William Hines, 5, Finds Error In Southwest Airlines Manual

Step aside, Jackson Roloff from Little People, Big World, because there’s a little kid named William Hines who also loves airplanes, but he blew the socks off Southwest Airlines. Read on for more about this trending aviation story and a cute little kid.

Little Boy Does An Airline A Favor

It’s certainly not every single day that a preschooler does airlines “a solid” by improving their training manual. However, according to a recent YouTube video by Next 9News, that’s exactly what happened.

Flying away for business or vacation is a reality for millions of people across the world. But, for five-year-old William Hines, his love for planes isn’t just about getting somewhere.

A bright kid, he enjoys finding out things like how a huge jetliner actually gets in the air and stays there. And no, it’s not by the sheer willpower of nervous passengers!

A Five-Year-Old Picks Out An Error

William Hines hails from Arvada in Colorado, and he’s still in Pre-K. However, it seems that he’s more “mechanically inclined” than some adults. Apparently, a family friend turned up, and he happened to be a pilot. Soon the kid was examining his flight training manual with interest.

The report cited his mom talking about what went down. Apparently, the duo chatted for “two hours” and the young enthusiast noticed a glaring discrepancy in the diagrams.

Soon, he pointed out that two diagrams looked different when they should have matched. In fact, they were “terrain monitors.” He pointed out that one screen was “closer up” while the other was “farther up,” meaning the scales were completely inconsistent.

Why A Manual Mismatch Matters

On the surface, a mismatched picture in a book might seem like a minor thing. However, in flight training, consistency is everything. If a manual shows two monitors out of sync, it could lead a student pilot to believe that such a “comparator mismatch” is normal.

In a real cockpit, if those monitors don’t agree during a low-visibility flight, it could cause confusion or a delay in reacting to the tips of the waves or a mountain peak. Thankfully, William’s discovery allowed the airline to address the visual error before it caused any confusion for future pilots.

The Tour of a Lifetime

Well, the family friend informed the company about the error, and later, the CEO of Southwest Airlines seemed very impressed by William’s “attention to detail.” As a result, he and his family traveled to Dallas and got the whole VIP treatment.

For William, that was the best day ever as he got to “fly” in “the simulator” and see how the pros handle the controls. His mom, Amber, noted that the team at headquarters seemed “very welcoming” and gave them a memory they won’t ever forget.

As for William Hines, it seems he’s already clocked being a pilot as his future career. Notably, he’s not talking about small things here as he wants to fly large passenger planes. And, his motivation? Well, “I like flying because I don’t have to walk 7,000 miles.”

Fans Weigh In

The story went viral for more than the kid’s attention to details. He’s also as cute as a button! Still, viewers did admire his level of logical reasoning.

One of them said in the comments on YouTube, “This kid is going places! Most adults wouldn’t even notice a scale difference on a GPS, let alone a flight manual.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• I can imagine he talks everyone’s ears off all the time about planes. Such a lovely child.
• That is a VERY bright child. I certainly hope that he gets the support that he needs to fulfill his potential.
• I think the best gift this kid has isn’t necessarily his smarts, but a family who supports his interests and passions, and doesn’t dismiss him just because he’s young.
• My son demonstrated this level of passion for aviation at an early age. He’s now a Southwest pilot.

What are your thoughts on such a young child spotting a discrepancy in an airline training manual? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and remember to come back here for all your news and updates about kids who love flying.