World War II-Era Aircraft Visit World’s Third Busiest Airport

With its top speed of 124 mph, the Boeing Stearman wasn’t exactly built for the hustle and bustle of a major international airport in 2024. The over-90-year-old aircraft were first developed in the 1930s and became widely used as trainers throughout World War II.

Nearly 11,000 Stearmans were built, but only around 1,000 are still flying. Earlier this week, a handful of these biplanes descended on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a special mission.

Dream Flights provides veterans with a flight in a vintage biplane. (Photo: Dream Flights)

Founded in 2011, a charity called Dream Flights provides veterans with the “adventure of a lifetime” flying in a Stearman biplane. The nonprofit organization conducts these flights all around the U.S. free of charge.

The group’s visit to DFW was even more special, flying its 7,000th participant in 99-year-old WWII veteran Carlyle Hayes, who joined three other senior veterans.

Stearman aircraft at DFW Airport (Photo: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)

“I’ve never ridden in an open cockpit aircraft, so this will be [the] first time,” U.S. Air Force veteran Jerry Brown told KTVT-TV.

The flights lasted around half an hour, arriving and departing from DFW, which is the world’s third-busiest airport. Both American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) sponsored the event.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

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