Senior citizens take to the skies
Some of the senior citizens were nervous, others had a fear of heights, but all of them enjoyed the flights.
Over 40 aircraft, including helicopters, warbirds, and general aviation fixed-wing and rotary-wing planes, took to the skies at the Brakpan Benoni Airfield on April 22 with 300 senior citizens who had never flown in a small aircraft or at all.
Elders Flight, organised by captain Felix Gosher, aims to give underprivileged elderly folk a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The elderly chosen for the experience took turns in small groups to fly on various aircraft. Each aircraft took a brief fly-about around town before landing at the airfield.
The participants received a shirt and a lanyard, jokingly referred to as their “wings”, after they completed a flight to identify who had and had not gone on a flight.
Another feature of Elders Flight is the return to cockpit opportunities awarded to military aviation veterans, who sat in the cockpit with captains as co-pilots.
The event relies solely on sponsors and this year, they came out in droves.
Though the event was only open to senior citizens, pilots, invitees and the media, it was a lively affair with food stalls and stalls selling aircraft memorabilia.
The elderly were also treated to music by the Education Africa All-Star Marimba Band, the Pretoria Girls High wind band, and the Parktown Girls High marimba band.
The Jeppe Boys High bagpipe band accompanied the military veterans’ ceremony after the flights.
