Colorado Preschooler Spots Error in Airline Training Manual, Earns VIP Southwest Tour

A 5-year-old aviation fan from Arvada, Colorado, is being recognized after spotting an error in an airline training manual — something even seasoned professionals hadn’t caught.

William Hines, a pre-kindergarten student at Campbell Early Learning Center, has loved airplanes for as long as he can remember. His fascination with flight goes beyond simply watching planes take off and land. William studies aviation mechanics, engine systems and cockpit controls with impressive focus for his age.

His passion recently led to an unexpected discovery.

Through a family friend, William received a Southwest Airlines training manual from a pilot who spent hours reviewing charts and diagrams with him. While flipping through the pages, William noticed something unusual: two terrain monitor graphics did not match.

According to his mother, Amber Hines, the discrepancy involved how terrain was displayed on each side of a chart. She passed along William’s observation through a friend who worked at the airline.

What happened next surprised the family.

Southwest Airlines executives reviewed the issue, and soon after, the company’s CEO invited William and his family to Dallas for a special VIP tour of airline headquarters. During the visit, William met airline staff, toured facilities and even stepped inside a flight simulator.

For the Hines family, it was an unforgettable experience — and a moment of validation for a young boy whose love of aviation is already soaring.

William says he hopes one day to become a pilot so he can help transport hundreds of passengers safely to their destinations.

For now, he’s just a preschooler with big dreams — and a sharp eye for detail.

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