Kids Fareham Flying Day

Saturday 23rd July saw Kids Fareham have a full fun packed day.  The group toured the airfield in the buggy, had a go in the simulator, made model gliders, visited the fire station and took an experience flight in one of our specially adapted aircraft.

They had great fun and there were lots of smiles throughout the day.Just before they left they were all presented with a flight certificate to show their achievements.

Oak Lodge Flying Day

A very hot July day saw Oak Lodge come to Aerobility for their flying day, funded by Zurich.

Twelve youngsters with special needs took to the skies as well as enjoying buggy rides around the airfield and making model airplanes.  They also enjoyed flying the simulator.

A good day was had by all judging by the smiles throughout the day.

Aerobility Raffle - Golden Ticket winner announced

Aerobility are happy to report that their recent ‘Golden Ticket’ prize draw was drawn by members of the famous ‘Blades Aerobatic Display Team’ on the last day of the Farnborough Air Show.
We are pleased to announce that the lucky winner with ticket number 0168 was Alan Taylor who lives in Surrey. Alan wins the limited edition Breitling Chronomat Blackbird.
Congratulations to Alan, and we all look forward to the next sensational Aerobility draw.

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Touring Group to Old Warden - written by Aerobility Flyer Brian Jupp

Saturday 16th July saw our smallest touring group trip so far.  Only three members and one instructor flew off to Old Warden airfield to view the Shuttleworth collection.

The flyers were Brian Jupp, Barry Hobkirk and Richard Bulley, accompanied by Stuart Redman–Lusher as instructor.

For a change, the weather was flyable so Richard flew with Stuart, as he needed the hand control and be able to log the flying hours, while I flew with Barry. The trip up was the usual route, via Stokenchurch tower and took about 34 minutes in the Cherokee 6, flown by Barry and just a bit over that for Richard and Stuart. There was a display of old farm machinery and of course the aircraft, firstly in the hangars and later out on the field with some of them being flown.

The route back for Barry and myself was via Stapleford, Thurrock and the M25 corridor, being instructed by Farnborough to fly via Ockham and to approach Blackbushe from the north to keep clear of FIA display. I must be getting better as my landing was ok. Richard and Stuart landed a few minutes after us, having reversed the outbound route.

A shame there were only 3 of us, come on touring group members, don't let us lose this opportunity to fly away as a group!

CTC Aviation staff raise over £6,000 for Aerobility!

UK flying charity Aerobility was presented with a cheque for £6,080 from airline pilot training and resourcing organisation, CTC Aviation at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow.

CTC Aviation staff members raised funds for their chosen charity through a variety of events.  According to Aerobility Chief Executive, Mike Miller-Smith MBE, the donation will provide integral project and programme funding to Aerobility, which relies entirely on donations - in cash and kind - to enable disabled people the opportunity to fly an aeroplane.

Receiving the cheque from CTC Aviation’s President, Rob Clarke, Miller Smith commented

“The life changing work of aviation is only made possible through the support of our industry partners. CTC Aviation has been one of our biggest positive influences and most supportive corporate friends, and the fact that CTC Aviation employees have raised this money themselves through their own initiatives and hard work aptly demonstrates our common bond and shared interest in flight. Together we are changing hundreds of lives through the magic of aviation participation. To celebrate this at Farnborough International Airshow seems very appropriate.”

 As a child, Simon Li was told that, having been diagnosed with dyslexia - could never realise his flying ambitions. Aerobility enabled Simon to complete his PPL in 2010 and was delighted when Aerobility put him in contact with CTC Aviation where, contrary to what he had been told as a child, Simon was able to complete his Multi-Engine Piston (MEP) rating, Instrument Rating (IR) and Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) through the company’s modular “CTC TAKEOFF” professional pilot training course.

CTC Aviation has long supported Aerobility initiatives, having selected Aerobility as its nominated charity for a number of years.  CTC Aviation trainees, instructors and careers advisers are supporting the Aerobility Chalet at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow Futures Day on Friday 15^th July and throughout the public days (Saturday 16^th and Sunday 17^th July) providing an opportunity for aspiring pilots of all abilities to visit the teams and discover more about the opportunities available to them.

CTC Aviation has also donated a ‘CTC EXPERIENCE’ A320 full-flight simulator ride for the Blackbushe Airday raffle being held in support of Aerobility at Blackbushe Airport, Surrey (UK) on Saturday 30th July, 2016. www.blackbusheairday.com

Members of the Aerobility team also join CTC Aviation for its Airline Pilot Careers Events, held at CTC Aviation’s Crew Training Centre – Southampton (UK). Free tickets are now available for the next event on Saturday 30 July, featuring guest speakers from British Airways, Thomas Cook Airlines and Flybe.  Discover more and register for tickets today ctcaviation.com/events

Visit the Aerobility and CTC Aviation team at Farnborough Air Show on Friday 15^th – Sunday 17^th July 2016 farnborough.com along J Row Hinardi Way at the western end of the flight line.

Ends

Media Contact:

Holly Mitchell: Marketing Executive - Communications

CTC Aviation

t: +44 (0)7990 003 447

e: holly.mitchell@l-3com.com

About CTC Aviation

CTC Aviation is a global pilot training and resourcing company providing innovative solutions in partnership with customers around the world.  Latest-generation Crew Training Centres and resources are located at attractive, well-connected, convenient locations in the UK, NZ and USA.

CTC Aviation’s services cover the full spectrum of requirements from ab initio trainee pilot selection, training and airline placement to the more advanced aircrew selection, training and provisioning requirements for experienced pilots, instructors and examiners.

An Internationally Approved Training Organisation (ATO) for ab initio and type rating training, the company trains and recruits approximately 3000 aircrew for more than 50 global airlines each year.

Airline customers include British Airways, Cathay Dragon, easyJet, easyJet Switzerland, fastjet, Flybe, flydubai, IndiGo, Jet2.com, Jet Airways, the Jetstar Group, Monarch Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomson Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

CTC Aviation is an L-3 company. 

About Aerobility

Aerobility is a registered charity offering disabled people, without exception, the opportunity to fly and participate in aviation based activities.  Aerobility removes barriers and offers disabled people a real sense of achievement and life changing freedom.  Aerobility's specially adapted light aircraft fly from various airfields around the UK and every year support over 500 physically disabled, learning-disabled, wounded soldiers and sensory impaired people. Participants are supported to learn to fly, gain independence or employment in aviation.

For more information about Aerobility please visit www.aerobility.com  email info@aerobility.com or call 0303 303 1230

Westgate School Flying Day

A sunny July day was the perfect setting for Westgate School to go flying.

Eight young students took to the sky as well as having a go in the sim, a tour of the the airfield in the buggy and building and then flying model aeroplanes.

There were lots of smiles on the day especially when the group were awarded their flight certificates!
  

Fundraising News - Andy Taylor update

Fundraising news - Andy Taylor in Maastrict Ironman!

As some of you may already know Andy Taylor, a volunteer flying instructor is raising money for Aerobility as he undertakes the massive Masstrict Ironman on 31st July - a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and a 26.2 mile run!

Andy Taylors - Donation page

In the lead up to this mammoth event, Aerobility continue to follow Andy's extreme training regime and here's he latest! 


Andy tells us, "The training is going well thanks. I'm going out on some long rides and runs now and have just completed The Dambuster standard distance triathlon at the weekend. This triathlon is a lot shorter than an Ironman (1.5km swim, 42km cycle, 10km run), but it gave me a good gauge of my fitness at the moment."

When The Dambuster is part of your training regime, there is no doubt in our minds just how huge of an undertaking the Maastrict Ironman is!

Below are some pictures Andy kindly shared with us, from the recent Dambuster. 

Please show your support and sponsor Andy through the link provided above. 

Thank you. 

Brian flies in a Tiger Moth

On 18th June Aerobility flyer, Brian, had the amazing experience of a free flight in a beautiful old Tiger Moth at White Waltham.  This was open to all our flyers.  Judging by the grin I would say Brian enjoyed the experience!

National Kids Flying Day

On 18th June Aerobility were very privileged to host National Kids Flying Day funded by Aviation Without Borders. We welcomed 12 young people with physical and learning disabilities and gave them all a flight in our light aircraft.  For some this was their first time in an aeroplane so it was a momentous day.

The weather held out for us and our instructors did a fantastic job getting all our youngsters in the air.  Most flew out towards Reading and flew over the Madejski Stadium - which is always a popular sight for our football fans.

Upon landing each flyer was given a certificate to commemorate their flight and they all came back smiling.

A massive thank you to Aviation Without Borders for funding such a fantastic day.

Aerobility Touring trip to Wales by Brian Jupp

On 13th May we set off from Blackbushe for our halfway stop at Shobdon, Nathan flying Yankee Yankee with Toby in the right hand seat and me in the back, while Barry flew the PA 32 with Damian. After a change of crews and a leisurely lunch we set off for Llanbedr. Llanbedr is an ex RAF base with VERY long runways and the field is now run by Fly Llanbedr, a fledgling flying school and club which has only been in existence for a couple of years. I had had previous contact with them and they very generously waived the landing fees for us.

We arrived at our hotel, Min Y Mor, right on the front at Barmouth and after finding our room and unpacking, met up in the bar for pre dinner drinks. I had heard that drinking alcohol through a straw made you drunk more easily, tell that to Nathan! I've not seen vodka disappear at that rate of knots since my navy days.

The following morning, Brian Macdonald ( a wildlife expert and local historian ) collected us from the hotel for a trip into the foothills of the Rhynog mountain range in his 4 x 4.

In the afternoon, Damian and Toby took the 28 for some mountain flying lessons and Barry and I shared the 32, with Nathan as passenger flying up the Menai Strait to the Great Orme swapping control from left hand seat to right and flying up the Llanberis pass and round Snowdon – twice! The weather was great and the views awesome.

We had had a request from The Douglas Bader foundation, who sponsored Nathan getting his PPL, to ask if we could do a Dambusters type flypast over the Llyn Brianne dam at midday on Sunday.  On our journey we encounterd a lot of turbulence and trying to keep the 28 in sight was not easy, but with Barrys' timing we arrived at Llyn Brianne bang on time. Dropping down into the valley over the reservoir the turbulence got worse but we managed to fly over the dam to the delight of the crowd of cyclists gathered there, doing a charity cycle ride for the Douglas Bader foundation. 

A slight hiccup on the way back when the engine in the 32 made some noise it shouldn't have done, I said to Barry “Are playing with the levers again” to which he informed that we had run out of fuel in the tank we were on. Swiftly changing tanks, we carried on our merry way. 

It was a very good trip with a lot of laughs.   Here's to the next one.

Gliding opportunity for Aerobility Flyers (25th & 26th June, Derby)

Calling all Aerobility Flyers: Aerobatic gliding and other airsports are available For Aerobility Flyers this weekend at Darley Moor, Derbyshire. Our friends at Flyability (disabled hand gliding/paragliding), Airways-Airsports and Glider FX are running a weekend for disabled people to try their hand at various airsports.

You can learn more about the location and the activities of the airfield at: http://www.airways-airsports.com/

To take up this amazing opportunity please email bridie@aerobility.com confirming your attendance and then just turn up on the day and express your interest to our on site contact Guy Westgate.

Opportunity for Aerobility Flyers to fly Tiger Moth

Aerobility has the amazing opportunity to offer a limited number of free flights (including hoisted flights) in a Tiger Moth at White Waltham Airfield this Saturday 18th June. 

If you're interested in this amazing opportunity please contact brian@aerobility.com for more information.