Dream Flights: Giving back to those who have given
Story and photos by Shawn Byers
(Editor’s note: Unfortunately, we couldn’t publish Shawn’s article ahead of the CenterPoint Energy Dayton Airshow but present it now with our wishes for great success!). It is a real pleasure to bring you this feel-good story in advance of the CenterPoint Energy Dayton Airshow. Darryl Fisher is giving back to veterans with no-charge, 15-minute flights in a Stearman Biplane. I was surprised to learn that Darryl was not a Veteran himself. I thought, there must be a connection. His father was enlisted U.S. Army but even that was not Darryl’s reason.
Darryl told me, “Dream Flights started by accident”. In 2011, Darryl’s father had a hot-red 1940 Stearman restored in Mississippi, but he had aged and could not maintain his flight medical certificate. He asked Darryl, who is a commercial rated pilot, to fly it back to his home in Oregon. The trip took 15 fuel stops. Because of Darryl’s utmost respect for veterans, he asked at every fuel stop if any veterans were around and if they wanted to go for a ride. By the time he arrived in Oregon, Darryl had conducted 25 flights. It was a mutually magical experience. Darryl’s wife suggested they form a non-profit organization and dive into this. Fourteen years and 7,400+ flights later, the successful venture utilizes 7 aircraft from their homebase in Carson City, Nevada. With a particular focus on senior living communities, they have visited 49 states and provide 600-800 Dream Flights to World War II, Korea and Vietnam Veterans annually.
Why is this Nevada based operation in Dayton, Ohio? The Chairman of the Dayton Airshow is a Mason, and he runs the area Masonic Veteran Homes. After the airshow was completed, Darryl and Dream Flights planned to fly 25 of those veterans.
By the time I got onto the ramp Thursday, a flight in the T-6 was ready to go. The yellow Stearman was there but the newer acquired T-6 was the aircraft of choice as some younger veterans were on the schedule. The ceilings were low and the air a little bumpy. Onboard was Charlie White, an Army Veteran from 1967 to 1970 including a tour in Vietnam in 1968-69, attached to military intelligence in downtown Saigon. I caught up with him afterward, he was smiling but acknowledged the rough air.
Next up was Angie Swartz. She is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Holland stationed in Guam and sailing to Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, earning her “Shellback” for crossing the equator. She is extra proud to be the past Commander of VFW Post 5435 in Union, Ohio where she is currently the Junior Vice Commander. Under her watch, 5434 was a two-time All-American Post. She is also working at the airshow in Chalet 17 for the City of Vandalia.
Thomas Bell, not pictured, was not scheduled to fly with Dream Flights this day but drove 5 hours to fly on the B-29, “Doc”. Unfortunately, due to weather, all flights on “Doc” were canceled. It was a tough situation, but Thomas maintained a sunny attitude about it all. Dream Flights arranged to fly him in the Stearman so he wouldn’t go home without a flight of any kind. Thomas is 87 years old and served in the U.S. Army from 1960-62. He had a degree in physics and worked on the Pershing Missile at the White Sands Missile Range. While he was there, he obtained a master’s degree from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. I had hoped to catch up with Thomas as he returned in a rain shower, but I was unable to.
Due to changing winds, all flights were canceled for the day.
Fast forward to Friday morning, I was onboard the T-6 with Darryl for a brief flight around the pattern. The sun was bright and the air smooth. It was a pleasure to be onboard and I wish the veterans had this kind of weather the day before.
After some makeup flights, the aircraft were moved to a static location for the airshow. Darryl said, “We like fingerprints on our airplanes”. Anyone who wished to do so could climb up and sit in the seat. I also noticed one of their sponsors, Sport Clips, within the cordon prepared to give haircuts to any veteran that wanted one.
I encourage you to spread the word and learn more about the great work being done by Dream Flights through their website below. If you are a veteran, you can apply for a Dream Flight or nominate a veteran for one at a nearby event. This not-for-profit organization relies on your donations to fulfill their mission of giving back to Veterans, a mission they will never give up on.
Legacy Airbase has an overlapping mission with Dream Flights as it is an immersive living museum. Personal artifacts donated along the journey will now be displayed and all vehicles and aircraft will be operational. Veterans who visit can choose which aircraft they want to fly in or just sit in one. The T-6 is attached to the airbase and the website is available below.
I wish to thank Sheila Wallace for the opportunity to be a part of this project, Darryl Fisher and his staff at Dream Flights, and the Veterans I met letting me be a part of their story this day. I hope that our reach at Photorecon.net can spread the word of this wonderful organization.
