On SATURDAY 23rd JULY 2011 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 day.
Twenty youngsters from The Forces Children’s Trust (FCT) 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. FCT is a charity 
devoted to helping children whose father or mother has died, or has been seriously injured, whilst serving as a member of the British Armed Forces. FCT is an agile charity providing support and positive experiences to children who have suffered a great loss. By participating in events like Theatre trips holidays with other children in a similar situation they can create their own way of moving forward.
Together we intend to show that anyone 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. Flight Lieutenant Owen Varley, a Puma helicopter pilot based at RAF Benson, and Trustee of FCT will be attending the Freedom Wings day.
FITA founder Gautam Lewis, who uses crutches after contracting polio as a child in India, organises the Freedom Wing day to show people that disability is not a barrier to achievement.
He said: “I thought maybe I should do something positive about supporting disabled people and those with complicated backgrounds, 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 adversity.”
Flying is one of the few activities where the uplifting experience rebuilds confidence and restores self-esteem, and thus empowers people to explore their potential by extending their personal boundaries. In the air, we all fly at the same speed; nobody is disadvantaged. 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 experienced instructors.
The Freedom Wings pilots will get to take control of the plane and, in doing so, their lives can change. They are doing something that they never thought they could possibly do; fly a plane. Then they start to imagine what else they
could achieve.
Freedom Wings days are great fun. We challenge, we educate, we empower. We use flying to raise people’s sights, expand their horizons and fulfill their potential. The day culminates in each Freedom Wings pilot receiving a personal record of their flight, together with a special log book provided by Pooleys and signed certificates as a memento of a very unique day.
FITA is a not-for-profit organisation based at Cranfield Airport and works in partnership with Cranfield Flying School (Flight Training Organisation, FTO 170), which is committed to opening horizons for people with disabilities so that they can fly higher socially, physically and professionally. For more information about both organisations
please visit www.freedomintheair.org / www.forceschildrenstrust.org
The day will be organised as a fun day for all and it is hoped to see many smiles.
To watch videos from the summer 2010 Freedom Wings days with over 150 youngsters please visit: www.freedomintheair.org/take-a-look/
