He’s taken flight many times, descending via parachute a few times too, and always relishing the thrill.
But since moving into aged care at Mercy Place Ave Maria, the 93-year-old didn’t think it would be possible to fly one last time.
Every time the residents of Ave Maria go out in the bus Ernie says to lifestyle co-ordinator Johanna Christenson, “can we go to the airport and have a look?”, and “let’s go have a look at the planes”.
Ms Christenson often tells the residents that it’s her job to maintain the lifestyles of the residents as much as she can.
“So Ernie asked if I could organise a flight for him,” she said.
“After speaking to Ernie’s son Peter, who is more than happy for his father to do this, all it took was a phone call to Shepparton Aerodrome.”
So the long-time flying enthusiast took to the runway in the Sky Hawk IEH-172 alongside pilot Steven Damianopoulos on Thursday after the lifestyle staff helped organise a joy flight.
The sight of the pilot, screwdriver in hand, fiddling with the plane right before take off might have worried some passengers, but not Ernie, who joked as he was being strapped in that he would be parachuting out of the light aircraft at the first opportunity.
A few of the fellas from the home were there to watch the spectacle of their friend in flight.
Aldo, one of the spectators, said he was happy staying safely on the ground because he was holding onto Ernie’s wallet for him, not to mention his chair.
Before they left to head down to the aerodrome, Ernie went and saw the manager of Ave Maria.
“And he said to her, ‘well I’m off, youse have been wonderful, but you haven’t gotten rid of me though, I’ll be back’,” Ms Christenson said.
“Ernie’s got a real sense of humour.”
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