ROBINS AFB, Ga. -- Instructor pilots from the 43rd Flying Training Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, had a chance to meet some courageous kids when they visited the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, in September.
The Air Force Reserve pilots sat with the children and helped them build paper airplanes used to compete against the pilots in flying competitions.
“There were definitely some future aerospace engineers in the crowd as they had no problem beating the instructor pilots in accuracy and distance flown,” said Maj. Barry Russell, one of the instructor pilots.
“The day was definitely a success. It was a great feeling to be able to put some smiles on the faces of children who are struggling so hard. While the kids may have learned a few things from the instructor pilots about airplanes, I think the instructors learned more from the kids about toughness and perseverance.”