Our Mission
We strive to unite, inspire, and mentor the next generation of Arab Americans and provide opportunities in aerospace.
The AAAP Team
Habib Ahary, President
Habib Ahary was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to Yemeni immigrant parents and grandparents. Habib graduated from Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in 2012 where he pursued his dream of becoming an Airline Pilot. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Aircraft Operations with a minor in Air Traffic Control, he also holds an FAA Flight Dispatch Certificate, ATP, CFI, II And MEI.
Habib worked as a full time flight instructor in Long Island New York. And eventually got hired at a regional airline on the Embraer 170, about three years later he became Captain. Habib recently got hired with a major US Airline, and still lives in New York.
Akram Nassir, Treasurer
Akram Nassir was born and raised in Brooklyn New York and is originally from Yemen. Akram went to St. John’s University and attended Academy of Aviation to fulfill his passion in becoming an airline pilot. He graduated with his degree and all pilot licenses. He then bought a plane and flew it all around the country conducting aerial surveys, private tours, city tours, and island hopping to get his 1500 to becoming an airline pilot. He then got hired by a regional company owned by Delta. A year and a half later got promoted to Captain and is based in John F Kennedy international airport.
Yahay Obeid, Director of Community Outreach
Yahay Obeid was born in Yemen and migrated to the United States at the age of eight. Currently, he works for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), starting his FAA career as an air traffic controller at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in 2008. He received his Bachelor of Science in airline management from the Vaughn College of Aeronautics in 2005, and his private pilot license in 2003.
He was an adjunct professor at Vaughn College from 2009 to 2012. He previously worked for the Transportation Security Administration at LaGuardia Airport and Orlando International Airport from 2005 to 2008 and for Swissport International Ltd. at JFK from 2004 to 2006.
Hady Eltokhy, Director of Airport and Airline Outreach
Hady Eltokhy was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to Egyptian immigrant parents. Hady joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2011 where he pursued his life long dream of becoming an airline pilot and completed his bachelor’s degree in Airline Management.
Hady worked as a full time flight instructor and flew for a regional airline on the Embraer 170, eventually becoming an airline captain. Today Hady lives in New York and flies the Airbus A320.
Bilal Alsayedi, Director of Flight Training
Captain Bilal Alsayedi was born in Yemen and migrated to the United States at the age of 17 after graduating high school. Bilal graduated from Vaughn College Aeronautics and Technology in 2015 majoring in Aircraft operations, minoring in Air Traffic Control. After earning his private pilot license, instrument rating and commercial pilot license, Bilal worked as a full time flight instructor in Long Island New York from 2016-2018 and eventually landed a job with the Airlines.
Wayel Alsaidi, Director of Aviation Engineering
Wayel Alsaidi was born in Yemen and raised in Queens, NY. Wayel is certified with both the FAA and EASA as a Certified Aircraft Engineer with Airbus A380, A350, and Boeing 787 type ratings. He also has a Bachelors in Economics and Managment from the City University of NY.
Wayel was an Engineer at Etihad airways and is now employed with Singapore Airlines Engineering.
Latifa Gaisi, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Latifa was born in Brooklyn, NY to Yemeni-American parents and grew up in Westchester County, NY. Latifa enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2008 and deployed to Iraq in 2010, where she rode in a helicopter for the first time and discovered her love for Aviation. She went on to get accepted to US Army Flight Training, achieved the rank of Warrant Officer 1, and graduated in 2013 as a UH-60 Blackhawk Pilot.
After Graduating from US Army Flight School, she continued to use her GI Bill to achieve fixed wing ratings and experience to obtain her ATP with the goal of becoming an airline pilot. Latifa is currently a Captain with Envoy Airlines and continues to fly for the Army National Guard part-time.