5-year-old boy spotted an error in a Southwest Airlines training manual — when it reached the CEO, his response took the family by surprise
Sometimes, passion for little things can pave the way to greater avenues. A 5-year-old boy named William Hines from Colorado is an aviation enthusiast. During a conversation with a pilot, he was handed a training manual, and it was this interest that helped him notice something unusual. His sharp observation caught the airline's CEO's attention. Reported by Next 9NEWS on February 24, 2026, the little kid's discovery led to a special surprise.
William developed his passion for aviation after a trip to the Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield. He was in awe of how planes worked. After a chance encounter with a Southwest Airlines pilot's wife, the boy got the opportunity to meet the captain, Josh. During their interaction, the latter handed the 5-year-old a training manual. A little while later, he noticed something unusual in the booklet. Two terrain monitors displayed in the manual did not match. His mom, Amber, later posted about his discovery, and one of her friends who worked with the company shared the post with management. CEO Bob Jordan soon learned the news and was impressed by the tiny enthusiast's observation. He invited the family to Dallas, where they were given a VIP tour of the airline's training facility.
During the exciting tour, the kid was introduced to other team members, including a simulator pilot, Chris, and a staffer named Earl. He even received the opportunity to climb into a flight simulator. Although the team noted that the error found by William was not a manual discrepancy, they were impressed by his keen observation. Heaping praise on her son, the mother responded, "He's a details guy, and he notices things. He listens to everything, and he really absorbs information." Growing interests in children can play a great role in shaping their future.
Dr. Nermeen Dashoush, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Boston University, explained that building on a young mind's passion in a concrete way can help them understand their skills and aid in their development. "To help kids understand future career options, we can show them how their current strengths, skills, and talents align with those careers," she added. Amber paid attention to her son's talent and love for aviation, and it landed him an experience of a lifetime. As for his future, he dreams of becoming a pilot someday. "Then, I can transport people to a place and not just myself, like 140 people to a place," he remarked.