63rd gives young visitor royal treatment

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Phil Ventura
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
At Luke, early summer brings two certainties: heat and PCS moves.

One of the newest members of the 63rd Fighter Squadron arrived June 2 and in addition to the heat, brought a typhoon.

Like the thousands of pilots who have arrived here before him, Tyler "Typhoon" Sell donned his flight suit and spent the day getting to know his new unit. Unlike those other pilots, his tour of the base, squadron and aircraft came as part of the "pilot for a day" program.

Driven to the base by his aunt and uncle, who are Phoenix residents, the young military enthusiast was under the belief that they were taking him for a drive to Mexico that day.

"We didn't tell him he was coming out here until we got to the gate," said his aunt, Carrie Ostroski.

Tyler, 9, took the surprise in stride and spent the day touring Luke's flightline and meeting his crew chief at a static F-16, visiting the control tower, the phase dock, simulator, wing life support, fighter squadron and the officer's club.

Captain William Shnowske, 63rd FS instructor pilot, said Tyler was especially skilled in the simulator.

This came as no surprise to his aunt, who said next to the military, Tyler's next favorite interest is playing video games.

In the phase docks, Tyler was able to point out various parts on the F-16. At one point he even led Captain Shnowkse up a ramp to point out where the radar was placed.

"It's great for him to get a behindthe- scenes look at the way the Air Force works," said his uncle, Joe Ostroski.

The 56th Operations Group started the "pilot for a day" program at Luke in 1997 as a way to offer children who currently have or have beaten a serious physical illness the opportunity to spend a day in the Air Force.

Tyler has battled leukemia, which, his aunt says, changed his outlook on life at a very young age.

"It's nice that he gets to enjoy life as much as possible," Ms. Ostroski said. "He really appreciates every day."