BOWLING GREEN — Tim Pearson, a private pilot from Bowling Green, Ohio, gained unexpected fame after creating a flight pattern that traced a Christmas nativity scene in the sky.
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The flight, which took place on a winter night just days before Christmas, was intended to bring smiles to a few friends but quickly captured attention online, CBS-affiliate WTOL reported.
Pearson, who has been a private pilot for more than five years, flies from Wood County Airport and trained with Eagle Air Flight Club.
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His passion for aviation allows him to fly when time and weather permit and he has flown creative flight patterns before, often sharing them just with friends.
This time, however, he chose a design that resonated with the spirit of the season.
On a quiet winter night, Pearson took off in his PA-28 Piper Cherokee, intentionally avoiding heavy air traffic.
He shared the flight’s path with a few people he thought would appreciate his artistic effort.
“I just wanted to do something positive,” Pearson said. He was surprised by how many people connected with his flight, noting, “I never expected it to go anywhere beyond that.”
As the image of the flight spread on social media, Pearson reported receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback.
“The internet can be pretty harsh sometimes,” he reflected, adding, “But the response was overwhelmingly positive. People seemed genuinely happy to see something uplifting.”
This experience confirmed for him the power of a simple gesture during the holidays.
He expressed gratitude for the joy his flight brought to so many, contributing to the holiday spirit in a unique way.
Moving forward, he plans to continue flying creative routes simply because he enjoys it.
As Christmas approaches, Pearson hopes that his efforts to bring joy through flying small patterns will continue to resonate with others, illustrating that even simple gestures can carry meaningful messages during the holiday season.
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