Texas retired pilot finds way to stay close to life he loved [Video]

DALLAS — Bill Cole, 82, lives alone, but a few times a day, he steps onto his balcony to see the apple of his eye and the light of his life: the Dallas Love Field Airport.

“It just brings back a lot of memories seeing those airplanes,” Cole said. “I wish I was still doing it.”

Cole’s adoration for aviation started about 60 years ago when he joined the Air Force, served in Vietnam and then became a pilot for Southwest Airlines. Along the way, he achieved almost all he ever wanted in an airplane.

“I never wanted to jump out of one though,” Cole laughed.

He retired in 2002, but says he could’ve flown much longer if federal regulations hadn’t required him to retire when he turned 60.

“I just really feel blessed that that’s where I wound …