Captain Kamelia Zarka and her daughter, First Officer Maria Zarka, piloted a Boeing 717 together on Wednesday over the Hawaiian islands and the Pacific Ocean.
“It was a dream come true,” First Officer Maria Zarka told KHON 2. “I’ve been so lucky on my aviation career so far but being able to fly right seat with my mom was an unbelievable lifetime experience.
“Everybody always comes up to me and tells me how amazing my mom is to fly with and today I got to experience that firsthand,” she added.
Maria was hired as a first officer in April by Hawaiian Airlines.
Captain Kamelia Zarka was the first Tongan woman to pilot a commercial airliner and has been flying for 23 years. She was a flight attendant before becoming a pilot.
Kamelia also said it was a “dream” for her to fly with her daughter ever since she noticed Maria taking an interest in flying at a young age.
“Flying today for Hawaiian Airlines with my daughter, side-by-side in the cockpit, it’s just amazing to watch her professionally perform,” the proud mother told KITV 4. “It’s a dream come true for me.”
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