For most of us, simply waking up on our 100th birthday might be enough for the day but Thomas Guy Reynolds, of Martinsburg, W. Va., had a tradition to uphold when he hit the centennial mark on Friday. He’s taken his Evektor SportStar for a few loops around the patch on his birthday for the past few years and he hopes this flight wasn’t his last. “I hope to fly on my 101st birthday,” Reynolds told the Martinsburg Journal.
Reynolds, who always flies with another pilot, said the air was smooth for his birthday flight. Along for the ride was Bart Rogers, who said he just enjoyed the view and didn’t touch the controls. “It is a thrill to fly with someone who’s 100 years old,” Rogers said. “He’s as sharp as a tack.” Reynolds has a long history of service to the local aviation community. He commanded its first Civil Air Patrol wing and served two terms as chairman of the West Virginia Aeronautics Commission. “I’m just blessed, that’s all I can say,” Reynolds said. “I’m lucky I can fly. I feel comfortable in the air, relaxed and I enjoy it.”
