Aerobility
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO FLY?
Aerobility is a charitable organisation with over 27 years’ experience of enabling disabled people to ask the question ‘If I can fly, what else can I do?’ by offering to teach anyone, with any disability, how to fly an aeroplane.
Aerobility began life in 1993 as an association of disabled Pilots based in a portacabin at Lasham Airfield, Hampshire. Since then, Aerobility has grown to become a world leader in disability flying. Now operating from Blackbushe Airport in Surrey, with a satellite centre at Tatenhill in Staffordshire, Aerobility has a fleet of three light aircraft, two youth programmes, a mobile simulator, a project to build our own aircraft from a kit, a flying scholarship fund and is recognised as a leading expert in disabled flying by individuals and government departments alike. Through introducing disabled people of all ages to the magic of flight, Aerobility helps approximately 1000 people a year feel more confident and less isolated.
For many disabled people, life is characterised by limitation which makes
the achievement and experience of flight even more magical. Being able to take control of a light aircraft and move in three dimensions, offers the ultimate feeling of freedom and an escape from restrictions of disability as well as mental stresses. Aerobility offers flights to disabled people without exception and uses its expertise
36 finding a first job.
The Junior Aspiring Pilot Programme is a course comprising of four sessions during the school holidays. The course aims to give the youngsters a flavour of what it takes to become a private Pilot. The course, which is supported by BBC Children in Need, is free to participants and
Ability Needs Magazine
to make flying a light aircraft accessible for all using adaptive equipment such as hoists, hand controls and seating solutions as well as adapted techniques. For some, just one flight is enough to change their outlook on disability forever, but others keep coming back for more, which is why Aerobility also offers training for disabled Pilots to earn their Private Pilot’s Licence and additional ratings.
But what makes Aerobility particularly special is
its offering of two youth programmes, the Junior Aspiring Pilot Programme (JAPP) and Aviation Education Programme (AEP) which use aviation as a tool to teach disabled 12-18-year olds skills such as
communication, organisation and teamwork that can be transferred into other settings such as school, college or even
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
