated in search and rescue missions in the 1994 Los Angeles earthquake disaster, saving hundreds of lives. Such feats are testimonies to his dedication and love for the community.
Being the only FAA-certified flight instructor for these two islands, Ariél aims to provide affordable flight training opportunities to young talents, regardless of their background. He wants to make flight training accessible to all, especially in a region where aviation is perceived as a luxury for the wealthy alone.
However, fate dealt a devastating blow in October 2014 when a hurricane destroyed Ariél’s aircraft. After fighting legal battles for more than eight years, Ariél began his repair project, restoring his aircraft within 15 months, using up his life savings in the process.
Tragically, fate had more challenges in store. A forced emergency landing in the sea off the coast of Nevis occurred while flying from Antigua to Sint Maarten. Ariél’s aircraft, which he painstakingly rebuilt, was severely damaged. After much thought of Emilio’s suggestion for a gofundme campaign, Ariél agreed to allow Emilio to turn to the community, which Ariél has served for more than two decades, to help him either buy a used aircraft or rebuild the damaged one so he can continue making dreams come true by providing flight education to the community.
Ariél and his students look forward to individuals worldwide helping them restart their aviation education for the aspiring pilots for St. Martin/Sint Maarten and Anguilla. Without the service Ariél has been providing them, individuals in the region would be required to travel off the island, thereby incurring additional costs while also not being able to work at their current jobs, making training even more prohibitive.
Emilio Kalmera, the organizer of the GoFundMe campaign, urges the community to come together and support Ariél in rebuilding his dreams and continuing his invaluable contribution to aviation education in the Caribbean. He believes that every contribution, no matter how small, will help lift Ariél back into the skies and ensure that the next generation of skilled pilots takes flight.
To donate and learn more about the campaign, please visit the GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/97ace0a7
Watch “Support Captain Ariél Weiss in Rebuilding Dreams” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgZ6lKytsWU
For more details, contact AirAriel@gmail.com
Media Contact
Company Name: Emilio Kalmera
Contact Person: Ariél Weiss
Email: Send Email
City: Philipsburg
Country: Saint Martin
Website: gofund.me/97ace0a7