Daniel Piraino
Delta Air Lines Captain and Lead Line Check Airman
University of Delaware Graduate
Founder of Multiple Delaware Aviation Businesses
Daniel Piraino's passion for aviation began early. At the age of sixteen, he washed and restocked airplanes for Campbell's Soup at Wilmington's ILG Airport-work that sparked a lifelong career in flight. By seventeen, he had earned his Private Pilot's License, followed by his Commercial, Instrument, and Instructor ratings.
Dan's airline career began in 1993 as a First Officer with American Eagle. In 1996, he joined Delta Air Lines, where he served as Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727, First Officer on the MD-88, Boeing 767-300ER, and Boeing 777, and Captain on the Boeing 737, 767-300ER, and 767-400ER. He is an FAA Designated Line Check Pilot for the Boeing 767-400ER, with more than 18,000 accident and incident free flight hours and substantial international experience across six continents.
In parallel with his airline career, Dan has built and led multiple successful aviation ventures These companies became Wilmington based Dumont Group, comprising Dumont Jets, Dumont MRO, and Dumont Parts, employing hundreds and contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to Delaware's economy before being sold in 2022.
In 2023, Dan launched Santos Aircraft, specializing in aircraft sales, management, and parts. The company is headquartered in the former Campbell's Soup hangar at ILG Airport, the same facility where Dan began his aviation journey as a teenager.
Dan holds numerous FAA certifications and ratings, including Airline Transport Pilot (Single and Multi-Engine Land), Certified Flight Instructor (Single, Multi-Engine, and Instrument), and Flight Engineer (Turbojet Powered). He has earned seventeen jet type ratings, including the Boeing 737, 757, 767 & 777; Cirrus SF-50, Citation 500, Citation 510S, Challenger 600, Falcon 10 and 50; Gulfstream II, III & V; Hawker 125, IAI-Jet, G-100, IA-1125, and Lockheed Jetstar.
