A five-year-old Colorado boy’s passion for aviation has led to an unexpected discovery that caught the attention of Southwest Airlines. The boy’s keen attention to detail earned him a VIP tour of the company’s headquarters.
William Hines, a pre-kindergarten student, has been fascinated by airplanes and mechanical systems since infancy. His mother, Amber Hines, told CNN that his curiosity about how things work became apparent during “tummy time” (a period when babies spend brief periods lying on their stomach to strengthen neck and back muscles), when he would study wheel movements and disassemble toy cars to understand their mechanisms.
William’s aviation interest deepened through regular visits to Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC), where he would observe aircraft operations. His passion reached new heights after a chance encounter, later described by his mother on social media, led to a meeting with a Southwest Airlines pilot called Josh.
An unexpected mentorship
The connection began when William’s mother took him to his sister’s book fair, where he carried a Southwest airplane toy as a birthday gift. The wife of a Southwest pilot noticed the toy and initiated a conversation, asking if William might be interested in speaking with her husband about aviation.
The pilot, Josh, subsequently visited William and spent two hours discussing commercial aviation, reviewing aeronautical charts, and explaining aircraft systems. As part of their interaction, Josh provided William with a comprehensive Southwest Airlines training manual covering aircraft systems, safety procedures, and operational protocols.
While studying the manual with Josh, William noticed something that seemed inconsistent. He observed that two terrain monitoring displays in the cockpit layout appeared different from one another, with varying distances shown on each gauge.
Professional attention
William’s observation impressed the airline so much that Southwest Airlines later investigated his findings. The company ultimately determined that what William had identified was not actually an error in the manual, but rather reflected normal variations in the instrumentation display.
Nevertheless, airline officials were struck by the five-year-old’s attention to detail and ability to notice such specific technical elements. His mother emphasized that William possesses an unusual capacity for absorbing and retaining technical information, characteristics that became evident at an exceptionally young age.
Future aspirations
William’s interest in aviation extends beyond technical curiosity to career aspirations. When asked about his future plans, he expressed clear intentions to become a pilot, motivated by the opportunity to transport large numbers of passengers to various destinations.
Southwest Airlines has used William’s story to highlight young people’s interest in aviation careers, particularly as the industry faces long-term pilot shortages. The company’s willingness to engage with aspiring young aviators demonstrates efforts to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals.