Airmen, family members fly into New Year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alessandra N. Hurley
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  "I've always wanted to fly an airplane. Now, I maintain the B-1, so I've always been curious what it's like to fly one," said Airman 1st Class Skyler Mann, 28th Maintenance Squadron crew chief.

Although he is familiar with the gauges and equipment, Airman Mann said it was an interesting experience to actually fly the simulated plane.

"It was fun and a little harder than I expected," he said. "The landing was a little shaky, but I was successful. I learned there are quite a few different things a pilot must know how to do, as far as flying techniques go."

Airman Mann has been stationed at Ellsworth for nearly two years, but attended the B-1B Lancer simulator tour for the first time, Dec. 28, 2010. He hopes it's an experience other Airmen and family members can share next year.

"I would recommend this tour to anyone who has wondered what it is like to fly a B-1, or is just curious about the aircraft and would like to learn more about it," he said. "I enjoyed the whole tour; I only wish it could have been longer."

Since the holidays are a time when family members travel long distances to be close to loved ones, these tours afford the Ellsworth community an opportunity to reach out to visiting family who may not be near enough to experience the event.

"As a flyer, it's a wonderful feeling to be able to reach out and share what I do every day with the Ellsworth team's visiting family members," said Maj. Mark Wass, 28th Operations Support Squadron assistant director of operations and B-1 simulator tour coordinator . "I've seen participants of all ages having a great time, from children nine years old to grandmas and grandpas."

In keeping with the holiday spirit during some of the darkest and coldest months of the year, Major Wass explained how these tours helped to keep Airmen and families' spirits high.

"It's a great chance to boost morale by having some fun, spend time playing with the kids, and get out of the office for a little bit," he said. "It was also a lot of fun for the flyers who provided the tours."

The tours are a holiday gift to the Ellsworth family and their families.

"It's a great opportunity for the 28th Operations Group to say 'thanks' to the rest of the base for the support we've received all year long," Major Wass said. "The simple fact is without the daily support of everyone on base, the planes don't fly and we can't meet the wing's mission to put bombs on target. We saw in the Operational Readiness Inspection that it takes everyone to pull together as a team to make the mission happen. Last week was a way for the 28th OG to say 'thank you' for the support we receive."