Famed astronaut Eileen Collins made a public appearance in the Southern Tier Monday. The Elmira native was back on Harris Hill, where she first learned to fly, to inspire future young pilots. Collins stopped at the aerospace camp that’s named for her at the national soaring museum on Harris Hill. It was her first time actually speaking to kids at the camp. Collins was the first female pilot and first female commander of a space shuttle. Collins shared with campers stories about what three times the force of gravity feels like when a shuttle launches, and of course what it’s like to be in space. She hopes that these kids might consider following her path.
