Dary Finck | MATA Mission Aviation Training Academy

Dary grew up in Senegal, Africa, as a missionary kid. He returned to the United States in 2000 after completing high school and started attending MATA in 2001. By 2005, he had earned his Commercial Pilot Certificate and Instrument Rating through MATA, and also his Senegalese pilot’s license. He also earned his Airframe and Powerplant licenses at Everett Community College.

In August of 2005, he entered the army as a Cavalry Scout, being assigned to the 82nd Airborne division’s paratrooper reconnaissance unit, 5/73rd Recon. After seven months in Iraq (during 2006 and 2007), he was seriously wounded when insurgents ambushed his night patrol. He and Anna were married just three weeks after he was wounded, with the ceremony in the chapel of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After 14 surgeries and over 3 years of recovery, the FAA reinstated his medical certificate and allowed him to continue flying and working on airplanes. Dary and Anna were also able to adopt their little bundle of joy, Kinza, in 2010.

Dary earned his CFI in March 2016. He served as Assistant Chief of Maintenance at MATA for several years and was named Executive Director by the MATA Board in September of 2016. Dary leads regular ministry trips to Alaska where MATA students receive flight, maintenance, and missionary training at Kako Retreat Center, Tanalian Bible Camp, and the town of Naknek. His vision is to see MATA grow, equipping others to fly for the glory of the Lord.