Ep. 334 Fueling Latino Dreams in Aerospace with Claudia Zapata-Cardone

March 26, 2026 · 42 min · Season 2026 · Episode 334

About this episode

Nik Fialka interviews Claudia Zapata Cardone about the impact of Latino Professionals in Aerospace and her personal journey in the industry.

In this episode, Nik sits down with Claudia Zapata Cardone, President of Latino Professionals in Aerospace (LPA), to unpack how a small community has grown into a major force—now hosting large expos in Orlando and changing the game for Latinos in aerospace. Claudia highlights LPA's mission to open aviation doors for Latinos through community, connection, and opportunity. She also shares how LPA has awarded more than $630,000 in scholarships, supporting everything from private pilot training to ATP certification and advanced aerospace degrees. Claudia opens up about her own journey as well, including earning a leadership scholarship to Harvard in her 50s, and explains why she believes it's never too late to bet on yourself. CONNECT WITH US Are you ready to take your preparation to the next level? Don't wait until it's too late. Use the promo code "R4P2026" and save 10% on all our services. Check us out at www.spitfireelite.com! If you want to recommend someone to guest on the show, email Nik at podcast@spitfireelite.com, and if you need a professional pilot resume, go to www.spitfireelite.com/podcast/ for FREE templates! SPONSOR Are you a pilot just coming out of the military and…

People in this episode

Host: Nik Fialka

Guest: Claudia Zapata Cardone

Topics covered

Latino representation in aerospace
scholarships
community support
career development
personal growth

Keywords

Latino aerospace
scholarships
aviation careers
community connection
leadership

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Latino Professionals in Aerospace, Harvard, Spitfire Elite

Products: VA loans, aviation uniforms