PENN TWP — Carl Baker of Lancaster Township had never won anything in his life.

“I guess I was saving up for this,” said the recent Texas transplant.

Baker sported a soaring grin Wednesday as he watched the vintage 1974 Piper Warrior airplane he won in a charity raffle lightly touch down on the sun-baked runway at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.

“Suh-weet!” he exclaimed as the plane taxied to a stop.

Baker won the white plane with orange detailing and plaid 1970s seats through a nationwide raffle operated twice per year by Wings of Hope in St. Louis.

The organization earns about $325,000 per raffle for its mission to provide transport — free of charge — to those who need medical treatment or surgery within a 900-mile radius of St. Louis.

Wings of Hope and its 16 volunteer pilots also use aviation to provide medevac flights and access to health care to remote communities in 10 countries other than the United States.

Don Kukla, chairman of the Wings of Hope board of directors, flew from St. Louis to the local airport to see Baker collect his prize before making his way back to St. Louis with the organization's chief pilot, Dick Horowitz.

Horowitz flew the Warrior to Butler and handed Baker the keys in front of the plane's gleaming propeller.

He said Wings of Hope receives 10 to 15 donated airplanes each year, and one year received 39 donated crafts.

“That is one of our big revenue streams,” Horowitz said.

Kukla said the donated planes are raffled, sold, used in the field or parted out by Wings of Hope.

He said 5,000 raffle tickets have been sold biannually each year for the past few years. Before that, the raffle was conducted once per year.

The much-anticipated raffle has been held for seven years.

Baker, a pilot since 2002, circled his shiny new ride before checking out the interior and engine.

He deemed the $195 he spent for three raffle tickets well worth the investment.

“One of the great things about (the Warrior) is they have completely redone the instrumentation panel with modern avionics,” Baker said.

Baker has bought Wings of Hope raffle tickets seven times over the years.

“They do great work, and the raffle is just another way to help them do that,” he said.

Baker will keep the plane in his hangar at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.

He won't need training to fly the craft because he once owned a Piper Cherokee 140, which is the predecessor to the Warrior.

“This is the first really modern version of the Cherokee,” Baker said.

He said the plane is what is known in recreational aviation as a “two plus two,” meaning it can comfortably seat two adults and two children.

“It has the same paint scheme as when it left the factory,” Baker added.

The pilots quickly bonded as Horowitz gave Baker tips on operating the aircraft while Kukla looked on.

“It's a vintage plane with modern avionics,” Baker said.

“And it's for a vintage pilot,” Horowitz retorted.

Horowitz and Kukla praised Baker for his support of Wings of Hope over the years.

“Wings of Hope is a fabulous organization and we very much appreciate everyone who supports us, so we can help everybody who needs it,” he said.