Young Woman from Coto Brus Will be the First Costa Rican to Fly One of the Largest Airplanes on Earth

Andrea Stroup, originally from CotoBrus, began her extraordinary journey in 2019 when she entered a pilot academy in the United States. Today, she proudly holds the title of being the first Costa Rican to be licensed to fly a Boeing 747-400.

Known as “The Queen of the Skies”, this aircraft impresses with its weight of almost 400 tons, its two decks, equal number of aisles and a capacity for 600 passengers. It is an exclusive aircraft that few airlines own.

Andrea obtained her permission to fly this aircraft last Monday, now she can command this unit that reaches 12,000 kilometers and flies at an altitude of approximately 14,000 meters.

Meritorious career

In her career as a pilot, Andrea worked for Republic Airways, a regional passenger airline. She then joined Amerijet International, a cargo airline where she had the opportunity to fly a Boeing 757 and a 767, flying in Central America, Europe, South America and sometimes even Asia.In March, she started her certification process and also joined Atlas Air Worldwide, an airline specialized in cargo or charter flights with passengers.

Childhood dream

Since she was a child, Andrea dreamed of becoming a flight attendant because of her passion for traveling. At the age of 15, her stepfather, who at the time was getting his private pilot’s license, took her for a ride in a small plane over Golfito.

Years later, although she decided to study nursing, a career she enjoyed, she soon realized that she did not have the necessary vocation. It was then that she redirected her interest towards airplanes, entering the aforementioned academy. This was the beginning of what she has achieved today, becoming the first Costa Rican woman authorized to fly a Boeing 747-400.

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