Veterans take to sky for dream flight

Posted By: Rachael Miner

rminer@klkntv.com

It’s the first time in almost 70 years Richard Hays has gotten in the cockpit of an airplane, "The planes the same. We had different instruments in it as opposed to what we had then."

Hays served in the Army Air Force during World War II. Sunday morning Hays along with six fellow veterans from Tabitha were given the chance to get back in the captains seat and take to the sky.

"Often times what happens is these individuals haven’t been in an airplane in 60–70 years and some of them have flown this airplane so they get out and a whole lifetime of experiences comes back," said Kevin Erker, a member of the Ageless Aviation Dream Foundation. 

The Ageless Aviation Dream Foundation flew each of the veterans for free on their 1940’s Boeing Stearman airplane.

It’s the same type of plane used to train many military aviators, like Hays, during World War II.

Ageless Aviation has provided over 3,000 dream flights to veterans across the United States.

For them, providing these flights is a way to give back and preserve history.

"The generations that preceded us to a great extent didn’t ask for anything in return, they served our nation because it was the right thing to do. And all these years later we get the opportunity to thank them," said Erker. 

For the veterans who flew, it offered them a chance to relive their glory days.

"I think he just went back 70 some years when he got in the cockpit," said Ted Hayes, Richard’s son. 

"It was wonderful, I enjoyed it," Hays said.