ELLINWOOD — 1st Lieutenant Chris Ames of Dyess Air Force Base at Abilene, Texas is attending pilot training school for the B1B Lancer Bomber.
Chris had finished ground and simulator school and will start flying the B1B Lancer Bomber this week.
The training squadron had an open house for the families of the new pilots in training. The new pilots were introduced to the primary and secondary instructors. The open house started out with breakfast at the squadron lounge, then a briefing, tour of the engine shop, flying the B1B simulator, tour of the bomb training hanger where they learn to load the B1B and a visit to B1B in a hanger where we climbed into the cockpit and sat in all four crew member’s seats. It’s big airplane outside but not much room for the crew. The B1B Lancer is a $300 million dollar  machine.
The day finished out with an afternoon dinner with the families and instructors.
Chris Ames is the great-nephew of John and David Ames of Ellinwood. His late great-grandparents were W. R. “Russell” and Sara Ann Ames of Ellinwood. His grandfather is W. R. “Bill” Ames, Kansas City, Kan.and his parents are W. R. “Rusty” and Debby Ames of Lake Stevens, Wa.