Local Residents Enjoy Dream Flight

The first puff of smoke is visible as the motor starts to crank up on the Boing Stearman aircraft as Pilot Darryl Fisher (rear seat) and guest passenger Bud Garner prepare to take flight. (photo D.Hubbard)

Oskaloosa, Iowa – When you first rolled up to the airport, the old bi-planes jumped out and grabbed your attention. The Boeing Stearman aircraft sat patiently waiting for their next passengers.

Two biplanes of Ageless Aviation Dreams sat ready. Pilot of the day, Darryl Fisher, talked about what drives him to share his planes with military seniors. “I was in the senior housing business, and I love to fly. So I got to thinking you know I have the airplanes, our WWII veterans like Bud have given so much to this country why don’t I give back a little bit too. I formed a non-profit organization called Ageless Aviation Dreams.” Fisher travels all around the country taking veterans on flights.

Plans are to head towards Missouri and Kansas after their flights in Oskaloosa.

Bud Garner gives a quick wave as they prepare to taxi out to the runway. (photo D.Hubbard)

“I take veterans and seniors in assisted living communities and retirement communities rides,” Fisher said about how he chooses his passengers. “It’s sort of giving back to those who have given, it’s kind of my mission.”

Fisher says he’s been flying for 29 years, but he’s been giving rides to vets since April in his 1940 Boeing Stearman.The Boeing Stearman aircraft design was the primary trainer that trained pilots in WWII, Fisher says. After a pilot had graduated from the Stearman, they would have moved onto a fighter trainer or bomber trainer.

The airplane he was using today had been his grandfathers plane when he had purchased the plane in 1946. His dad flew the red and while biplane to Oskaloosa. Fisher says that his grandmother was also a pilot. Coincidentally,Fisher has owned the red and white Boeing Stearman also for 29 years.

Bud Garner (left) and Darryl Fisher shake hands shortly after landing. (photo D.Hubbard)

Fisher is from Nevada, and he flew to Spokane Washington where he joined up with his dad Bill. Then they took off for the Dakota’s and continued flying to Minnesota and Wisconsin. Around the first of August, they stored the aircraft in Oskaloosa and went home. After the days flights, they are then heading to Kansas and then to Blakesburg for a fly-in. From there he says he’s going on to Illinois, Indiana and finally Kentucky where they will turn for home, offering rides along the way. By the time Fisher gets home, he will have given about 50 rides.

The first rider of the day was Bud Garner. Once on the ground, I spoke with Bud and of course the first question I had to ask him was about his ride. “Wonderful,” was the response that came with a smile. “It was great”.

Marion Sherman (seated) gets ready to take flight with Darryl Fisher. (photo D.Hubbard)

Bud joined the service and was part of the Cavalry. “I rode a horse,” he said. “That was where I took my training,” Bud said. Bud served in WWII in the Philippines and from there he went to Japan. “Then I got to come home. I was awful glad to get home,” Bud says after serving for nearly two and a half years.

Bud’s sisters says that while Bud was in Japan, he got to meet up with his brother-in-law in Tokyo, something that wasn’t a common experience during the war. He also had three bothers that served as well during the war. Two of them joined the Army Air Corp and the other joined the Army.

Sitting there looking at the aircraft after landing, and still happy from his ride, Bud once again reiterated his feelings at the moment. “That’s great, I’m telling ya.” Bud described the ride as, “Stuff was really pretty.”

Sherman (left) and Fisher (right) make final preparations before taking off on Wednesday. (photo D.Hubbard)

Bud said Darryl took him over Oskaloosa where he got a good look.

Marion Sherman was next to ride. “I haven’t been in one of those before,” he said pointing towards the shiny biplane sitting on the tarmac. “My Dad use to take me flying in Osky when the airport was there and we have been out here [Oskaloosa Municipal] a couple of times before he passed away.” He said that when he was asked about being able to take the flight today, Sherman said “Sure.” Sherman continued, “I didn’t ask who the pilot was or anything, sure I’d go.” Sherman said he had never been in a biplane before.

When Sherman was in the service, “I was basically a ground pounder, then went to an armored unit,” where he served in Germany. Sherman says that his time in the military was a lot of fun as well, saying there were many things to see.

Sending out the smoke trail as they take off, putting on a show for us on the ground, Fisher banks towards Oskaloosa. (photo D.Hubbard)

Bill Fisher is Darryl’s father. Fisher said his son had a ’69 GTO Judge with a 400 Ram Air that he was attempting to find all the parts to take it back to stock, and according to Bill, that was all Darryl could talk about. Darryl talked his grandfather into letting him take up an ultralight craft one day, and he was hooked from there. According to Bill, the GTO never got completed because the love of flying had taken over Darryl.

You can visit Ageless Aviation Dreams on the web at http://www.agelessaviationdreams.org/ where you can learn more about the program, and other ways to help.