The skies are clear, and with control yoke in hand the pilot uses the left rudder pedal to gently lean northwest toward Parker County. With wings now level, students in the classroom watch as the Aledo High School campus begins to appear on the horizon.
The common flight pattern is one of the favorites of students in Aledo ISD's Career and Technical Education flight training program. The class, taught by flight instructor Derek Foster, uses the simulator as one of the key elements of the program.
Aledo ISD communications director Mercedes Mayor said the simulator's gauges and controls replicate the flight experience, but without the inertia of plane motion.
"It's pretty cool, actually," Mayer described. "You feel like you are in the cockpit of an airplane and you can set it to fly and it will look like you are flying in that area. So, you can set it to fly from Meacham to Love Field and you will be flying over Arlington and Dallas."
The Redbird TD2 system, which has a base price of about $10,000 before accessories, was a gift from April and Brad Hunstable in memory of their son, Hayden. When looking for a way to honor their son with a gift to the Aledo Education Foundation, Hayden's good friend, Carter Page, came to mind.
Page was studying to be a pilot at the time, a passion instilled in him through his pilot father and grandfather, and the Hunstables believed it would be fitting to make a gift that also benefited their son's best friend. Page now has his pilot's license and is a student-assistant in the aviation class.
"All the controls are right. The instruments are right. It's all here," Page said while sitting at the flight console. "The system gives you the feel and what the view would be while learning the instruments and controls. Right there is Lake Weatherford."
The program is available not only for students who have a passion for flight, like Page, but also students wanting to simply check out the idea of flying to see if it would be something they may want to pursue. Foster said he has advanced students who are now doing live flight training at Parker County Airport.
Hayden unexpectedly took his own life during the Covid 19 shutdown. The National Library of Medicine reported 5,568 youth suicides in 2020 during the pandemic.
The Hunstable family helped produce a documentary about Hayden's life titled “Almost Thirteen,” available on YouTube. The emotional film, which won Best Documentary of the Year in 2021 by Fort Worth Studios, provides insight and awareness of what the Center for Disease Control reports is the second-leading cause of death for teens and young adults ages 10-34.
"He loved Aledo. He loved being a Bearcat," Brad Hunstable said. "We can't explain it. He showed none of the tell-tale signs. That is why we made this video. We want to tell Hayden's story and encourage every parent to be further involved in their kid's lives. It gives us comfort. It is healing."
A viewer on Youtube, @richardzheng2805, recently commented, "I was also born in 2007, only two months younger than Hayden. I had similar thoughts during Covid and acted upon some of them. I'm 16 now...I'm lucky to have found a passion that pulled me out. I go back to this video every so often. It reminds me of the hard times that I had...RIP Hayden."
If you are in a crisis or know someone who may be at risk, the Suicide Hotline is available 24/7/365 at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here