youngest pilot canary islands tenerife teenager

Tenerife’s Teen Prodigy on Course to Become Youngest Pilot

A Born Aviator

Daniel Luis Garrido (La Orotava, 2009) does not yet hold his licence, but he has considered himself a pilot almost since birth. This is how the self-taught teenager, with no prior connections to the aviation world from his immediate environment, views himself. At 16, he is the youngest student pilot – the technical term – in the Canary Islands. He began his formal training in September last year, having just reached the minimum age, at the historic Real Aeroclub de Tenerife, a reference centre located at Los Rodeos. In less than six months, he has taken almost every step to fulfil his dream.

Cleared for Take-Off

He is waiting until he turns 17 in August to obtain the private pilot’s licence that will allow him to fly, before pursuing what he calls his “near obsession”: commanding large commercial aircraft, especially the Airbus 330. The only child of his proud parents, Gustavo Adolfo and Judith – he from Tenerife, she from Málaga – Daniel moves like a fish in water, or rather an eagle in the air, within the traditional airport ecosystem of Los Rodeos around Tenerife North-Ciudad de La Laguna.

Pride of the Aeroclub

As the 50th anniversary of the terrible Jumbo jet accident in March 1977 approaches, for the family of the historic Real Aeroclub where Daniel trains, it is “an enormous satisfaction to have him here.” This is emphasised by Ramón Díaz, president of the flagship institution since 2024 – although he is a veteran with half a century of experience – which was founded in 1946 and currently has 78 members. Díaz, who acts as host, is very clear: “From August he will have the private licence and will fly before he gets his driving licence.” He states: “Being a pilot may be the aspiration of many children, but achieving it is quite a bit more complicated. Daniel has everything it takes to succeed.”

From Childhood Dream to Reality

Our protagonist appears very elegant, clad in his brand-new pilot’s uniform. This is how he sees himself and how he is valued by everyone at the school, one of three located in Tenerife, the other two in the south. None has a student so young and so close to the goal. Daniel imagined the landscapes of his island as a child, with Mount Teide as a reference. Now he shows them excitedly on his mobile phone after capturing them from the air. Among his First Baccalaureate classmates at IES Villalba Hervás, he arouses “above all curiosity” because his activity outside school hours is not common. “From a very young age I felt an obsession with planes and every time they passed I got excited,” he explains. He adds that “every day I watched videos about them and every time I got on one I tried to go to the cockpit.”

Simulator Prodigy

He knows many pilots and has travelled to various events, but a good part of his knowledge comes from “flight simulators and virtual pilot networks from my home.” He has logged 2,700 hours on the simulator, including in-person sessions in Madrid on the Airbus A320, where he obtained a brilliant grade, unusual for his age, on landing. He considers it an “incredible experience.” Experience is what he has above average compared to other older aspiring pilots. He has also already flown in the cockpit with Vueling and Iberia, in addition to counting the hours accumulated in light aircraft before September and those he has in the current course.

Academic Excellence

The Tenerife Aeroclub is a school “full of good people” that, he assures, “gave me confidence and bet on me.” This academic process combines theory and practice. On a couple of occasions, Daniel has travelled to Madrid to sit exams for several compulsory subjects. He did so at the headquarters of Senasa (Servicios y Estudios para la Navegación Aérea y la Seguridad Aeronáutica), a leading public company in aeronautical training. He returned to Tenerife full of top marks. “A pride for my parents and my school,” he summarises. In just over a month, he will make his third visit to Madrid to pass the last three subjects. From there, the final stretch until he receives the coveted private pilot licence.

Overcoming the Financial Hurdle

A possible negative factor is the high cost of the process, although our young pilot is not deterred with the help of his parents. He moves among aircraft worth over €100,000 or rates of €170 per flight hour. The private pilot course with nine subjects costs about €20,000. The price for the thirteen needed for the commercial licence “varies by school,” Daniel points out, although his idea is to go to European Flyers or to Jerez when he turns 18; from €80,000 to €120,000. He recalls that “on my first flight at the Aeroclub, I landed alone.” His instructor, Pablo González, valued his mastery of aeronautical codes. Phrases like Eco Charlie or Delta Sierra are expressions he handles perfectly. González concluded with a “You will be a good pilot.”

Natural Instincts

Daniel explains that “the fact that you land and control the phraseology is what usually costs the most due to fear or embarrassment.” He notes that “my instructor lets me file the flight plans or calculate the aircraft’s centre of gravity.” “Being a pilot is in my blood,” he believes. He understands that fulfilling his dream will be hard but sees himself prepared with “intelligence, constant discipline, study, and vocation.” Daniel surprises with his calmness and a maturity uncommon for a 16-year-old. Qualities of a good pilot. Like a level head and a passion for his craft. He does not dwell on the risk, although he knows it exists and is always there.

On the Tarmac at Los Rodeos

Dani, Ramón, and the embassy of El Día cross half of Los Rodeos airport by car to reach a hangar that is almost within touching distance of the Aeroclub facilities. It means moving from the land side to the air side. You must have a flight plan – the sky opened up and one could be requested – and pass strict security control. The hangar houses several light aircraft – “we find the term ‘avioneta’ (little plane) derogatory,” Ramón points out. Two of them are used for training. Daniel learns to fly in the blue and white Piper 180. He moves with ease inside the aircraft, handles the radio, and puts on the headphones for photos like a professional.

It was a fascinating day in the world of aviation with Los Rodeos as the setting, the Real Aeroclub as the link, and Daniel Luis in the leading role. Because, “without wanting to compete with anyone,” he is the youngest pilot in Tenerife.

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