Teddy, at the age of 6, was the youngest person to ever go through the pilot program at Fighter Pilots USA in Kissimmee, Fla. Teddy loves planes. His favorite movie is Top Gun and toy planes decorate his room. In spite of this, his mother and father were shocked when Teddy enthusiastically proclaimed that he wanted to fly an F14 for his wish. His family feared it would be too dangerous. But Teddy remained steadfast in his decision to fly an F14, and thanks to volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles and representatives from Fighter Pilots USA, his ultimate dream was possible.

From the moment they boarded the plane in Los Angeles, they were treated with special care and attention.They arrived in Florida the day before Teddy’s scheduled flight and enjoyed the amenities of a beautiful private villa, complete with a jacuzzi bath and fluffy, white robes.

When they arrived at the base the following day, Teddy attended flight training school that lasted for an hour, where he was briefed on the details of his upcoming mission. Then, the most difficult part of his mission had to be accomplished—finding a suit small enough for Teddy’s little body. With a few alterations (a couple rolls of the pant leg here and there) Teddy had an official flight uniform to wear, complete with a helmet.To make the plane a perfect fit, a telephone book was provided for Teddy to sit on so that he could see above the dashboard to work the controls of the plane.

Then they were off into the beautiful, blue skies of sunny Florida.Teddy A.K.A. “Mav” performed loops, turned upside down and emerged victorious from a simulated dog fight.He was so proud when he received his wings and certificate of completion from his partner and teacher Captain Wild. Teddy even took the videotape of his flight experience to school for his teacher and classmates to see, and he has informed everyone that he is going to be a fighter pilot when he grows up.