DOVER, DE—Eight local veterans soared through the Dover skies Thursday in a restored World War II biplane, giving some a once-in-a-lifetime experience and others a chance to relive the past.
The Dream Flights program gave senior veterans from five different long-term care facilities across Delaware the opportunity to take flight, representing four branches of the military: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.
The initiative honors senior veterans living in long-term care communities by giving them a ride in a restored, open-cockpit World War II plane, which was used to train soldiers at the time.
The oldest veteran to suit up was 99-year-old World War II Navy veteran Leon Hart, who says climbing into a biplane—the same type used when he first put on the uniform—was an experience he never thought he would have.
"I graduated from high school in 1944—went into the service immediately."
Decades later, just six months shy of his 100th birthday, Hart says Thursday’s flight is one he’ll always remember.
"It was a great experience, really. I enjoyed it immensely. I got to do this more often—but time is getting short."
But for Hart, Thursday's flight was about more than just reliving the past.
"It makes you feel like people do appreciate the things that you did."
Daryll Fischer, Dream Flights founder and pilot, says the program's mission is simple:
"Our mission is to give back to those who gave and that group. Our senior veterans gave us so much through their sacrifice and service."
Founded in 2011, Dream Flights has flown veterans in 49 states, offering nearly 8,000 flights nationwide. Thursday marked its first time in Delaware.
Fischer says giving senior veterans a chance to fly in an open cockpit is about more than the thrill—it's a way to thank them for everything they've done.
"We expand their possibilities. They don't think they will be flying in open cockpit biplanes in their 90s. We change that, and it gives them energy, it recognizes them."
Each senior veteran who took to the skies on Thursday spent about 15 minutes in the air.
While most veterans usually only get one flight, Dream Flights offers a Century Flyer program—meaning veterans like Leon Hart can return to the skies when they reach 100.