A 14-year-old AvGeek-in-training gets the aviation experience of a lifetime

When it comes to traveling with kids, our motto here at TPG is "start 'em young." When it comes to building a love for aviation, 14-year-old Kael Wilson puts even the most experienced AvGeek to shame.

Wilson, who has a severe blood disorder, recently got to fulfill his wish of getting a jump start on his future career as a pilot by visiting FlightSafety International in Columbus, OH, and training in its best-in-class $20M flight simulator — all thanks to the organization Make-A-Wish.

Wilson is "obsessed with flying," according to the organization. And that's no surprise considering his family history: Wilson is a fourth-generation AvGeek who got hooked "from traveling a lot and my dad," he said. Wilson's great-grandpa and grandpa were both pilots, the latter serving as an instructor and pilot for the regional airline Republic Airways.

Wilson's father, Chris, has been flying since 1999. For the past 16 years, he's been a pilot for Delta based out of Detroit, flying a Boeing 717.

Wilson wants to keep his family's legacy alive by becoming a pilot as well.

That's where Make-A-Wish came in. When Wilson asked for a gaming computer and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 so he could start training for his pilot's license, Make-A-Wish not only granted the wish but took things one step further by giving Wilson the chance to go to FlightSafety International and experience a state-of-the-art simulator first-hand.

Wilson said the best part of the trip was flying the new Longitude (a business jet produced by Cessna) and getting to fly with his dad and grandpa. "It sounded like you were in a real plane," said Wilson, who flew the aircraft from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

"He did pretty well for his first time ever flying a jet," noted his father.

Wilson's favorite places to visit thus far in his young career as a world traveler are China and San Francisco. His most memorable flight to date, he said, was flying from Hong Kong to NYC in business class on one of United's Boeing 777s.

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When asked what Wilson loves most about flying his answer was simple.

"All of it," he said. "To see the landscape when you look out the window, how everything is so small when you're up in the air, discovering the cities and tall buildings."

We couldn't agree more.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, life-changing wishes like Wilson's continue to be granted on a daily basis all around the country, according to Make-A-Wish. The organization has granted more than 6,500 wishes since March 2020. Learn more about Make-A-Wish by visiting wish.org.

All images courtesy of Make-A-Wish.