Vintage bi-plane jaunts for vets offered in Darlington

Danny Weaver can cross one more item off his bucket list.

The Darlington native took to the skies Wednesday morning above his hometown in a vintage Boeing-Stearman blue and yellow bi-plane piloted by Capt. Mike Winterboer, a volunteer with Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation.

“You’re free,” Weaver said, smiling broadly after the airborne jaunt. “It’s exhilarating, especially in an open cockpit.”

The Nevada-based nonprofit foundation aims to provide seniors and veterans with free “dream flights,” aboard the WWII planes, explained Darryl Fisher, founder and president.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “I’ve personally given almost 1,000 flights and it never gets tiresome. Something magical happens.”

Weaver served four years in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He also saw time on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Forrestal as a crew chief and structural mechanic working on F-4 Phantoms.

“And I flew over 1,300 hours in the back of Hueys (helicopters) as a medic,” he said. “But this -- I’m pumping. I don’t need my pacemaker right now.”

Winterboer said he, Fisher and other volunteer pilots spend their free time and vacations in the air.

“It’s a real joy to give back,” Winterboer said. “They think they won’t fly again and it gives ’em a real shot in the arm. That’s the real joy of the foundation – flying. We’re paid in satisfaction and we’re paid in full.”

Last year, the foundation visited 19 states with 53 events and totaled 463 dream flights, he said. This year he expects the total to easily surpass 500 flights. He’s also greatly helped with coordinating flights by his wife, Diane.

Winterboer has been an American Airline pilot for the last 25 years, and he actually flew crop dusters for six years.

“It keeps me sharp,” he said, looking at the bi-plane. “It’s more stick and rudder.”

His day job has him commanding an Airbus A-320 out of Phoenix, Arizona, and that aircraft is really more about managing systems and people, he said, whereas the bi-plane requires constant focus.

“You can’t ever relax and each time it teaches me something new,” he said. “It’s very strong in the air.”

After his flight, Winterboer signed a baseball cap bearing the foundation’s logo and gave it to Weaver, who offered a firm handshake.

“Thanks for the flight,” Weaver said.

“Thank you for serving our country,” the pilot said, smiling.

Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation is offering flights out of Branhams Airport today and Friday. For more information, contact Mike Beckham at 843-319-2764.