Youngest pilots, firemen for a day experience Tyndall

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Elsea
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Four local children spent a day with Airmen from the 43rd Fighter Squadron and the 325th Civil Engineer Squadron as part of the Pilot for a Day and Firefighter for a Day programs March 25.

Since 1999, Tyndall Air Force Base has hosted the Pilot for a Day program, allowing children with special needs to learn about Tyndall and giving them an opportunity to experience a day in the life of a pilot. This year, the program added the Firefighter for a Day portion as part of the air show.

"They've been through some tough times and we treat them a little special, show them what it's like to be a pilot or fireman for a day," said Ben Rausa, a retired Air Force member who organized the visit. "We show them what Airmen do on a regular basis."

Dillon Green, 11, and Angela Newsome, 9, participated in the Pilot for a Day event and Chrisanna Weeks, 17,and Darrian Johnson, 5, participated in the Firefighter for a Day event.

All four children are members of the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a health care system dedicated to improving the lives of kids who are suffering from a number of medical ailments. The kids were accompanied by family members and several Shriner volunteers.

"It's like a dream for Dillon today and he's been so excited," said Jennifer Green, Dillon's mother. "It's (Pilot for a Day) is going to be a memory, a major memory."

The children were outfitted in flight suits with personalized name tags. Angela and Dillon were given the call signs "Angel" and "D-Man," representing their status as honorary pilots.

Dillon even got a haircut so he would match the haircuts of the Air Force pilots during the visit.

"It was so awesome when the pilots helped him put all that gear on and he just couldn't stop smiling," Jennifer said.

Chisanna and Darrian also got to step into a flight suit and then spent some time at the fire house, while Dillon and Angela explored the 43rd FS.

At the firehouse, they were given a tour of the station and the trucks. They had a chance to hold a real fire hose used to extinguish fires. They also had the opportunity to try on the fire fighting gear and listen to the various sirens.

During the tour of the 43rd FS, Angela and Dillon watched a slide show about the F-22 Raptor, learning about how it fights the bad guys. Then they went into the pilot locker room and had an opportunity to put on a real flight suit. They also had a chance to wear a G-suit and a helmet with night vision goggles.

The pilots explained what they do when they get ready to fly and both Dillon and Angela got to sit in a real F-22 cockpit seat taken from the jet and complete with seatbelts.

After their time in the 43rd FS, Dillon and Angela made their way to the flight simulator building, where they learned what it's like to fly the F-22.

"I got to shoot down planes," said Dillon. "I got to see the actual inside of a real plane and I got to fly it in the simulator."

Meanwhile, Chrisanna and Darrian toured aerospace physiology, where they explored the altitude chamber and watched a video that taught them all about the unit's mission.

The groups took turns visiting aerospace physiology and the flight simulator.

After that tour, the children were escorted to the Hush House, where they watched a demonstration of a F-119 engine-running test in a room designed for observation. The computer operates the engine, turning it off and on, to test its capabilities and look for weaknesses. After the test was complete, they had an opportunity to walk around the engine and take a photo next to it.

After lunch, the group got a front row seat to the 2011 Gulf Coast Salute Open House and Air Show practice show. Following the show, the children had the opportunity to meet with members of the United States Air Force Aerial Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds.

"It's great to see them just kind of smiling, forgetting about things for awhile, and having a really fun time here at Tyndall," said Maj. Clay Percle, 325th Operations Group, chief of advanced programs. "I'm glad to be a part of it."