MACON, Ga. — Middle Georgia State's sky campers and their aviation dreams take flight, and it has already exceeded Sharif Bonner's expectations.
"I thought I was going to be in like a plane simulator, but then when my mom said you're going to be flying a real-life plane, I just got scared," Bonner said.
The campers do not actually fly the planes, but they do assist camp leaders like Aaron George and Danielle Schriber during the flight.
"We kind of fly them around like we did today. We help them build rockets, understand the aerodynamics of the rockets. What weather does and how it affects aviation and not just aviation but people on the ground as well and how the world moves around aviation," George said.
Schriber said after campers fly for the first time, they soar.
"The first time they get in you can tell they're a little shaken, they're like I don't want to fly first, like I'm just in the back seat, but the moment they get out of the plane, the biggest smiles I've ever seen," Schriber said.
"My feelings were like Oh my gosh I'm actually flying a plane, I was like 'okay Sharif calm down you can do this," Bonner said.
PHOTOS | Sky Camp with Middle Georgia State
Bonner was able to get that experience at 10-years-old. George said he decided to be a flight instructor to give more kids that opportunity.
"Less than 1% of the people in the U.S. are pilots, so exposing younger kids at an earlier age can kinda spread out that interest a little earlier than I had an opportunity too," George said.
The camp lasts three days.
"A lot of these kids are middle school age, so the next 10 years, they could be looking for jobs," George said.
On the last day, the campers will visit Robins Air Force Base for a tour and history lesson on aviation.
"I think I could be a pilot if I could fly one of these small planes," Bonner said.
Camp leaders said they had about 40 campers this year ranging from ages 10-15.