Poland girl is Pilot for a Day at Youngstown air base

May 7, 2015 at 12:04a.m.

VIENNA

Less than a week after May Day (May 1), 12-year-old Celina Dennis found herself speaking with the nearby air-traffic-control tower from a C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft, though none of her communications included a mayday.

“I had a checklist and got to talk on the radio,” the Poland McKinley Elementary School sixth-grader explained. “The pilot asked me a bunch of questions and said, ‘Are you ready to start the plane and taxi around?’ and I said, ‘Yes, sir.’”

Celina received the five-star treatment Wednesday, thanks to the 910th Airlift Wing’s 16th annual Pilot for a Day program at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

Sponsoring the effort financially was the nonprofit YARS Base Community Council.

The festivities for Celina and her family also included a tour of the base and exposure to many aspects of military life. In addition, Celina was sworn in as an honorary Air Force Reserve 2nd lieutenant.

Since June 2000, the program has given more than 60 children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses an opportunity to experience being in such a plane, as well as meeting Reservists and partaking of many of the station’s offerings, noted Eric White, public-relations specialist.

YARS has a partnership with Akron Children’s Hospital’s Boardman campus, which selects candidates for the program, White said.

Celina has a mild form of cerebral palsy, was born three months early and weighed about 27 ounces at birth, noted her mother, Carri Pullium.

Sitting in the cockpit next to Celina as she helped fire up the engine and taxi the $36 million plane up to 90 mph was Lt. Col. Roark Endlich, a pilot with about 17 years of experience flying C-130s. Being in the Pilot for a Day gathering meant a lot to the girl largely because her grandfather, Dale Pullium, had served in the Air Force from 1962 to 1966, including a year in Vietnam, she said.

Also attending the program was Celina’s grandmother, Chris Pullium.

Before getting comfortable behind the plane’s controls, Celina donned full military gear and took part in a commissioning ceremony, where she was given a model C-130 plane and a tag, both with her name inscribed.

Conducting the demonstrations were Master Sgt. Don McCormick and Tech Sgt. Kevin Thomas, who discussed several intricacies regarding how parachutes open and function, as well as how they can be used in emergencies.

Afterward, Capt. Steve Miller gave Celina and her family a demonstration on and a close-up look at night-vision goggles and various helmets and masks. In addition, she fired a water cannon while aboard a firetruck and learned about firefighting equipment and techniques.

“My brother is going to be jealous when I get home,” Celina said with laughter while explaining that he also likes airplanes.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s so exciting to see her happy,” her grandfather added.

In addition to providing an unforgettable experience for inductees, the Pilot for a Day program showcases the Reservists’ talents and dedication, White said.

“The program lifts the morale of the Reservists. It’s powerful, and it offers a service-before-self mentality,” he said.