James "Jimmy" Kamau’s fascination with aviation began at around the age of eight. He would spend hours drawing pictures of airplanes and helicopters. That intrigue with these flying machines would only grow with each aerial show his parents took young Jimmy to. At the age of fourteen, his curiosity and interest in the matter demanded further exploration.

On his first day of high school, Jimmy met his now lifelong friend Jerry and quickly learned that his new deskmate shared his passion. They both wanted to fly. So, while the other kids would run playfully around outside during breaks and lunch, you could easily find Jimmy and Jerry sitting on the other side of the school field watching these small planes fly overhead. They knew the airport was close because of how low the planes would fly.

Since the boys had classes each Saturday morning that ended at noon, they decided that would be the perfect time to venture off and get a closer look at where these steel birds were coming-from or going-to. So with a small fib to their Moms about staying late for school one Saturday afternoon, they headed out after class. Just several miles away the boys would come upon Wilson Airport, a small regional airport in Nairobi, Kenya. Avoiding any legal entrances, they made their way down a dirt path and found themselves stopped by a fence with barbed wire across the top to keep non-personal out. Jimmy and Jerry stood there wide-eyed. They were right next to the runway where they could watch the planes take off and land up close. They had found their new home for watching planes!

Over the next month, Jimmy and Jerry would spend all of their free time sitting in the grass on the other side of the barb-wired fence, as these pilots did their thing. They were loving every minute of it. Unsurprisingly, security eventually received a call reporting two young men who spent their days outside the airport's fortified perimeter observing planes. They immediately sent a guard to investigate the situation. Upon his arrival, the security guard found Jimmy and Jerry, with book bags by their sides, as they watched the planes in awe. When questioned about their presence in this restricted area, the boys shared their dream of someday becoming pilots. Instead of dismissing their aspirations and escorting them out, the security guard offered to help.

He told the boys that he knew some pilots. He invited them to come back the following weekend; he would see if he could arrange for them to meet one. And so, the following Saturday, Jimmy and Jerry returned to Wilson Airport, this time in the legal area. Soon the security guard would greet them with day passes to enter the airport’s personnel area. He had even managed to arrange for them to meet a pilot named Captain Cyril. And when Jimmy saw the Captain in his full uniform and hat, he knew right then that was his calling. Captain Cyril happily gave the boys a tour of the largest plane at Wilson, even allowing them into the cockpit and letting them sit in the captain and co-pilot seats. When Captain Serio powered on the battery, the cockpit lights came to life. Both boys sat in amazement as they could feel their dreams becoming reality.

Afterward, Jimmy and Jerry were given a tour of the airport and hangars. In one hangar, the boys came across a stack of aviation magazines. While flipping through the pages, fascinated by all of the different planes, they politely asked if they could borrow a few of the magazines. The response was encouraging, "By the time those magazines arrive here, everyone has already seen them. So take as many as you'd like." Jimmy and Jerry carefully selected a handful of magazines and made their way back home, still buzzing from the experience. Jimmy had no idea that the magazines he brought home that day would be the catalyst for a life-changing idea.

Starring

James “Jimmy” Kamau
Dave Squire
Jerry Mrima

Narrated by

TBD

Produced by

Phillip Ennis

Co-Produced by

Mercy Otieno

Directed/Edited by

Rob Reilly

Cinematography by

Phillip Ennis

Executive Producers

Faith and David Pedowitz

Written by

Rob Reilly, Christian De Matteo

Illustrator

Sandro Tsitskhvaia