Good Afternoon Aerobility!
Here in the Aerobility HQ at Blackbushe, we’re all hopefully
peering out of the windows for any signs of spring. With overcast skies and
snow flurries dampening our spirits somewhat, we have been keeping ourselves busy
until the warm weather arrives!
Some of what we do best…
The Aerobility motto of “something worth flying for” is
demonstrated time and time again by the people we meet and the stories we
discover. At the heart of everything that we do
remains the belief that flying can truly change lives. It is as a result of the
hard work of Aerobility’s instructors that this belief comes to life. In a
recent flight, CFI Mike Owen demonstrated how, with a bit of hard work and a
lot of enthusiasm, the barriers that prevent people from sharing in the joy of
aviation can be broken down.
Aerobility were contacted by the
father of a young boy called Thomas, who had heard about our work but was
unsure if his son’s complex needs would prevent him from taking part. Thomas
requires a special seating system, which his father explained would need to be
fitted into the aircraft to enable him to take part in a flight. The family
visited Blackbushe and were met by Mike Owen, who spent time trialling the
seating system in our fixed-base PA-28 simulator. With this trial successful,
the next step was to see if the seating system would fit in the real aircraft –
all fingers and toes were tightly crossed by now! The seating system again
fitted safely and securely, and the barriers to Thomas’ dream of flying were
finally removed.
Having reached this point, Mike
decided that the only thing left to do was to go flying! With a clear schedule
and good weather it was up, up, up and away. The help and support of Aerobility,
as well as the determination of Thomas’ father, allowed Thomas to share an
amazing experience with his parents. The flight, Thomas’ father told us, will
be “a lifetime memory for us all.”
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| Thomas during his flight with Aerobility |
We also have a new addition to our equipment base, which we
hope will enhance the flying opportunities for many more memebers. Thanks to long
term Aerobility supporter and member, Chris Suddes, members now have the use of
an ultra-portable folding wheelchair that can be dismantled and folded small
enough to be carried in the hold of the Warrior. It is hoped that this will
assist those members who require wheelchair use at a land away, but whose own
wheelchair may be too large for carriage in the aircraft.
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| The new wheelchair alongside the simulator. |
Making the news again….
As some of the more observant blog-readers among you may
have noticed, we reported yesterday that Mike Miller-Smith was a feature on
Anne Diamond’s BBC Radio Berkshire show. The interview was a great success, and
Anne took such a shine to Mike that she blogged about him almost before we
could!
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| Mike meets Anne Diamond and makes a big impression! |
As a self-confessed science geek, Anne was very impressed with our connection with Patron Buzz Aldrin, and especially with Mike’s casual references to “coffee with Buzz the other day”. Have a look below to see what she thought…
Aerobility supporter and dedicated volunteer Sam Waller has
also been making the news. A pilot in last year’s Global Flight Simulator
Challenge, Sam has continued spreading the Aerobility message with an article
in the Weald Aviators Newsletter. Have a look at page 6 for a full account of
Sam’s flight….
As you’ll see, Sam flew a rather long leg for us on her
birthday. A great commitment and very much appreciated!
Mixing with the high flyers….
The Business Airport World Expo 2013 team have very kindly
invited us along to the exhibition, which is being held at Farnborough next
week. We’ll be rubbing shoulders with some of aviation’s top players, with everyone
from Hayward Aviation to TAG Farnborough Airport on show.
Business Airport
World Expo is Central Europe's only exhibition dedicated to showcasing the
world’s FBOs and business aviation destinations to executive jet owners,
operators and brokers. We’re very pleased to be going along, and hope to meet
some great new supporters!
Over and out….
As you can see, it’s been another busy few weeks at
Aerobility. If you haven’t been flying for a while, perhaps one of the photos taken by
Battle Back student Cliff on a flight yesterday (he wasn't at the controls, don’t
worry!), will tempt you back. Perhaps spring is on its way after all….
HAPPY LANDINGS!
The Aerobility Team
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