Farnborough Airport Fire Station visit - 12th May

Our Aviation Club is a fun, sociable club for young people (14 - 18yrs) with physical disabilities and/or mild to moderate learning disabilities to learn all about the world of aviation.

The club is usually run one Saturday a month and in May we have organised a visit to:

Farnborough Airport Fire Station 

and also a possible visit to TAG airport aircraft hangar (where lots of lovely aircraft are kept,
to be confirmed on the day.) 

 Please note:

All students must be accompanied by an adult - Parent/Guardian

The activities are suitable for young people with physical and/or mild to moderate learning disabilities

The club is open to children from 14 - 18 years of age

There are 5 places available for keen aviation enthusiasts 

Contact gail@aerobility.com by Tuesday 8th May to confirm your place

Photos from last year's trip 

Event date - Saturday 12th May 18

Meet at 09.30am - Finish approximately 2.30pm

Meet at Ively security Gate - Main Entrance Farnborough Airport - GU14 6XA

Bring a packed lunch

Bring wet weather gear and sensible shoes

Schedule for the day

Introduction and Safety Briefing in the Fire Station lecture room

Issuing of Personal Protection Equipment (Fireman’s Uniform) & a brief look at some fire service equipment in the lecture room

Look around the fire engines (They're huge and awesome)

Fire Engine demonstration in front of fire station. Hands on with hoses & water cannon (on top of the Fire Engine for those that are able to, hose practice for those using a wheelchair).

Tea/comfort break

Search for the casualty exercise - Briefing in the lecture room

Look around the training chamber (underground)

As the training chamber is inaccessible for wheelchair users those students will be supervising the exercise above ground using the radios (with the help of a fireman) 

Comfort break

Demonstration/participate in hose/hydrant drills at the rear of the fire station - teamwork

Debrief and certificate presentation

     

Lunch break in the Fire Station Please bring a packed lunch

Possible visit to TAG airport hangar (where lots of lovely aircraft are kept)

To be confirmed on the day 

Young fliers BA sim sessions

We are excited to announce that, once again, The Air League & Aerobility have been invited to spend an evening in the British Airways simulator on:

 

Wednesday 25th April 2018 between 19:45 – 23:15 hrs

 

There are limited places for this fantastic opportunity, if the event is oversubscribed names will be drawn at random.  Please take a moment to read through all the details below and if you’re interested in joining us please drop Gail Barkes a line gail@aerobility.com

 

IMPORTANT - this event is only open to young flyers aged 14 or over. 

 

FYI Vanguard House is in Hatton Cross, near Hounslow, participants will be expected to make their own way there. 

 

ITINERARY

19:45 hrs Arrive at Vanguard House (Pass Issue) to be issued with your Security Pass.

You’ll be met here by your British Airways host: Senior First Officer Andy Perkins.

20:00 hrs Tour of the Cabin Safety Training Unit (SEP).

20:15 hrs Meet your pilots.

20:30 hrs Classroom based pre-flight briefing.

21:00 hrs Fly a full motion Boeing or Airbus flight simulator.

23:00 hrs Land!

23:15 hrs Depart British Airways Flight Training.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR SIMULATOR FLIGHT

 

Safety & Security is our FIRST priority in British Airways.

 

British Airways Flight Training is located inside the main British Airways Engineering Base at Heathrow Airport. This is a very busy operational area. Exercise caution and observe all safety and security instructions.

 

Do not breach any security procedures. Do not access any restricted areas or aircraft. Do not use your pass to allow access to anyone else. Failure to abide by security procedures will result in denial of access or immediate removal from the Base and may lead to prosecution.

 

To gain access to British Airways Flight Training, you will first need to report to Vanguard House (Pass Issue) where you will be met by your host and be issued with your Security Pass.

 

You will be required to show one form of photographic identification such as your passport or UK photographic driving licence. Failure to do so will prevent a Security Pass being issued and denial of access. Your Security Pass must be worn and be visible at all times. It must be returned at the end of your visit.

 

Personal Health and Physical Abilities

Our Simulator flights involve a degree of physical mobility and may not be suitable for some people. Please check with us if you have any concerns.

 

We recommend that the following groups of people do not take part:

Ladies who are or could possibly be pregnant.

Anyone with back, joint or mobility problems.

Anyone who suffers from motion sickness.

 

Prior to arrival at British Airways Flight Training, no alcohol may be consumed by any visitor.

 

Clothing

We recommend that:

Ladies wear trousers and not skirts or dresses.

Shoes with a heel no higher than about 25mm are worn.

 

There is a 10 minute walk from Vanguard House to the flight simulators in Technical Block A. This walk is open to the elements. Please be prepared for inclement weather and dress accordingly!

 

Cameras

You are welcome to bring a camera along. Your mobile phone may also be used as a camera but it MUST be in FLIGHT MODE in the simulator.

AEROBILITY TAKES DELIVERY OF THE FIRST REBORN WARRIOR!

Reborn Aviation, Europe’s leading remanufacturer of light aircraft, has delivered its first Reborn Warrior to Aerobility.

The Reborn Warrior is a re-manufactured PA-28 aircraft with advanced 21st century technology, equipment and safety features, coupled with new-build quality standards. The aircraft has been specifically adapted for Aerobility to enable all ranges of disabilities to fly in it. These include, adapted flying controls in addition to standard Reborn Garmin G500 glass cockpit, bespoke paintwork and interior. The aircraft, engine and avionics all come with a warranty - a unique offering within General Aviation.

The 'Reborn' Warrior

Reborn Aviation Founder Edmund Hewertson handing over the aircraft to Aerobility CEO Mike Miller-Smith,
Chairman Shona Bowman and CFI Mike Owen 

All smiles from the Aerobility team.

The two organisations have collaborated closely on this aircraft over the past six months. As a result, they have created a machine that should deliver the very best flying experiences for both pilots and passengers for many years to come. The Reborn Warrior has benefited from over fifty separate upgrades, including a Lycoming factory re-built engine, a new propeller, avionics including terrain and traffic awareness, aerodynamic fairings and 3 LED landing lights, to name but a few.

Edmund Hewertson, founder of Reborn Aviation, said: “We are very proud to be working with Aerobility and excited to see our product being put to a good use. Quality, safety and integrity are at the heart of all our aircraft - this has such great synergy with what Aerobility do. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the charity and perhaps seeing even more Reborn Warriors’ contributing to their success.”

Mike Miller-Smith MBE, CEO Aerobility, added: “The PA28 has been a key part of our aircraft operations for over 10 years, with robust and reliable performance alongside attributes which make them suitable for disabled flyers such as level access and our certified hand control. As soon as we heard about the Reborn Aviation Warrior it immediately made sense, bringing the aircraft back to better than new with the latest avionics, aerodynamic modifications and safety features. Safe, reliable, accessible and lowest cost operations are so important for the charity and we believe this aircraft will help us achieve this goal”

Deputy CFI JJ Stafrace gets the first sit!

She's looking good!

Read our flier Mark Sines' story - why gaining his LAPL was so important to him and his long journey to get here.

Since I was a small child I had always wanted to learn to fly and wanted to join the Navy as a helicopter pilot, however, due to being diagnosed with dyslexia later in life, I could not meet the grades to join the Navy, and so joined the Army instead as a soldier.

I served in the Army in Northern Ireland and in 1985, whilst on my 4th tour, I had to jump from a Lynx helicopter with full equipment. I damaged my lower spine and both knees and was airlifted back to the UK where I spent two years having further treatment at Headley Court, I was later discharged from the Army on medical grounds.

In 2010 my lower and part of my upper spine collapsed causing me to be paralysed from the waist down and after four major operations and two years learning to walk again, I am left with intermittent paralysis in both legs which can cause me to lose the power in my legs for a short period of time. 

I became very depressed and lost my job as no one at the time would employ me due to my condition. I had to give up kayaking, both sea and white water, and was told by many medical practitioners that I would never be able to fly a plane.  

Around this the time my wife found an advert for Aerobility, as she knew about my love for flight, and after a trial flight with Christine Stopher, Christine asked me why I wasn't learning to fly. 

I told her that I was told I could never fly and she told me that, apart from the take off and landing, I was flying the plane!

The rest is history as on the 26th of March I proved all those doctors wrong -that a disabled ex-soldier with spinal issues can fly and gain his pilots licence. 

It's taken two and a half years of hard work to get to this stage in my life and every time I'm up in the plane on my own, it is just me and there's nobody telling me that I cannot do this. It's a sense of freedom, and for once in my life I have control of something that does not have control of me. 

If it was not for my wife, the support of my family and the organisations who helped with funding my dream, I would not have been able to do this and achieve my childhood dream.

Finally, my goal all the way through my training has been to complete it, gain my licence and fly my wife to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight to visit her daughter who lives there with her husband as a massive thank you for all her support and most of all believing in me.