Senior Star Employees Get Surprise Ride On Classic Plane In Tulsa

A surprise flight aboard a vintage aircraft was the experience for a group of Senior Star employees in town for a leadership conference.

The Flagship Detroit, a fully restored DC3, was delivered to American Airlines in March of 1937 and carried passengers for 10 years. Now it flies mostly to airshows.

"We've been everywhere from Vancouver to Key West and from Montreal to San Diego and everywhere in between," said Pilot Dave Buffington.

The Flagship Detroit is at Jones Riverside to give employees of Senior Star the ride of a lifetime.

The company operates senior living communities in six states and is holding the annual leadership forum in Tulsa.

CEO Anja Rogers said the flights will give employees a unique experience, and something more.

"Putting them in that place and time in that moment to get the full experience of those they serve," Rogers said.

Once up in the air, they got to experience flying like back in the good old days.

The average age of Senior Star residents is 85, so those who flew may have done it that way.

A short trip around downtown and back to Riverside gave the employees a little taste of what used to be, which is what Buffington loves about flying the old bird all the time.

"After flying jets for 30 years, it’s nice flying low and slow and watching the countryside go by slowly," he said.

There are 120 Senior Star Employees in Tulsa this week. They all got a chance to fly on the Flagship Detroit.