Our movie from our Freedom Wings flying day, held 24th August 2010 with guests from Young Inclusive Club, part of the Community Cultural Partnership work.
Freedom Wings at Cranfield Airport, EGTC
On TUESDAY 24th August 2010, Freedom in the Air (FITA) will be hosting a ‘Introduction to Aviation’ day beginning at 09:30 from Cranfield Airport in Bedfordshire. The day is named, for obvious reasons, Freedom Wings and, with the support of Cranfield Airport, will be Freedom in the Air’s fourth at the Airport for the 2010 summer flying season. A movie from the our first flying day with Variety Club can be seen here -
A group of young people with disabilities will find the sky is the limit this week when they have a free flying lesson at a Bedfordshire airfield.
Disabled flying school Freedom in the Air is holding a Freedom Wings taster day at Cranfield Airport on Tuesday, and has invited 23 people aged between nine and 19 to learn how to pilot a plane.
The young people all have some form of disability and attend the Young Inclusive People (YIP) club at the Pemberton Centre in Rushden.
Freedom in the Air founder Gautam Lewis, who uses crutches after contracting polio as a child in India, organised the Freedom Wing day to show people disability is not a barrier to achievement.
He said: “I thought maybe I should do something positive about supporting disabled people, help them learn new skills and push them to a new level of confidence so that they can have opportunities.
“It’s trying to show what we can do regardless of disability.”
The young people will look around a light aircraft and airport hangars, learn how aeroplanes work and then take to the skies for 30 minutes with an instructor, who will let them take control if they feel confident enough.
Three previous Freedom Wings days at the airport were very successful, and Gautam plans to hold two more in September.
Wheelchair user Janette Marsland, who attended the last Freedom Wings day in July with the activity club PHAB, said: “You leave the wheelchair on the ground, no restrictions and you carry on – it’s confidence, it’s freedom, it’s fantastic. I did not want to land the plane and just fly off into the sunset.”
The YIP club is funded by Northamptonshire County Council and Continue reading ‘Freedom Wings day: Aug 24th 2010, EGTC’
Freedom in the Air and Pilot Magazine partnered with Metropolis Music, the organisers of V-festival 2010, to offer a VIP weekend camping festival ticket-for-two through a raffle.
The winner of the raffle is ticket number:
(Unique Transaction ID #56F97378P06443921)
The runner up prize winner is ticket number:
(Unique Transaction ID #9GA86422A7399214K)
Both winners have been contacted by email and telephone to let them know they have won!!
Have a great time at the festival winners!!!!
if you would like to learn more about the work of our quests, please visit PHAB
19
Jul
On SATURDAY 17th July 2010, Freedom in the Air (FITA) hosted an ‘Introduction to Aviation’ day beginning at 10:30 from Cranfield Airport in Bedfordshire. The day was named, for obvious reasons, Freedom Wings day and, with the support of Cranfield Airport, was FITA third at the Airport for the 2010 summer flying season.
10 youngsters with a mixture of disabilities from PHAB had the chance of a lifetime to experience the freedom of flight, in the hope that it may expand their horizons after they attended the “Freedom Wings” day.
Phab’s aim is to promote and encourage people of all abilities to come together on equal terms, to achieve complete inclusion within the wider community. Phab has been working with Authorities around the country to help them fulfil their duty to provide Short Breaks for Disabled Children and their families. Phab runs over 200 clubs around the country, offering all sorts of activities, according to what the members want – it could be flying aeroplanes, drama, art, circus skills, to swimming or just chilling out together.
“Having had the opportunity to fulfil one of my life long ambitions is absolutely amazing and at the same time unbelievable. From a very young age I have wanted to experience sitting in the cabin of an aircraft and help the pilot fly the plane and thanks to PHAB my dream has come true! The experience was far better than I had ever imagined it to be; I was able to take control of the aeroplane whilst both on the ground and when flying 2000 feet in the air above Bedfordshire.” Janette, PHAB Chester.
View some photos from the day:
Our aim is to show that anyone with a disability can reach for the skies, and achieve virtually anything, sometimes with only the very smallest amount of support. The pilots ‘one off’ flight could be as life changing for them as someone who flies every week and ends up with their Private Pilots Licence. To have piloted an aircraft even once is clearly a massive experience for a person with a disability and a huge achievement.
“Thanks for organising the Freedom Wings event for PHAB last Saturday at Cranfield. I thoroughly enjoyed my turn at piloting. My wife was somewhat overwhelmed though! I enjoyed it so much that I am hoping to have some more lessons with Freedom in the Air and Cranfield Flying School, which will be fun, thanks” said Charles.
Buying flight equipment? Want to save money and help a worthwhile cause?. Buy online from Pooleys flight equipment and get a 5% discount when you use the Freedom in the Air promotional code. Every purchase you make also benefits Freedom in the Air who get a percentage of the sale as a commission.
Freedom in the Air promotional code is ‘freedomintheair’ to get your 5% discount
Simply enter this code in upper or lower case when checking out of your purchase and you will receive the 5% discount on your order.
Thank you for your support!
A recent article in Pilot Magazine highlighted headaches that some women experience who are not so tall, and unable to reach the rudder pedals in light aeroplanes. We wrote to their airmail section editor informing them that perhaps hand controls that pilots with lower limb disabilities use could be a solutions for those that are of limited height.
click on image for full article
The Douglas Bader Foundation is a charity organisation, formed in honour of Sir Douglas Bader in 1982 by family and friends, many of whom had flown side by side with Douglas during World War 2. Douglas was honoured in 1976 with a Knighthood for his contribution and work on behalf of the disabled. The mission of the foundation is to continue Douglas’ work in conjunction with and on behalf of individuals with a disability.
FITA spoke to David Bickers, the Chairman of the organisation about Douglas and the work of the foundation.
This movie is from our first Freedom Wings day in 2010 at Cranfield Aiport. It was held on May 22nd with guests from the Variety Club organisation. 10 lucky children were given the opportunity to not only take to the skies but also take controls of an aeroplane.
On SUNDAY 30th May 2010, Freedom in the Air (FITA) will be hosting an ‘Introduction to Aviation’ day beginning at 10:30 from Cranfield Airport in Bedfordshire. The day is named, for obvious reasons, Freedom Wings and, with the support of Cranfield Airport, will be Freedom in the Air’s second at the Airport for the 2010 summer flying season.
10 people with a mixture of disabilities from Attitude is Everything will have the chance of a lifetime to experience the freedom of flight, in the hope that it may expand their horizons when they attend the “Freedom Wings” day.
Attitude is Everything began as a pilot project in September 2000 as a response to Deaf and disabled people’s desire for fair treatment at music venues, clubs and festivals. They set out to address an apparent lack of awareness in the music industry of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and its obligations.
For full story click here (PDF file)
10 lucky children are being given the opportunity to not only take to the skies but also take controls of an aeroplane on the 22nd of May. The children, from 2 Bedfordshire organisations will be spending the day at Cranfield airfield and in the air, as well as going home with a flight goody bag and a personal certificate to say they flew an aeroplane.
Freedom Wings is a wonderful opportunity to introduce disadvantaged or disabled youngsters to the freedom experienced in the air. A day in a light aircraft, safely taking control of the plane for a short time is a life‐changing experience and enables young people to feel that they can reach for the skies and achieve virtually anything.
Flying brings children that glorious feeling of being alive and the exhilaration is carried through into their daily lives. To pilot an aircraft even once is a huge achievement for anyone and for a person with a disability or for someone who has been severely disadvantaged, it is doubly empowering.
To read the rest of the Press Release please click here…
17
May
Our first event for the 2010 flying season will be on 22nd May with the Variety Club Children’s charity.
click on image for large view. Article in Flight Training News: May 2010 issue
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