TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - He flew fighter planes for the Army Air Corps in World War two but he never experienced a parachute jump.
Today Earl Scott experienced a skydive, even though he's over 90 years old.
People who love skydiving are probably sick of the old joke that asks, "why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Now you can add to that, why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane if you're 94 years old.?>
94 years will not stop Earl Scott. For him, exhilarating moment in the air connects to a more dangerous time in the air more than 60 years ago.
He flew P-51 Mustangs in World War Two, never had to use his parachute then but saw others jump for their lives.
KGUN9 reporter Craig Smith asked him: “During the war when people used parachutes they were in trouble. You're doing this voluntarily.”
Scott: Yes of course that's why I saw so many of them. Their airplanes were on fire and some of the airplanes were coming apart, wings coming off.
Of course the world has changed, and Earl Scott is different from the young pilot in the skies over wartime Europe.
But he told his friends he was curious about parachuting and determined to give skydiving a try.
Craig Smith asked him: "Did the word crazy come up? Did they use that in your direction?”
Scott: “Oh yeah. And a lot of other words that I didn't think were applicable to....."
But he was determined. He went to Skydive Arizona in Eloy and his friends at Desert Springs Retirement Communitycame along to watch him jump.
Johnny Reitz says, “I was a little shocked, I think, then, knowing Earl, it's just one of those things."
So Earl Scott stepped out of a plane at 13 thousand feet, strapped to an instructor for some flying without a plane, and a soft landing in front of an appreciative audience.
And now he's deciding what his next adventure will be.
"Yeah I guess I'm that kind of person.” He laughed.
