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| Library > Pilot for a Day |
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Pilot for a Day
The goal of this program is to benefit children and their families in the local community who have catastrophic illnesses. It is not directed at any one illness of disease, and not restricted to children with "terminal" illnesses. For many children with catastrophic, but not "terminal" illnesses, the Pilot for a Day Program can be a significant part of their recovery. The media efforts associated with the program will be for the purpose of public education, community awareness, and community involvement. The end result is a positive experience for the child. For more information, contact Capt. Todd Walker at 808-449-1589.
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Damon Hall-Kaneakua, a 16-year-old battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy toured the 15th Wing May 3 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program.
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| Caleb Jensen, a 15-year-old aspiring pilot visits the 15th Wing after undergoing treatment for aplastic anemia. |
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Rosco Rebibis,a child battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, toured the 15th Wing June 29 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program. Rosco brought along his grandfather, Mel DeCasa, and his two sisters.
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Brandon Whedbee, an 11-year-old boy battling leukemia, toured the 15th Wing Feb. 17 as a particpant in the Pilot for a Day program. Brandon brought along his mother, Ann.
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Cody Sugai, an 11-year-old boy who suffers from strokes caued by an arteriovenous malformation, toured the 15th Wing June 10 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program.
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Haley Tyrrell, a seven-year-old cancer survivor, toured the 15th Wing Feb. 18 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program. Haley brought her mother, Wendy and her brother, Zachary.
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Kyra Furukawa, a 5-year-old battling juvenile dermatomyositis, toured the 15th Wing July 16 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program. Kyra brought along her father, Alan and her sister, Sierra.
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Ryder Lum, an 11-year-old brain cancer survivor, toured the 15th Wing Nov. 3 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program. Ryder brought along his parents, David and Richelle, and his best friend, Everett.
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| Jonah Kalaikai, an 7-year-old battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia, toured the 15th Wing April 2 as a participant in the Pilot for a Day program. Jonah brought along his parents and his sister. |
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The original "Pilot For a Day" program began in December of 1994, organized by Captain Rory "Ox" Blackburn at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The concept has since spread to several bases across the country. The program focuses on children who have serious or chronic conditions. The "Pilot For a Day" program invites these children of all ages, military or civilian, to be guests of the 15th Wing and one of its flying squadrons for an entire day. In so doing, we strive to give each child a special day and a break from whatever challenges they may face.
The day begins with brief introduction at the host flying squadron after which the child dons their flightsuit and nametags with wings included. There are four active-duty squadrons within the 15th Wing which own and operate aircraft: the F-22 Raptor owned by the Hawaii Air National Guard, the C-17 Globemaster III owned by the 15th Wing, the KC-135 Stratotanker operated by the 96th Air Refueling Squadron, and the C-37As and C-40B/Cs operated by the 65th Airlift Squadron respectively. A pilot from the host unit serves as the child's "Wingman" for the day, answering questions and ensuring the guest (and their family and friends) enjoy their day as a pilot.
The Wingman provides the child a tour of the squadron, followed by a visit to Aircrew Flight Equipment where the new pilot receives a briefing and hands on demonstration of the equipment which helps sustain our pilots in the event of bailout from an aircraft. This will include a flight in a virtual reality parachute trainer to see what it is like to fly under canopy while still remaining on the ground. The new pilot gets also gets to try on night vision goggles as well as an actual parachute.
Following this, they head out to the flightline where they see the flight deck of a real jet aircraft. Here, the Wingman can answer questions about actual aircraft operations, missions, and capabilities.
After a lunch at the Hickam Officer's Club overlooking beautiful Pearl Harbor, the tour proceeds to a Military Working Dog K-9 demonstration. A simulator ride follows this, where the Pilot will have a chance to fly an aircraft in a controlled environment.
Upon completion of their "training," the honorary pilot reports to the flying Squadron and is greeted by 15th Wing leaders. Each guest leaves with patches, souvenirs, and memories to help them cope with their personal challenges.
The Airmen of the 15th Wing are proud to offer this program, and greatly enjoy the company of the children who come to visit. It is a privilege and an honor to be able to offer these young heroes a chance to experience life as a pilot, if only for a day.
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Pilot For a Day Program 