This spring, children across the SkyWest system are trading in their school supplies for their wings to get a an up close look at what it takes to safely operate more than 2,100 flights a day as part of Bring Our Kids to Work Day. This annual tradition not only gives the next generation of flyers a look at what their parents do every day, it also inspires a love for aviation as kids get an inside view of what it’s like to be a pilot, mechanic, flight attendant, dispatcher, cross-utilized agent and more!

At HDQ, nearly 80 future flyers got some hands on experience, including creating a flight plan for a rocket and then launching it, getting a 3D look at what it’s like to be in the flight deck and learning how engine thrust works. They also learned the ins and outs of marshalling an aircraft and had their inflight safety knowledge tested. The event concluded with a special message from SkyWest COO Mike Thompson, who noted that of all the important work SkyWest’s 13,000+ professionals do, none is more important than the work they do as parents.

“Your parents make sure that 30 million people every year get safely to their destination. And I’m very appreciative of your parents, who come to work every single day to take of the people at SkyWest, and to take care of you,” said Mike. “Because that really is their number one job, is to take care of each one of you guys.”

In Salt Lake and Denver, the kids got some time in the flight simulators, getting a special look at what it takes to fly a SkyWest jet. The kids in Salt Lake also received a VIP tour of the maintenance hangar and got to test some of their skills in the cabin trainer.

One thing is clear from these events: not only is SkyWest home to the best in the industry, but it is also home to the next great generation of flyers! Thank you to everyone who has participated in sharing our love of flight with our future aviation professionals!