OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – Dream Flights landed in Oshkosh on Tuesday to honor seniors and veterans from Evergreen Retirement Community with free flights of a lifetime in restored World War II biplanes.

The first flight began at 9:00 a.m. at Wittman Regional Airport, and Dream Flights’ mission is giving back to those who gave.

During a 20-minute flight, Dream Flyers experienced the freedom and exhilaration of soaring 1,000 feet in the air in an iconic, open-cockpit biplane.

“The magic of a Dream Flight is an exhilarating experience, one that stays with them until their last days,” said Dream Flights founder Darryl Fisher. “They take off in the Stearman at 95 or 100 years old, and they land feeling 25-30 years younger.”

Following the flight, the Dream Flyers received a signed Dream Flight baseball hat in addition to a group photo and a customized certificate of them sitting in the cockpit of the plane.

“One of our goals at Evergreen is to provide our residents with meaningful experiences that help keep their lives as large as possible. Dream Flights is doing just that,” said Evergreen VP of Marketing and Business Development Theresa Brockman. “We are so grateful for the Dream Flights organization and for the opportunity to take part”

Officials say that Dream Flights has honored close to 6,000 veterans and seniors living in long-term care communities since 2011.

Dream Flights pilots, who primarily fly for major airlines and are active duty or retired military veterans themselves, volunteer their time to fly these veterans in the country’s largest fleet of restored/fully operational Stearman bi-planes.