Hey! I’m Mike Catalfamo, and thanks for coming to learn a bit more about me.

I was born and raised in Rhode Island, but worked my way west to Seattle, escaping a 3-year hostage from the cornfields of Indiana where I attended Purdue University and obtained a degree in Aerospace Engineering to find out "how do planes really fly?".

After graduation, I joined Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Everett, WA as a systems engineer in the Flight Deck group, developing a safety enhancement intended to reduce the frequency of runway overruns accidents.

I became obsessed with aviation when I was 9 years old, starting with the purchase of my first flight simulator. The very day I first tried this simulator, my mom distinctly told me to “never think about becoming a pilot.” Sorry, mom!

After building my sales skills persuading my parents to allow me to fly in a small plane, I began flight training at age 14, and completed my first solo at age 16, before I had my driver’s license.

I received my pilot certificate upon turning 18, and have been sharing my passion for aviation for over 5 years with others by flight instructing. I'm certified with commercial privileges in single/multi-engine aircraft, as well as tailwheel, complex, and high-performance aircraft.

Some of my other interests include:

International travel. I became hooked after my first international business trip to Brazil in 2013, and have travelled to Europe twice since then. Next up - SE Asia. One of my life goals is to travel to every country in my own airplane.

Real estate investing. I purchased my first property in 2015, and during that process my eyes were opened to the power of real estate as a wealth-building vehicle and something that could generate passive income and time to spend on accomplishing my life goals. After a year of studying real estate and building my network, I obtained my WA state broker’s license to help others with buying and selling real estate in the Seattle area.

Classical piano. I started playing piano when I was about 10 - and while I’m nothing more than a hack, I continue to hone my hacking whenever I can get my hands on a keyboard, attend concerts by my favorite pianist Andras Schiff, and listen to my favorite composers - Beethoven and Bach.

Cooking. I grew up in a family that really appreciated good food and could cook well. My cooking philosophy is to make creative use of whatever’s in the kitchen!

Languages. I studied Italian throughout high school, and am currently learning German and Thai. Language practice partners are always welcome!

...anything that's a learning or growth opportunity! For me, setting and reaching goals is what makes me jump out of bed in the morning.