October 19, 2026
Pohnpei, FSM—Daisy Sepe Duffy has earned her commercial pilot’s license and is preparing to begin training on the Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet as she works toward flying for One Pacific Airways, a new airline based in Pohnpei that plans to provide air service throughout Micronesia.
Duffy, whose father is from Kosrae and whose mother, Jaslyn Nuokus, is Chuukese, is believed to be the first Kosraean-Chuukese woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license. Her achievement continues a family aviation tradition spanning three generations and comes as efforts are underway to expand commercial air transportation services within the Federated States of Micronesia.
The Marshall Islands Journal recently featured Duffy’s achievement in an article titled “Aviation ambassador,” describing her aviation training and her plans to return to the islands to begin her professional flying career.
Her father, John Duffy, subsequently contacted The Kaselehlie Press to share additional information about the family’s aviation history and his daughter’s accomplishments.
In a follow-up email, John said Daisy would travel to Dallas on October 25 to begin training on the Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet. The training could take up to three weeks.
Once she completes her simulator training, she will return to undergo One Pacific Airways’ training program in the aircraft itself before receiving authorization to begin flying regular airline operations.
The additional training means that although Daisy has already earned her commercial pilot’s license, she has not yet completed the qualifications necessary to begin flying the airline’s jet.
According to the Marshall Islands Journal, Daisy initially planned to become a veterinarian. Her interest in aviation developed after she attended a colloquium for Micronesian students at Kealakehe High School in Kona, Hawaii, where her father had been invited to speak.
The experience helped persuade her to pursue aviation instead.
She began flight training in Olympia, Washington, where she obtained her private pilot’s license. She subsequently attended California Flight Academy in the San Diego area, completing her commercial multi-engine and instrument training.
Financial support from the FSM Scholarship Board helped her complete the final stages of her training.
Her father knows firsthand how important that assistance can be.
John Duffy began his own aviation career in the early 1990s, obtaining his commercial pilot’s license in 1993 with support from the FSM Scholarship Board under the late Dr. Cantero.
He subsequently flew for Caroline Pacific Airlines out of Chuuk and for the National Fisheries Corporation throughout Micronesia.
He now flies an Airbus A321 for Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines.
John, who is from Kosrae and has family ties to the Marshall Islands, was described by the Marshall Islands Journal as the first Micronesian to fly for Aloha Airlines, Air Nippon Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.
His daughter’s entry into commercial aviation adds another chapter to a family history that extends well beyond the cockpit.
John’s brother, Aliksa James Duffy, completed his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic training in the late 1990s and has worked for several major aviation companies, including American Airlines, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and GE.
His career has also included positions with Piti Plant in Guam, Trans Air in Honolulu, and BF Goodrich in Everett, Washington.
He currently works in GE’s jet engine testing department as a line mechanic supervisor on the Boeing 747.
The family’s third generation is also entering the aviation industry. Aliksa’s son, Tyler Duffy, is beginning his career as an A&P mechanic and currently works as a line mechanic for SkyWest Airlines in Los Angeles.
“We are indeed an aviation family that continues to grow as each generation opens the door to the next,” John Duffy wrote in his earlier email to The Kaselehlie Press.
He credited the FSM Scholarship Board for helping both him and his daughter pursue their aviation careers more than three decades apart.
“Thanks to the FSM scholarship board under the late Dr. Cantero, I was able to obtain my commercial license back in 1993 and thanks to the current FSM scholarship board Daisy was able to follow my contrails,” he wrote.
John also recalled helping another Micronesian aviator begin his career.
He said he introduced Kelly Tobin to flying approximately a decade ago. Tobin is now a Boeing 757 captain with Asia Pacific Airlines.
“It’s rewarding to see how far he has come in his aviation career,” John wrote.
Daisy’s planned return to Micronesia represents an opportunity to apply her training in the region where her family has its roots.
The Marshall Islands Journal reported that she could become the first woman from the FSM to fly a commercial jet if her plans proceed as anticipated.
Her father said she is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work for an airline serving Micronesia.
“Daisy is very excited for the opportunity to fly for One Pacific Airways, which will be servicing Micronesia,” he wrote.
The Marshall Islands Journal quoted John as saying his daughter recognizes the broader significance of her achievement.
“Daisy understands that she is an ambassador for Micronesians and women in aviation as a whole,” he said.
He credited her hard work, growing competence, and confidence, along with the humility he associates with Micronesian culture.
“Our Micronesian aviation family continues to grow, and it’s encouraging to see more of our own pursuing careers in aviation and paving the way for future generations,” John wrote in his latest email.
John closed his earlier message with encouragement for his daughter and others working to expand aviation opportunities in the region.
“I wish for clear and smooth skies for the aviators and for those investing in air service throughout the remote islands of Micronesia,” he wrote.
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