Turns to make a point

Bremner, a retired media executive who now works as a corporate jet pilot, took on the cause for personal reasons. His mother, he said in an interview, was the victim of financial fraud.

He soon discovered he was far from alone. According to the National Council on Aging, the rate of reported elder abuse, which includes physical abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, may have doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to one study, about one in 10 people aged 60 or older experienced some form of elder abuse prior to the pandemic, while more recent studies suggest that rate increased to one in five during the pandemic. Another study estimated that only one in 24 cases are actually reported.

"The authorities will not prosecute it. They see it as a family issue… and it's not," Bremner said. So he founded a nonprofit organization, the Elder Abuse Air Force, and began using airplanes to raise awareness. In June 2022, Bremer flew an Eclipse 550 from Orlando, Florida, to Washington, D.C., and then to Niagara Falls, where he circled the famous falls with three warbirds operated by the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association, drawing media coverage. The Condor Squadron joined Bremner over Los Angeles later that year, attracting more press. Bremner made another flight in November 2022 that circled the CN Tower in Toronto 68 times, raising $2,000 for Alzheimer's disease research and drawing more news cameras to the airport.

More recently, Bremner flew a Piper Cherokee 140 registered to the Elder Abuse Air Force around the Hollywood sign 50 times in October 2025. After falling short of the fundraising goal to benefit the Orange County chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, he circled the Huntington Beach Pier and Santa Monica Pier at various times in the months that followed until surpassing the goal and donating $5,450 to the charity in March. While his mother does not suffer from the disease, Bremner said he chose to direct contributions to that organization because those who suffer from Alzheimer's and other forms of cognitive impairment are far more vulnerable to abuse, including financial crimes.

He chose the flight plan—circling landmarks for hours at a time, months on end—based on his personal experience trying to convince Canadian prosecutors to pursue criminal charges.

"Reporting elder financial fraud is kind of like chasing your tail and running in a circle," Bremner said.

He calls the mission he is now planning for June 15 a "circle of protection," and hopes other pilots will join him in the effort, circling landmarks in their own areas, and telling their stories. It's a statistical near certainty that an organization the size of AOPA has many members who have been or will be victims, or who are family members of those affected by various forms of abuse. Bremner encourages everyone who has been touched by the issue to post their stories on social media (with the hashtag #Circle Of Protection), and build awareness.

"We need to show the faces of the people whose loved ones have been affected by elder financial fraud and abuse," Bremner said.

Bremner plans to launch his Cherokee with its custom Elder Abuse Air Force livery from John Wayne/Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California, on June 15, and to seek additional donations to the Alzheimer's Association. He intends to circle the Santa Monica Pier for an hour starting at 10 a.m. Pacific time, followed by a half-hour around the Huntington Beach Pier starting at 12:30 p.m. Bremner posted additional details online, along with an invitation to fellow pilots to contact him if they are interested in coordinating.

The former marketing executive views the issue from a marketing perspective, and compared it to drunken driving, which was once largely ignored until organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving helped center it in public conversation. "This is exactly where elder abuse is today," Bremner said. "We are using aviation as a centerpiece to attract attention and then to deliver the message about elder abuse."