LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas -- Laughlin Air Force Base hosted three world renowned extreme sports athletes, Travis Pastrana, Sean Chuma, and Ryan Sheckler, Dec. 4-6, 2024, for an extraordinary visit to create a unique opportunity to bridge the worlds of high-performance sports and undergraduate pilot training (UPT). The week kicked off with the athletes stepping into flight training where they underwent ground egress, aerospace physiology and aircrew flight equipment training. The training allowed the athletes to understand flight principles and safety protocols and give them a taste of the rigorous UPT program. “I was most excited to get the athletes in the jets and see how they handled such a new and unfamiliar experience,” said Capt. Ethan McAllister, 87th Flying Training Squadron (FTS), instructor pilot (IP) and assistant flight commander. “They’re all obviously incredibly athletic and gifted in their respective sports and I wanted to see how, if at all, their elite skills translated to the flight and if it gave them any sort of advantage over the average individual.” Following their initial training, the athletes took to the skies where IPs from the 87th FTS introduced the athletes to the world of Air Force aviation. “The athletes crushed their training and rocked the flights with zero airsick incidents.” said McAllister. “[They] admitted to having moments of anxiety or nervousness just prior to stepping for the flight but had a blast once airborne.” The 87th FTS is a UPT squadron, preparing students to fly “Fast Movers” or fighter/bomber type aircraft. The three athletes also shared personal journeys, challenges and insights of being at the top of their respective sports with Team XL Airmen, highlighting the mental and physical dedication required to excel in their fields. The presentation concluded with an open Q&A session, where Airmen asked about the athletes’ training, motivation and lessons they’ve learned from their careers. “We are more similar to [these athletes] then we realize,” said Capt. Koby Hinnant, 87th FTS IP and 47th Operations Support Squadron executive officer. “A lot of the mindsets seem to be similar, in that everyone here is part of a team and wants everyone around them to be the best they can.” During the presentations, a special emphasis was placed on Comprehensive Readiness for Aircrew Flying Training (CRAFT), which is a prominent factor in the pilot training community so that pilots remain mission ready. “There are many parallels between being an extreme athlete and becoming proficient at flying high performance aircraft, but at the foundational level, it requires putting in the time and effort to be brilliant at the basics.” said Lt. Col. Johnathan Radtke, 87th FTS commander. “Once the basics are mastered, the difficulty level is ramped up until you’ve really honed your craft.” The visit left a lasting impression on both the athletes and Laughlin. “At the end of the flights, the athletes shared a moment where they were in awe of what we all just accomplished,” said Radtke. “That’s what we do here; present opportunities to students and instructors so they can make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” By stepping into each other’s worlds, common ground was found in the shared pursuit of excellence, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and always aiming high.

LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas — Laughlin Air Force Base hosted three world renowned extreme sports athletes, Travis Pastrana, Sean Chuma, and Ryan Sheckler, Dec. 4-6, 2024, for an extraordinary visit to create a unique opportunity to bridge the worlds of high-performance sports and undergraduate pilot training (UPT). The week kicked off with the athletes stepping […]

LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas —

Laughlin Air Force Base hosted three world renowned extreme sports athletes, Travis Pastrana, Sean Chuma, and Ryan Sheckler, Dec. 4-6, 2024, for an extraordinary visit to create a unique opportunity to bridge the worlds of high-performance sports and undergraduate pilot training (UPT).

The week kicked off with the athletes stepping into flight training where they underwent ground egress, aerospace physiology and aircrew flight equipment training.

The training allowed the athletes to understand flight principles and safety protocols and give them a taste of the rigorous UPT program.

“I was most excited to get the athletes in the jets and see how they handled such a new and unfamiliar experience,” said Capt. Ethan McAllister, 87th Flying Training Squadron (FTS), instructor pilot (IP) and assistant flight commander. “They’re all obviously incredibly athletic and gifted in their respective sports and I wanted to see how, if at all, their elite skills translated to the flight and if it gave them any sort of advantage over the average individual.”

Following their initial training, the athletes took to the skies where IPs from the 87th FTS introduced the athletes to the world of Air Force aviation.

“The athletes crushed their training and rocked the flights with zero airsick incidents.” said McAllister. “[They] admitted to having moments of anxiety or nervousness just prior to stepping for the flight but had a blast once airborne.”

The 87th FTS is a UPT squadron, preparing students to fly “Fast Movers” or fighter/bomber type aircraft.

The three athletes also shared personal journeys, challenges and insights of being at the top of their respective sports with Team XL Airmen, highlighting the mental and physical dedication required to excel in their fields.

The presentation concluded with an open Q&A session, where Airmen asked about the athletes’ training, motivation and lessons they’ve learned from their careers.

“We are more similar to [these athletes] then we realize,” said Capt. Koby Hinnant, 87th FTS IP and 47th Operations Support Squadron executive officer. “A lot of the mindsets seem to be similar, in that everyone here is part of a team and wants everyone around them to be the best they can.”

During the presentations, a special emphasis was placed on Comprehensive Readiness for Aircrew Flying Training (CRAFT), which is a prominent factor in the pilot training community so that pilots remain mission ready.

“There are many parallels between being an extreme athlete and becoming proficient at flying high performance aircraft, but at the foundational level, it requires putting in the time and effort to be brilliant at the basics.” said Lt. Col. Johnathan Radtke, 87th FTS commander. “Once the basics are mastered, the difficulty level is ramped up until you’ve really honed your craft.”

The visit left a lasting impression on both the athletes and Laughlin.

“At the end of the flights, the athletes shared a moment where they were in awe of what we all just accomplished,” said Radtke. “That’s what we do here; present opportunities to students and instructors so they can make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

By stepping into each other’s worlds, common ground was found in the shared pursuit of excellence, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and always aiming high.