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509th welcomes teenage boy for ‘Pilot for a Day’ event

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  It isn't every day that a 13-year-old boy gets to pilot a KC-135 to Hawaii. Through the 509th Weapons Squadron's Pilot for a Day program, Dylan Nickerson was able to do just that.

Coordination between the 509th WPS and the Candlelighters of the Inland Northwest, a chapter of the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation that aids young cancer patients and their families, made it possible for Dylan to experience a day in the life of a pilot.

On May 3, Dylan, his father, Bruce, his mother, Merri, brothers Cody, 17, and Jacob, 8, and his 6-year-old sister, Shayna, were met at Fairchild's gate by Col. Scott Hanson, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, and Maj. Brian Eberling, 509th WPS instructor pilot and combined operations phase manager.

"This was the 509th's first ever Pilot for a Day event," said Major Eberling, who provided Dylan and his family a day full of experience and entertainment.

Dylan and his family had the opportunity to tour a number of base facilities during their visit including the flight line, control tower, tower control simulator, the flight safety simulator, and a static display of the tanker.

"He's really into these sorts of things," said Dylan's mother. "He's always watching the war and military movies."

During the simulated flight, Major Eberling showed Dylan the basics of flying the simulator while Dylan's family watched as he maneuvered the virtual plane.

The flight simulator was the best part, said Dylan.

Dylan flew over downtown Spokane and the Hawaiian islands, took off and landed the aircraft, performed a few barrel rolls, and flew in a variety of weather conditions on the virtual aircraft. He concluded his flying experience with a successful landing at the realistic computer-generated Fairchild runway and gave his father and brother an opportunity to fly the simulator.

"I think this was one of the most personally satisfying days in my Air Force career," said the major.

After the flight simulator, Major Eberling led the Nickerson family to the KC-135 hangar to view the aircraft. Next, they went to the 509th WPS building to conclude the day with a "Pilot Wings" ceremony. Dylan was given his very own pilot wings, an esteemed accomplishment for a teenage boy.