Arajet: dos años inspirando a jóvenes con su programa "Piloto por un día"

Arajet celebrated the second anniversary of its social responsibility program “Pilot for a Day”.

The initiative aims to inspire children and young people from vulnerable communities to take an interest in the world of commercial aviation, promoting their educational and professional development.

In this edition, more than 20 teenagers from Liceo Emiliano Tejera in Salcedo, Hermanas Mirabal Province, visited Arajet‘s offices in Santo Domingo. They were welcomed by Víctor Pacheco Méndez, the airline’s CEO and founder, who shared the company’s history and proudly highlighted its beginnings and achievements.

During the day, the young participants toured key areas of the operation, including a meeting with crew members and a visit to the hangar at the Las Américas International Airport, where they met the maintenance team, explored the cockpit of a Boeing 737 MAX named «Pico Duarte,» and enjoyed activities designed to bring them closer to and inspire them to be part of the aviation sector in the future.

Our visit not only included experiencing this event and getting to know Arajet’s offices but also a cultural experience in the city of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1502, Santo Domingo is the first city in the Americas and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its cobblestone streets and walled historic center transported us back to the colonial era.

We had the opportunity to stay at the iconic Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando, the former residence of Nicolás de Ovando, governor of the Spanish colony. Located on Calle de Las Damas, the first paved street in the New World, the hotel is surrounded by historic sites such as the Casa de Diego Colón (brother of Christopher Columbus), the Museum of the Royal Houses, and the First Catholic Cathedral of the Americas.

Other noteworthy places include the restaurant at the Bellini Hotel and the delightful dishes at the Larimar restaurant, featuring beautiful decor inspired by a variety of pectolite, a mineral found only in Barahona Province, in the southern region of the Dominican Republic, stunning with its shades of blue.

Building the future of aviation talent

Since its inception, the “Pilot for a Day” program has benefited nearly 1,000 children and young people from vulnerable areas of the Dominican Republic. Víctor Pacheco Méndez remarked that this project seeks to give children the opportunity to learn about their flagship airline and motivate them to prepare academically to become part of the aviation sector. “We want to share our passion for aviation so that, in the future, these children can join Arajet and lead important areas of the sector,” he said.

Through this initiative, Arajet not only reinforces its social responsibility but also invests in the development of its community and the promising future of aviation in the Dominican Republic.