Daisy Sepe Duffy is following in the footsteps of her father, who is the first Micronesian to fly for commercial air carriers in the US and Japan.
Daisy’s mother, Jaslyn Raymond, is Chuukese and her father, Johnny Duffy, is from Kosrae with ties to the Marshall Islands.
Her father is the first Micronesian to fly for Aloha Airlines, Air Nippon Airways, Hawaiian Airlines as well as Alaska Airlines since the merger earlier this year.
Daisy was initially going to school to become veterinarian after high school when she decided to change her path after attending a colloquium for Micronesian students held at Kealakehe High School in Kona, Hawaii where her dad was invited to speak.
Daisy started her training in Olympia, Washington where she obtained her private pilot’s license and completed her commercial multi-engine instrument training at California Flight Academy in the San Diego area.
One of the biggest obstacles for future aviators is the astronomical cost of training. Thanks to the scholarship board of the Federated States of Micronesia, Daisy was able to complete the last stage of her training. Daisy is on course to fulfill her obligation to the islands that bear the roots of her heritage with a start up airline operation based in Pohnpei.
Daisy is expecting to fly for One Pacific Airways starting in October this year. The new airline will be servicing FSM in the coming months and she will be the first Kosraen/Chuukese commercial pilot as well as the first female FSM citizen to fly a commercial jet.
“Daisy understands that she is an ambassador for Micronesians and women in aviation as a whole,” said her dad Johnny.
“Through hard work she has gained competence and confidence meanwhile maintaining her humble nature, which holds true to Micronesians in general.”