Specialneeds kids become copilots
Eightyearold Jeffrey Mcclary announced soon after leaving the cockpit of a singleengine airplane at Centennial Airport on Saturday morning that he was ready to pilot a fighter jet. And make that as soon as possible, please.
“I like a fighter jet even better. I want to fly an F15,” Jeffrey told his parents while sitting down to breakfast at a hangar at Centennial.
They were surrounded by several other parents and eager specialneeds kids ready to partner with veteran pilots to fly out of the airport and into a cloudless sky over the metro area.
In all, about 100 children and young adults were expected to participate in the Challenge Air for Kids and Friends “Denver Fly Day” at Centennial.
The national program offers kids with a variety of special needs to experience the thrill of copiloting during free 30minute rides flown by 12 local volunteer pilots.
Challenge Air for Kids and Friends was founded in 1993 to change the perception of children of special needs through the gift of flight, said April Culver, chief executive officer of the organization.
“So many of these kids can’t participate in team sports for a variety of reasons, but for one day they can pilot an airplane. And that boosts their confidence and makes them realize they can do just about anything they put their minds to,” Culver said. “And on Monday, when one of their friends says, ‘Well, I played soccer over the weekend,’ they can say ‘Well, I flew an airplane.’ ”
As many as 35,000 kids with various physical and emotional disabilities have been able to co
pilot airplanes in 36 states through Challenge Air for Kids and Friends, Culver said. Centennial Airport has hosted the event nine times since 1993.
School districts, nonprofit groups and others spread the word when they learn Challenge Air is coming to the city, Culver said, and pilots soon start volunteering.
Parents and their children also take part in an educational ground school where participants learn about the forces of flight and how pilots with physical challenges fly specially equipped airplanes.
Pilot Barry Biggs took as many as seven families up with him Saturday, including Jeffrey Mcclary and his dad, Jeffrey Mcclary Sr. “I just love it,” Biggs said. “These kids are so pumped up, they can’t wait to get flying.”
Before they walk out to the Centennial tarmac to get into their airplane, the kids are given a round of applause from the ground crews.
Once they land, they are applauded again and given a copilot’s certificate. The younger Mcclary, who is autistic and has other learning disabilities, held up his certificate proudly.
“We didn’t tell him we were taking him to go flying. We figured he’d get too excited,” the elder Mcclary said. “And when we pulled in to Centennial, he said, ‘Dad, are we going to anoth er museum?’ ‘No, son, we are going flying.’ ”
The elder Mcclary is a staff sergeant in the Colorado Air National Guard. And he was the one who broke the news to his son that being a jet pilot will take a little more time. “Maybe in a few years,” he told the younger Mcclary.