Pilot, 97, to Take Off from McCollum

A 97-year-old woman who has longed to be in the open cockpit of a bi-plane one final time will get her wish Thursday morning.

At 9:30 a.m., Vilma Hofer and her son will take off from McCollum Field in Kennesaw and enjoy a ride over Atlanta.

Hofer, who lives at the Freedom Pointe Roswell assisted living facility, is the first certified female pilot in the former Czechoslovakia, said Andrea Turner, the spokeswoman for Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, which operates Freedom Pointe Roswell.

Brookdale, Wish of a Lifetime and Bi-Plane Adventures have partnered to make Hofer's bi-plane ride over Atlanta possible.

"It’s been more than five years since she has been in a plane," Turner said. "Hofer longs to fly again, feeling the wind against her face."