'It's just fun:' 105-year-old woman flies plane with grandson for her birthday

SEARCY, Ark. (KATV) — An Arkansas woman turning 105 took to the sky for her birthday.

“It is just fun," said Opal Bailey. "You can just see so much and see a part of the world.”

Opal Bailey was born in 1918 just 15 years after the first plane was invented.

With less than a week until her birthday, she wanted to celebrate in the sky with her grandson Lance.

Pretty much she was asking," said Lance Bailey. "A few weeks ago she started asking if she was going to get to go flying this year and we are not going to say no.

Opal said she would never turn down a trip.

“I’m glad to go, it is always fun.”

They started this tradition when she turned 80 years old and have continued it for each decade of her life.

She had never flown with me and that is what she really wanted for her birthday," said Lance Bailey. "So, we took her up for a flight. At the time my grandad was still alive so we all got to go flying. We just jokingly said ‘well we will do it again in 10 more years’. 10 more years came pretty quick so we went again. Another 10 years came by and so for her 100th birthday, we were right here doing this again.

Her family said she asked for a plane ride this year, so they thought 105 was good enough.

But Opal doesn’t just fly, she’s a true co-pilot.

Lance said sharing this moment with his grandmother is something they can both cherish forever.

It is hard to put that in words," said Lance Bailey. "So few people have a grandmother or a relative that is 105. Just the fact that she is alive is amazing, much less healthy enough to crawl into an airplane and go flying

Opal said as long as they let her, she’ll keep getting on the plane.

“Well okay I guess we will work it out," said Opal Bailey. "They will take care of it. Keep me advised. Keep me updated.”

Opal officially turns 105 on Tuesday, May 16.

She even joked and said if someone would do it with her, she might skydive out of the plane.