Smoke grounds Felts Field flights for developmentally disabled youth, but day still brings smiles

Smoky skies hampered Spokane’s first Challenge Air for Kids and Friends Fly Day at Felts Field on Saturday, but the grins on the participants were still ear to ear.

The day was intended to provide short flights for special needs children ages 7-21, but the smoke meant that the planes couldn’t take off and could only taxi around the airport instead.

“We’ve got limited pilots here, limited planes,” said Juliet Siddons, program director for the Dallas-based Challenge Air organization. “We want everyone to be safe.”

Fifteen pilots had signed up to provide flights, but the smoke meant that several of them could not arrive, Siddons said. That left the event with only four pilots.

The kids still got to board an aircraft and hold the yoke in their hands as they taxied, helping control the small planes. As 15-year-old Allison Szacik sat in a plane with her father and sister waiting to pull away from the hangar, she beamed a huge smile back at her mother and gave her the thumbs-up.

Her mother, Colleen Szacik, said her developmentally delayed daughter was immediately interested in the free flight when she heard about it. “She was very excited,” she said. “What an amazing idea.”

Challenge Air was founded in 1993 by Rick Amber, a former pilot in the U.S. Navy who became a quadriplegic after crashing on a landing attempt on an aircraft carrier. The goal of the Fly Days is to inspire disabled children and give them confidence in their abilities.

About 75 children signed up for the event, but some were forced to cancel because of the poor air quality.

The event was hosted in partnership with the Spokane Central Lions Club. Gary Guenther, past president of the club, said he saw an article about the Challenge Air organization about 18 months ago and called to ask them if they would consider coming to Spokane.

The organization used to host a Fly Day event at Paine Field near Seattle, but that field can’t be used any more because commercial flights now use it, Siddons said. Challenge Air was happy to work with the Central Lions Club to put on the new event, she said. The organization typically hosts only 12-15 Fly Day events each year.

“We’ve worked with Lions groups all over the country,” Siddons said. “They’re such a great resource.”

Hosting the event fits perfectly with the club’s motto, which is, “We serve,” Guenther said. “One of our core beliefs is helping children, especially those who are afflicted with disabilities,” he said.

Jeff Snow, another past president of the Lions club, was in charge of recruiting children to participate. He called local school districts, the Guild School, the autism society and Shriner’s Hospital. “Everyone I talked to was so excited,” Snow said.

Pam Ryan brought her 19-year-old son, Zachary Hjort, who has autism, to the event. She signed him up to give him the opportunity to do something different, Ryan said.

“He’s never been on a plane before,” she said. “He sees them take off from Felts Field from the river road all the time.”

Before his flight, Hjort was a bit nervous, but he boarded his plane flown by pilot Gale Fowler like a seasoned traveler.

“It’ll be fun, I think, for these kids,” Ryan said. “Seeing the smiles makes it all worth it.”

Before the event began, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers spoke briefly to the dozens of volunteers who had assembled to help. She signed up to take a flight with her 14-year-old son, Cole, who has Down syndrome.

“More than anything I want to thank you for putting this on,” the congresswoman said.

Siddons said every effort is made to make the experience a good one. Cheerleaders from West Valley High School lined the entrance to the tarmac to cheer on the participants.

The Lilac princesses were expected to make an appearance later in the day and there was also a face-painter. David’s Pizza provided lunch.

“We try to make it a fun event,” Siddons said.

Guenther said he hopes the Fly Day will be an annual event, though they’re considering doing it earlier in the year to avoid the smoke that typically shows up in late summer.

“They’ve committed to us next year,” he said. “In fact, we’re talking about the middle of June. Hopefully, COVID will relent and there won’t be any fires.”