When Dwight Middleton moved to Colorado Springs in July, he was drawn by the city’s natural beauty. But on Monday, he saw it in a different and more fascinating way than he’d ever dreamed possible — from 1,000 feet above the city, in a restored World War II-era biplane.

“This was like heaven for me,” said Middleton, 78. “You get a totally different perspective from up there. It’s a whole new realm, and it’s really nice.”

Middleton, an Air Force veteran and retired teacher, was one of several veterans who on Monday were treated to a sky tour of Colorado Springs, courtesy of a national nonprofit that specializes in delighting seniors and military veterans.

Dream Flights pilot Jeff Klosky addressed the veterans before taking them, one at a time, into the skies above Colorado Springs.

“We are here to say ‘Thank you,’” said Klosky, a former Air Force pilot who now flies for American Airlines.

“Our organization is here to give back to those who have given so much, and to say ‘Thank you’ to our vets who stepped up. It doesn’t matter if you only did admin work, or if you never left the country. You stepped up when your country asked you to.”

Jack Christiansen, who spent three years stateside as a naval surgeon during the Vietnam War, said he appreciated the event, as well as the sentiment behind it.

“It’s nice to see this kind of recognition and respect,” Christiansen said. “We didn’t get a lot of it back then.”

Since its 2011 inception, Dream Flights has been on a perpetual barnstorming tour of the U.S., taking more than 7,000 World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans up in the organization’s Stearman Model 75 biplanes. The open-cockpit warbird has been around since the 1930s, serving as a trainer aircraft for military pilots.

The nonprofit has visited cities in at least 48 states, Klosky said.

“We’ve got a plan for Hawaii coming up,” he said. “And if we haven’t hit Alaska, we’re going to hit it next year.”

As the men sat in a waiting area at Jet Centers of Colorado, some chattered excitedly. A few were visibly nervous, either about flying in an aircraft with an open cockpit, or about the logistical challenges of getting their bodies into the cockpit seat.

Middleton tapped his foot in anticipation of the flight.

“How could you not be excited?” he asked. “I never thought I would be involved in something like this.”

As for maneuvering the seniors into the plane, Klosky and crew chief Brian Corbett had it covered. Years of experience have taught them patience and technique, and several local volunteers were on hand if needed.

“I come from a military family,” said volunteer Brenda Belton, a stylist at SportClips, which is a major Dream Flights donor.

“My father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. My brother is retired Navy, and my sister is still active-duty Navy. We were always raised to respect veterans.”

Taryn Hoyle, Belton’s daughter, heard about the volunteer opportunity and asked to tag along.

“I love volunteering, and I love planes,” Hoyle said. “So this is perfect for me.”

After briefing the veterans on airfield safety, Klosky asked, “So, who’s going first?”

Middleton’s hand shot up.

While the plane taxied toward the runway, Middleton could be seen in the front seat (which Klosky called “First Class”), waving and grinning.

When the biplane returned about 15 minutes later, he was almost — but not quite — speechless.

“That was fantastic,” he said, grinning and shaking hands with Klosky. “Fantastic.”

Klosky, who has been flying with Dream Flights for four years, said that beaming faces like Middleton’s are all the compensation he needs.

“Thanks to generous donations from corporate and private donors, we’re able to make these flights free for people who have given our country so much,” Klosky said. “I don’t want cash. I get paid in smiles.”