Pilot-for-day visits 61st Fighter Squadron

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melanie Holochwost
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Alex Michael Ramsperger Always Awesome Man, also known as AMRAAM, got the chance to see what it's like to be an F-16 fighter pilot during a pilot-for-a-day tour at Luke Air Force Base May 18.

This 11-year-old boy was chosen to participate in the PFAD program after spending more than a month in the hospital and having three surgeries and severe complications with his appendix in September.

"Initially, doctors thought I just had the flu," Alex said. "About a week after I was sent home, my appendix exploded and I was sent to Phoenix Children's Hospital."

Seven months later his tour began at the 61st Fighter Squadron where Alex and his parents, Denise and Trent, met Lt. Col. Philippe Malebranche, 61st FS commander, and Col. George Schaub, 56th Operations Group commander, and was given a flight suit.

Capt. Spencer Godwin, 61st FS C Flight commander, gave the family a tour of the squadron and took them out to the flightline where Alex sat in his very own F-16.

After lunch at Club Five Six, it was off to see the military working dogs at the softball fields.

"My favorite part of the day was watching Alex control the dogs," Captain Godwin said. "I didn't think the dogs would listen to him, but they did. As soon as he said 'get em,' the dogs took off after the bad guy."

After playing with the dogs, Captain Godwin took the family to the fire department where Alex got to honk the fire truck horn and don firefighter gear.

Finally, they went to the simulators, which impressed everyone.

"I was really looking forward to the simulators, and I knew it was going to be my favorite part," Alex said. "I had no idea I was actually going to sit in a jet; I thought it was going to be a box or something. It was so much better than I thought it was going to be."

Captain Godwin said Alex was a double ace in the simulator.

"Alex and his father were both naturals," he said. "Alex was constantly shooting jets down and both of them successfully landed on their first attempt."

The Ramsperger family said they enjoyed their time at Luke.

"I have always loved airplanes," Alex said. "But after this experience, I really want to be a fighter pilot someday."