In September of 2025 1 had the honor and privilege of doing a one on one interview with the legendary Latina aviator Olga Custodio, the first Latina U.S. Air Force pilot among first female military pioneers to graduate from the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training program. After 24 years of service, Lt. Colonel Custodio retired and continued her Latina pioneering legacy with American Airlines eventually retiring as a Captain with over 11,000 flight hours.. Olga Custodio flew the Boeing 727, Fokker 100, Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 to the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Mexico, Canada, and U.S. Her education and professional certificates include an Air Transport Pilot certificate with single and multiengine land and instrument ratings, a Flight Engineer Certificate - Turbojet Powered rating. She continues to fly her own aircraft as a GA pilot. After receiving her USAF commission through Officer Training School in 1980, Custodio graduated in the top 5%, received her fighter qualification, and became the first female Undergraduate Pilot Training T-38 Instructor Pilot at 47th Flying Training Wing at Laughlin AFB, TX and the 560th Flying Training Squadron for Pilot Instructor Training (PIT) at Randolph AFB, TX. As a STEM advocate, Olga is a speaker serving as a role model for aspiring aviators. She is a tireless volunteer to inspire and educate students, especially from underserved communities. Her memoir Flightpath of Fortitude includes Olga’s essential life insights of how to overcome barriers and achieve your dreams. Her detail biography: Olga Custodio: The First Latina U.S. Military Pilot Through stubborn perseverance and a singular determination to become a pilot, Olga Nevarez did not let early defeats stop her from achieving her goal. Born in Puerto Rico in 1954, she travelled the world as her father, a noncommissioned officer in the United States Army, transferred from base to base. She started school in Taiwan, and then moved to New Jersey, Iran, and Paraguay. When her father retired, the family moved back to Puerto Rico. Graduating from high school at the age of 16, she attended the University of Puerto Rico. There she tried to join the college’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program, but was turned down because the program did not accept women. After college, her attempt to be accepted into the United States Air Force Officer Training School also failed. She worked in a number of different jobs after graduation. While employed in the accounting department of Puerto Rico International Airlines, she met Edwin Custodio. They married four months later. After the birth of her daughter Maria, she accepted a job with the Department of Defense in Panama. (A son, Edwin was born in 1985.) At the age of 26, and while working in Panama, she met with a recruiter and applied for the U.S. Air Force Officers Candidate School. According to Olga Custodio, when the recruiter asked her to list three jobs she wanted, she responded “A pilot, a pilot or a pilot.” The Air Force accepted her as a pilot candidate. In January 1980 she entered the Flight Screening Pilot Officer Training School. Upon graduation, she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. The Air Force then assigned her as a pilot instructor at Laughlin AFB. There, she became the first female Northrop T-38 Talon (T-38) UPT flight instructor. During one of her flights, a bird struck the engine of her plane. A cool head and excellent piloting skills helped her recover from the emergency and safely land her plane. Because of her actions, the Air Force and awarded her the Headquarters Air Education and Training Command’s Aviation Safety Award for superior airmanship. A subsequent assignment took her to Randolph Air Force Base where she became the first female T-38 instructor pilot. In 1987, Custodio resigned her regular commission and entered the Air Force reserves. She retired from the Air Force in 2003, having attained the rank of Lt. Colonel. American Airlines hired her in June 1988; she subsequently became one of the first Latina airline captains in the United States. She flew Boeing 727, 757, and 767, and Fokker 100 aircraft. Her routes included the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Mexico, and Canada. She retired from the airline in February 2008. In 1992, she founded the Ballet Folklorico Borikèn, a Puerto Rican folk dance group to celebrate her heritage. After retirement, between March 2007 and December 2013, she owned Dragonfly Productions, LLC. Her company produced several personal documentaries for clients and organizations. All Things Aviation & Aerospace is also available on my Private Air Media YouTube Channel, Facebook Page, and Linkedin. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnAgvYp8gF4w8WSRdU7Dn4w https://www.facebook.com/privateairmediagroup https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentmickens-privateairmediagroup-allthingsaviationandaerospace/
