Aerobility (#23)

Last year, I met Kanchana Gamage of The Aviatrix Project who introduced me to Aerobility . This introduction led to last week's brilliant charity event at the Avion Flight Training Centre at London Luton Airport . During the day, people with a disability could fly the Airbus A320 guided by instructor Chris Wade .

I’ve asked the Aerobility team to take the stage for this special edition of The Vision Board and share more on the event and the charity.

"If I can fly an aeroplane, what else can I do?"

By Aerobility

Disabled flyers and members of staff from charity ‘Aerobility’ had a unique day of flying in the Avion A320 Simulator on Saturday 20th January. The experience was generously donated by Avion Full Flight Simulators to The Aviatrix Project - an organisation that works to raise awareness, particularly amongst women and girls but also people from diverse backgrounds, about aviation as a potential career choice. The Aviatrix Project then donated it to Aerobility.

Aerobility is a charity which changes lives by allowing anyone, with any disability, to experience the magic and wonder of flight. The organisation provides access to modified light aircraft and equipment, giving every disabled person the unique chance to spread their wings.

Aerobility volunteers and members of staff, as well as some of Aerobility’s student flyers, were able to practise flying in Avion’s Airbus A320 simulator at London Luton Airport . Youngest of the group to try the simulator was 16-year-old Sammy, whose passion for aviation served as a lifeline during difficult times with his mental health. Sammy said:

“This was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. It was such an incredible experience, it feels so real. It was really fun.”

Since its establishment in 1993, Aerobility has introduced more than 10,000 disabled people to flight, changing their perspectives on their lives and personal capabilities. The charity is a representative body for disabled aviation within the UK and advocates for disabled people within the aviation industry and beyond.

“I feel lighter, brighter and excited for the future. I finally have my life back,” said 54-year-old Amy, who is learning to fly with Aerobility despite living with a disability.

Aerobility offers a wide range of incredible flying-related activities for people with disabilities. These include group flying days, accessible aerobatics, experience flights, and flight training. As well as opportunities in the air, the charity also runs ground-based programmes and courses, such as the revolutionary Virtual Aviation Experience (VAE) which launched in 2023 with support from the UK Government. It’s a free course designed for anyone living with a disability who is 12 years of age and over. It opens up the world of aviation to a community of people who might previously have felt it was beyond their capability.

To find out more about this revolutionary course and to apply, please visit:

https://www.aerobility.com/vae-application

Aerobility is proud to be a member of the Equal Skies Charter, ensuring the skies have no limits. The Equal Skies Charter is a positive and collaborative endeavour which aims to see more people with disabilities working within the aviation and aerospace industries. Its mission is to build a world where people with a disability have equal access to the benefits and opportunities provided by the aviation and aerospace industries.

The Equal Skies Charter has recently launched its first research project into disability employment, by launching a questionnaire to organisations from across the aviation sector to gather data on the potential barriers facing disabled people working within the industry to inform the charter's work going forward.

To complete the questionnaire and help change the world, please visit:

https://equalskiescharter.org/questionnaire