SPOTLIGHT: Love of flying knows no age limits

GALESBURG, Ill. — Fred Haehnel enjoyed the freedom. Cecil Hollenberg got a kick out of bumping around in blue skies.

Both men — retired veterans living in assisted care facilities in Galesburg — flew in a Stearman biplane last week, courtesy of Ageless Aviation Dreams. Haehnel is 92 years old, lives in The Kensington and is no stranger to Stearmans.

The event was part of the 40th annual National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg Municipal Airport.

"I've flown in them before," he said after a ride with Darryl Fisher in Fisher's 1940 Boeing Stearman. "I used to own one of those planes — until it got too expensive."

Haehnel, who has lived in Galesburg for 25 years, attended the University of Iowa with John Glenn and joined the Naval Air Force cadet preflight program there.

Haehnel and the famous astronaut/senator moved to an air base in Kansas, where they trained in the Stearman biplanes. After training, Haehnel and Glenn moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, for advanced training on multi-engine PBY-5A planes, used for night bombings and air sea rescue and reconnaissance.

Soon after training ended, Glenn entered the Marines and Haehnel stuck with the Navy. He was shipped to Australia and then the jungles of New Guinea during the war.

After Haehnel finished his ride, he said he "just loved the idea of being up in the air again."

"Along with that, it's nice to get out," he said. "It's nice to be around people and be around the planes. I just love it."

Hollenberg followed Haehnel. The 89-year-old retired farmer lived most of his life around rural Roseville. He lives in Hawthorne Inn and said he was "surprised" when he learned he'd get to fly in a Stearman.

"I had never been in one of those before," the veteran Army Signal Corps soldier said. "It was fantastic. I just loved bumping around up there."

Hollenberg served in Europe in 1942, got out of the military in 1945 and married Naomi in 1948. She — along with daughter Cheri Singleton and son-in-law Todd Singleton — accompanied Hollenberg on his big day.

"It was a great time," Hollenberg said. "Just great to get out in the sky."

That's the goal of Fisher, who founded Ageless Aviation Dreams earlier this year.

"The goal is to fly seniors and veterans who live in assisted living or retirement homes," said Fisher, who is from Carson City, Nev., and flying his Stearman out of Galesburg for the first time this summer.