United Flying Octogenarians land at Danbury Airport
The organization began in 1982 with a handful of members and now boasts about 1,700 people worldwide. A few dozen made the trip to Danbury for the UFO’s annual Northeast meetup. A dozen planes touched down for the reunion, while other members made the trip by car.
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If you were around the Danbury Airport on Wednesday, you might have noticed some UFOs in the sky. That’s United Flying Octogenarians, a social club for pilots who are 80 and older.
The organization began in 1982 with a handful of members and now boasts about 1,700 people worldwide. A few dozen made the trip to Danbury for the UFO’s annual Northeast meetup. A dozen planes touched down for the reunion, while other members made the trip by car.
The group included Ed Galkin, who arrived from New Jersey in his Cessna with his wife, and was the event’s featured speaker.
Galkin, who’s 90 years old, has flown his single-engine plane around the world four times. Last year, he set the Guinness World Record as the oldest pilot to circle the Atlantic. His flights have raised more than $2 million to fight polio.
“To me, 90 is just a number. I’ve been pretty lucky. I have pretty good genetics. I have no medical issues,” Galkin told News 12. “I'm going to fly until I can't fly any longer. Every day is precious to me, and I know it's not going to be forever.”
Wife Bobbie Galkin also has her pilot's license. She said these days, she leaves the flying to her husband.
“I take care of the radios, and I take care of telling him, ‘Yes, yes, yes. Go where you want to go,” Bobbie Galkin shared. “I never said no ever in all of our 65 years of marriage because he thinks he's a bird, and he loves it.’”
PRIOR COVERAGE: UFOs invade Danbury Airport for annual meetup
