Instructor: Palm Beach Crash Co-Pilot 'Born to Fly'

A veteran flight instructor is publicly defending the skills of Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, the young co-pilot killed in the November 1 Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County, describing her as a standout talent whose aptitude far exceeded her logged hours.

Chris Kirk, who identifies himself as one of Filgueiras' earliest instructors and mentors, posted a tribute on social media in which he rejected any suggestion that she was simply another pilot pursuing an airline career for financial gain. Kirk stated that during his 40 years of teaching, she was "without a doubt the most naturally gifted pilot I have ever taught," according to TMZ.com.

Kirk also said Filgueiras consistently impressed examiners during her check rides, telling TMZ.com, "that young lady was born to fly!" He recalled that she earned her Learjet type rating with fewer than 1,100 flight hours, and that she passed the pilot-in-command certification with such command that the examiner believed she had closer to 5,000 hours of experience.

Beyond jets, Kirk said he gave Filgueiras chances to fly a range of aircraft, including tailwheel planes and the Caravan. In his view, her genuine passion for aviation is what distinguished her from other trainees he has encountered, whom he characterized as more focused on reaching the airlines and earning a large salary than on loving the work itself.

Filgueiras was acting as co-pilot on the Learjet 60, which was en route from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it went down in Palm Beach County. All nine people on board died, among them captain Jeff Gregory and members of the family of CEO Adam Robinson.

According to TMZ.com, Filgueiras sent a text message to her pilot boyfriend shortly before the November 1 crash that read, "I've got turbulence, I've got ice," a message the outlet attributed to her stepfather, Thiago Corleti.

The crash has drawn attention to the hazards of icing and turbulence in flight, conditions referenced in Filgueiras' final message. The investigation into what brought down the aircraft is ongoing.