Early Start Elevates Eagle Pilot to His Dream Career in Commercial Aviation

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been part of Juan Pena’s life since he was 13 years old.

Today, at 24, Juan is a first officer on the ERJ145 for CommuteAir and well on his way to achieving his goal of flying for United Airlines. His success so far reflects his dedication and drive and also showcases the benefits of earning a B.S. in Aeronautical Science—along with advanced flight ratings—at Embry-Riddle.

“It opened the door for me,” Juan said. “Embry-Riddle put me on the fast track and really prepared me for the realities of a flying career.”

Getting a Head Start in Aviation

With a rainy airport ramp as a backdrop, Juan Pena is all smiles as he prepares for another day as an airline pilot. (Photo: Juan Pena)

For Juan (’20), that preparation started almost as soon as he became a teenager. Born in New York, Juan and his mom moved to Naples, Florida, in the early 2000s, where they secured a Habitat for Humanity home.

As he got ready to attend Lely High, Juan was intrigued by the possibilities of exploring aviation through the Gaetz Aerospace Institute at the school. Through a partnership with Embry-Riddle, this concurrent enrollment model introduces high school students to STEM-related courses that allow them to earn up to 11 credits for college, among many other benefits. 

“I think I started taking college classes before I even qualified for them,” Juan said. “I got used to the structure of things at Embry-Riddle, which would help me later on. It’s also where I really discovered aviation and decided that I wanted to fly.”

How to Handle the High Cost of Flight Training

But learning to be a pilot is expensive, and Juan and his single mom weren’t exactly flush with cash. That’s where the help of mentors like Alan Davis, director of the Aviation Academy at Lely, came in.

“He helped me apply for and receive a James C. Ray Scholarship,” Juan said. “That’s what got everything started.”

The $11,000 scholarship helped pay for his initial flight training and allowed Juan to solo at age 16 and earn his private pilot license at 17, the minimum ages allowed for both milestones.

As Juan continued to succeed as a pilot and a student (with a 4.4 weighted high school GPA), he got additional guidance from Embry-Riddle Assistant Professor Dr. Colleen Walsh-Conklin, executive director of the Gaetz Aerospace Institute.

“She was a great mentor,” Juan said. “She always took time out of her day to help whenever I needed anything, and she helped me maintain my link to Embry-Riddle.”

Dr. Walsh-Conklin recalls that Juan “started visiting campus with his grandmother when he was in 10^th grade. Each time he visited, he always made sure to see me personally and was always focused on how to be sure he was doing everything he could to attend the university.”

While Juan had his heart set on becoming an Eagle, cost again loomed as a limiting factor. But with the help of his mentors and his dual enrollment credits, Juan was able to secure enough scholarships and financial aid to start the degree program and continue his flight training at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus in 2017.

Reflecting on his college experience, Juan said his top college memories include being part of a Study Abroad summer program that took him to Greece and Spain. He added that the college-level classes he took at Gaetz gave him a sneak peek into what life and learning at Embry-Riddle would be like.

How Embry-Riddle Prepares Students for Real-World Opportunities

CommuteAir pilot Juan Pena, here inside the cabin of an ERJ145, got an early start to his aviation career at the Gaetz Institute. (Photo: Juan Pena)As a working airline pilot today, Juan has also now realized how well Embry-Riddle’s flight training prepared him for the real thing.

“It’s more than just learning to fly,” he said. “Safety is always a top priority at Embry-Riddle, and their flight operations are also run the same way that airlines do it, with the same attention to detail and following regulations. It has made it an easier transition for me than for someone who didn’t have that kind of experience.”

Juan graduated with his Aeronautical Science degree and a full set of flight ratings in August 2020 and although he was part of United’s Aviate pilot training program at Embry-Riddle, the global pandemic that started that year meant airline flying jobs were somewhat limited.

So, he took a job piloting a Pilatus for a Part 135 carrier in the Northeast U.S., commuting from his home in Naples to shuttle small groups of passengers from major hubs to smaller airports under all types of conditions and in all kinds of weather.

“It was a lot,” Juan said of the experience. “But it was where I got to see first-hand how everything I learned in school fit together, how people can really work as a team to make an airline function day after day.”

When the opportunity at CommuteAir surfaced, Juan jumped at the chance and joined the regional airline—which operates as a United Express carrier—in December 2022. Based out of Dulles Airport in Virginia, he is now back on track in the Aviate Program, building his hours and experience and loving pretty much every minute of it.

“Flying here is like being part of a family,” Juan said. “They take time to get to know you and make you feel welcome and at home. And it’s definitely not your typical 9-to-5. There is something different every day and you get to fly all over the world. I really like the lifestyle.”

Flying all over the world in even bigger jets with United Airlines is Juan’s ultimate goal and, in the meantime, he’s enjoying the journey thanks to the training and preparation he got at the Gaetz Institute and later at Embry-Riddle.

“I feel like I am in the right spot and that there are a lot of opportunities coming up,” Juan said. “I am grateful for my mentors and for the education and experience that helped me get where I am today.”

In addition to the pride felt by his mom, family and friends, Juan’s accomplishments have won a number of other fans along the way, including his mentors.

“We are extremely proud of him,” Dr. Walsh-Conklin said. “The program definitely impacted the trajectory of his career and ultimate success. He is everything an Eagle should be.”

Ready to chart a course for your career? Apply at Embry-Riddle today.