Boneheads train 'fighter ace'

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Edward Gyokeres
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Each month, the 95th Fighter Squadron selects a deserving child with a serious medical condition to live their life of a fighter pilot for a day. David Baptiste, 14, worked for Mr. Bones, and in doing so, became a "Bonehead" for life Nov. 21.

The entire squadron from the top down, went out of its way to make sure David felt like a true VIP.

The squadron commander. Lt. Col. Bill Routt, met David and his family and took them into his office for a full briefing on the F-15 Eagle and its weapons systems. It was just the first stop in busy schedule that included a tour of the 95th FS flightline, a meal with all of the pilots and, to top off the day, a full hour in the F-15 simulator facility for his entire family.

After meeting the commander, he was fitted with every piece of gear the 95th FS life support flight had to offer. A G-suit, parachute harness, helmet and oxygen mask were fitted. He was led to the testing station for a demonstration of the anti-G suit harness. He was shown how to operate a pair of night vision goggles.

"To have him suited up and see the excitement on his face, I could tell he was truly enjoying his lifelong dream of becoming a fighter pilot," said David's father Master Sgt. Hector Baptiste.

David would soon have a chance to put his goals into action. After a photo shoot on the flightline and a traditional pilot portrait, his entire family was virtually linked together inside the F-15 simulator complex. With his sister in one jet and his mother in another, David was ready to challenge them both in the F-15 simulator.

They didn't stand a chance. With a small amount of instruction by Capt. David Christensen, David took off, found his family and used his skills to repeatedly challenge them in the air. The harder they fought back, the faster they died.

David became confident quickly - a bit too quickly one might say.
"I'm coming, you have no chance, I'm going to get you," he said to his siblings.
He wasn't instigating, he was right. His mother's, sister's and brother's virtual jet went down in fireballs to the sounds of his confident laughter in their headsets, again and again.

With his simulator time over, David showed two student pilots, who were waiting for their turn, how good he really was. He flew his Eagle home and made a perfect landing.
When David emerged from the simulator cockpit, the grins from the crowd outside were almost as large as the one on his face.