CHICAGO — A father-daughter duo will take flight Sunday to mark the end of a United Airlines captain’s 38-year career.

The Bales family has been flying for more than 60 years.

“Every day I’m flying when I show up to work I just can’t believe I get paid to do that,” Ally Bales said.

You could say her love for flying the friendly skies is in her DNA. The first officer shared the cockpit with her father.

“When you look over, it’s your dad next to you, not just someone else from the 16,000 pilots that we have at United Airlines,” Ally said.

Capt. Chris Bales is preparing for his final flight after 38 years. He’s set to take off this weekend before he reaches the federally mandated-retirement age of 65.

“It feels a little weird because it’s always something I knew was out there, but now it’s here,” Chris said.

The father-daughter duo will fly round-trip from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport.

But this route is significant because it’s the first one he ever flew with United.

“I don’t know that I could sit in an office for six or eight hours,” Chris said. “But this is my office and I do sit in it for 14 hours sometimes.”

Chris flew with his father, two brothers and now he’s passing the torch to his daughter.

“She’s always picked things up pretty quick so I knew she’d be good at this and she is,” Chris said.

The two feared that flight would never come to fruition.

Ally got her wings in July, less than a year before her dad has to hang up his hat.

“To make it through flight school, to put the years in to make it to this point and then have so many different options and avenues that you can go down, but to be at United where he is and to be able to get here before he retires, it’s been quite incredible,” Ally said.

It’s a family legacy Ally she is honored to continue.

Several family members will be joining them on board their flights this weekend.

United is also planning a water canon salute to celebrate the captain on Saturday.