For an American war veteran, flying brought back memories of a death-defying career. That’s how Joe Peterburs felt when he recently flew a vintage P-51 Mustang over McKinleyville, California to celebrate his birthday.

The retired United States Air Force colonel not only awed those who watched him fly the combat plane upside down but he did it at the age of 100, ABC News reported.

Aside from flying and surviving 49 combat missions during World War II, Peterburs also flew 76 combat missions during the Korean War and served a tour of duty during the Vietnam War before retiring in 1969, according to ABC News.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old American pilot literally had a chilling flight in June.

Ethan Guo was en route to Ushuaia, Argentina from Punta Arenas Island in southern Chile, on the last leg of his mission to set a world record as the youngest solo round-the-world flier and at the same time raise funds for cancer patients, when his plane’s engine and radio failed, forcing him to land on an island on 28 June.

Guo was arrested upon landing at the Chilean military base on King George Island off the coast of Antarctica and charged with providing false flight information, according to Chilean officials, ABC News reports.

Chilean authorities were skeptical of Guo’s story, especially since landing in Antarctica would complete his quest to fly solo to all seven continents and set a world record. Guo had flown to six continents and Antarctica was the last continent he had to land in.

Guo was later permitted to leave the island without his plane for his safety, but the young pilot would not budge because he wanted to return home with the single engine aircraft.