A 12-Year-Old Aviation Enthusiast Got a Real Military Chopper to Visit His School

A 21-year-old boy from the Raumati South School in New Zealand proved that if you have a wish, you should do something to make it happen. Little Aaron already knows more about airplanes and helicopters than many of us because aviation, both military and civilian, is his greatest passion.

Knowing that RNZAF helicopters sometimes pay special visits to schools, he decided to write a letter asking for a similar visit to his own school. He even added a slide show to be more convincing, the New Zealand Herald reports.

And it worked. Yesterday, the kids at the Raumati South School got to see the massive NH90 up-close, ask questions, and find out more about what it does. RNZAF Flight Lieutenant Rob Kenyon, an NH90 pilot at 3SQN RNZAF Base Ohakea organized the visit after receiving Aaron’s letter.

The twin-engine medium-utility helicopter has entered service within RNZAF in 2015. It boasts a fiberglass composite structure, a full ice-protection system, and a fly-by-wire flight control system, allowing it to operate in a wide range of missions, from search-and-rescue to counter-terrorism.

The Air Force currently has nine NH90 helicopters in its fleet, all purchased from NATO Helicopters Industries. They were meant to replace the Iroquois fleet and provide support for the military over the next two decades.

Most likely, Aaron already knew all of that. But now he got the chance to learn more straight from a flight lieutenant and also get as close as possible to a real helicopter, which he might even fly one day.