a little trailer of Goatie meeting Polly Vacher. The full interview with Polly explores her flights around the world, religion, top tip for pilots and an insight into this truly remarkable person…watch this space for the full interview.
20
Mar
We do have some amazingly talented and gifted friends. Artists, film directors, musicians, doctors, poets, monks, scientists who inspire us. Continue reading ‘The Grenade Art Collective’
A painting by Rosa Branson, one of London’s foremost painters, entitled Service above Self, was unveiled yesterday evening by Baroness Hayman, The Lord Speaker, in the River Room at The House of Lords, in front of an audience of politicians, business people and diplomats. Continue reading ‘Rosa Branson’s painting unveiled at House of Lords’
Polly Vacher is one of those remarkable people that we can all be inspired by. Certainly, I have been inspired by her achievements, courage and passion for aviation and helping good causes.
Part 1
click the more button for Part 3 & 4 Continue reading ‘Questions in the Air – Polly Vacher – Freedom Video Magazine’
Recently, I have been visiting the Douglas Bader Rehabilitation hospital in Roehampton, SW London. I pass the Limbless Association offices on my way to see my consultant. It was a year ago when i first made friends at this association, and it dawned on me that perhaps i should tell my friends there about flying – so I did and Ray Edwards, who is the current Chief Executive and a quad amputee (has had both his arms and legs amputated due to cancer when he was younger) got in touch with me to see how we work together to get him and his members flying. Today was one of those days when getting in the air makes you feel so alive and kicking. I arranged to meet Ray and he would do some flying with our master of training Mr Mike W. The sun was shining, i was listening reggae VERY loudly driving up the M1 and felt great by the time i arrived at Freedom HQ.
Continue reading ‘Ray Edwards – Chief Executive – The Limbless Association’
Turko Files Fans Support Disabled Surfer
We recently interviewed Martin Lloyd, of Anglo American Aviation San Diego. This is a local news piece which features him. A person with disabilities who is a surfer had his board stolen. Martin and friends stepped in to get him a new one and to celebrate that the Sky’s the limit!
Martin Lloyd – JAA Chief Flying Instructor – Head of Disabled Flight Training, Anglo American Training, USA
May 2007 was when I first contacted Martin in San Diego. I was looking for a flight training facility that could offer a commercial service for pilots with a disability. The reply I received was “I think that our School is just what you are looking for” - Indeed they were and I was 1 plane ticket away from going to San Diego. Other opportunities opened up for me and I trained for my pilots licence in the UK. I found Martin to be incredibly helpful and we kept in touch.Although I have yet to meet Martin face to face, I feel we have many things in common. A holiday to San Diego I shall plan so that i can fly at his school and get some lesson from this master.
Who or What influenced you to become a pilot?
__________________________________________________________
Martin Lloyd: When I was just six years old, my aunt gave me an Airfix kit of a Spitfire for Christmas. From that moment I was hooked and my life goal was to fly.
What is your current work and role in Aviation?
__________________________________________________________
Martin Lloyd: I am a PPL(A) Flight & Radio Examiner for the CAA, even though I work in California. I am the Head of Handicapped Flight Training at one of the few JAA-approved flying schools in America. As far as I am aware, I am the first CAA handicapped Flying Instructor and Examiner in Europe.
Do you fly for fun or just for work these days?
__________________________________________________________
Martin Lloyd: I have attained an FAA private helicopter licence and that is my ‘fun’ flying nowadays. I think that I am the first whole-leg amputee to get such a licence. In addition, I do take an aeroplane every now and again to keep my fixed-wing flying skills up to scratch.
How did you get involved with training people with disabilities in America?
__________________________________________________________
Martin Lloyd: When I came here and qualified as an FAA flight instructor, it was a natural progression.
A wonderful article by Peter J. Kuznick:
On November 1, Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., the man who piloted the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died at his Columbus, Ohio home at age 92. Continue reading ‘Defending the Indefensible: A Meditation on the Life of Hiroshima Pilot Paul Tibbets, Jr.’
Barry Cardno a disabled pilot from Wanaka, New Zealand and a friend of Freedom in theAir has got his full wings back again since his plane crash. He has to be a pioneer for disbled aviators on the other side of the world.
He wrote to us with his news and this is what he had to say about his recent achievement: Continue reading ‘Barry Gets his Wings again in New Zealand’
This is Suzi Duncan organization in Australia that gives flying scholarships to people with disabilities. Suzi is also the person who launched Vision Air, the flying school and hand control for disabled people.
Wings Around Britain Certificate.
Traffic down the M25 was a nightmare to get to Fairoaks yesterday morning. When we got to the Hanger cafe, i was mistakenly told that Polly had been and then left…Oh no, i thought, i swiftly took myself to the training centre and was given permission to use their computer to look for ways to contact Wings Around Britain mission control – no luck. I do not give up easily, I asked the instructor to phone the tower and double check if they had landed Polly’s PA28- Dakota. To my releife at that same time, she had just touched down and was taxiing to the apron. They relayed to her that i was could be found at the club house.
Continue reading ‘Wings around Britain – Fairoaks to Redhill – Polly Vacher’
here is a nice selection of videos given to me recently – they are nothing to do with flying but i hope you find them interesting and the content useful to contemplate… Continue reading ‘some good videos – Józef Rotblat’
12
May
I just thought you all might like to know that my mother Patricia Lewis is on
BanningTheBomb.tv
Here are the links: Banning the Bomb
Squadron Leader and test pilot who has died aged 85.
Neville Duke was born January 11th 1922. He died April 7th 2007.
Continue reading ‘Neville Duke DSO, OBE, DFC and two bars.’
- Airmanship (17)
- Ambassadors of FITA (4)
- Aviation Without Borders (11)
- Comedy (7)
- Disability news (112)
- Exams (12)
- Facts (2)
- Film (90)
- freedom podcast (11)
- Freedom Wings (45)
- Fun Flying (51)
- Fundraising (12)
- Good causes (106)
- Ground School (42)
- Hand Controls (38)
- History (25)
- images (47)
- IMC (7)
- inspiring (52)
- Ipod section (5)
- Media (98)
- Merchandise (5)
- Music (14)
- Other friends work we like (32)
- Patrons and Ambassadors (6)
- People (49)
- Pilot in Command (13)
- Pioneers (32)
- Plane trips (51)
- PPL Training (78)
- Questions in the air (16)
- Raffle (1)
- Random (14)
- Rotary International (29)
- scholarship (7)
- Smiling Wings (9)
- student diary (4)
- Survey (1)
- Uncategorised (12)
- Uncategorized (1)
