The sky over the Allegheny County Airport was heavy with impending showers when Thomas Hill and his wife arrived yesterday afternoon in a white stretch limousine.

When Mr. Hill emerged he was greeted by a crew of three children and five grandchildren. Mr. Hill, who turned 84¹/₂ yesterday, slowly stepped out onto the runway.

Dressed in full pilot's garb -- black leather flying jacket, green pilot's cap and gold tie -- from his days as a pilot and flight instructor for the Army Air Forces during World War II at bases in this country, and later, as a member of the Mustang Pilot's Association, Mr. Hill was ready to fly again.

He saluted members of the American Legion's Baldwin Post 935 honor guard, there to mark his service with a 21-gun salute.

Mr. Hill, of Oakmont, served in the military from 1943 to 1945. After his discharge, he attended Duquesne University Law School and later worked for what was then Rockwell International as a corporate lawyer. Flying remained his lifelong hobby and passion.

Despite a long battle with Alzheimer's, Lewy body disease and restricting physical conditions, in addition to uncertain weather conditions, his beaming smile was unmistakable as he was led toward the Cessna 177 Cardinal.

Gusts of wind flapped against the flags held at attention by the Legion members, as Mr. Hill was assisted into the two-seater single-prop plane by 21-year-old Jamie Shidel-Holmes, president of a White Oak-based nonprofit group, Jamie's Dream Team, which organized the flight. Ms. Shidel-Holmes' organization helps fulfill the wishes of individuals in Western Pennsylvania suffering from serious illnesses.

Jamie and her mother, Kim Shidel, of White Oak, founded Jamie's Dream Team in response to dealing with several of Jamie's serious medical conditions, including the absence of a thyroid and one kidney.

"We couldn't do what we do without [help]," said Ms. Shidel. "It's everyone working together. It's a win-win situation for everybody."

Jamie's organization pulled together the day in response to an e-mail two weeks ago from Mr. Hill's wife, Virginia. They found a pilot from a flying club at the Allegheny County Airport who donated a final flight to Mr. Hill.

After being buckled in next to the pilot in the small cockpit, he was forced to leave the plane because of a storm.

After being helped out of the plane, he sipped on a cola and munched a chocolate bar in the airport lobby, reminiscing about his "grand career" as pilot of a Mustang P-51, which he called "the greatest fighter plane in the world." He sat obligingly for photos and "sparkled" for the cameras at his wife's request, expressing gratitude for his family and for the opportunity to fly.

When the rain finally subsided, Mr. Hill's flight took off. Even before he became airborne, Mr. Hill said that despite the wait, "it was all worth it, just to come down and get everyone all excited."

From his perch next to the pilot, Mr. Hill relived his love of aviation and got a bird's-eye view of Downtown.

After the roughly 20-minute flight, it was back into the limo for another treat: a romantic dinner with his wife at the Oakmont Country Club.