AAPI Heritage Month Spotlight: First Officer Joshua Tirona

Today is the final day of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), a time to honor the arts, culture, contributions, traditions, and history of AAPI people in the United States. During this important observation, we proudly spotlighted our team members who show how our diverse backgrounds contribute to The PSA Way.

Today we introduce First Officer Joshua Tirona, a proud Filipino and Pacific Islander. He talked with us about his aviation journey, cultural traditions, and representation in the flight deck.

What was your path to PSA and flying?

I first discovered my love for aviation when I took a discovery flight at my local mom-and-pop flight school. I then earned my primary certificates and ratings from that flight school and did my time building through aerial survey and cargo operations.

What do you love about aviation?

I love the things that aviation allows me to experience, like the unbeatable views at altitude, the challenge of operating a complex machine, and more importantly, the opportunity to meet people who share my passion for aviation.

As a member of the AAPI community in aviation, how do you feel you positively impact PSA’s culture of diversity and inclusion?

As a Pilot Ambassador, I positively impact PSA’s culture of diversity and inclusion by mentoring future aviators. Additionally, as someone with an Asian and Pacific Islander background, I hope to empower the AAPI community through representation in my involvement in PSA’s outreach programs.

What are some of your cultural traditions or customs you hold dear?

As a Filipino, the tradition of celebrating fiestas with a whole village is something that I hold dear! It makes holidays like Christmas and New Year all the more festive.

In the spirit of AAPI Month, what is it about your culture and heritage that you cherish the most?

As a Pacific Islander, I cherish the preparation and gathering of a traditional Hawaiian meal with my family. It is a timeless tradition that emphasizes the importance of ‘Ohana’ and our roots.

Is there anything on the DEI front at PSA that you would like to see more of?

I would love to see more outreach events in the Pacific Islands, like Hawaii. It is often misconstrued that Hawaii is too far to make an impact. I disagree since aviation brings the world closer!