More than 50 people with disabilities took to the skies from Doncaster Sheffield Airport when specially adapted flights were organised to open up access to aviation.
Aerobility, a national charity which transforms lives by enabling people with disabilities to experience the magic of flight, was in attendance with two aircraft based at Doncaster Sheffield Airport from Tuesday 26 to Thursday 28 May, supported by fellow aviation charity The Mark Long Trust.
Over the three days, multiple flights took off at regular intervals with individuals from a range of backgrounds, disabilities and ages taking part. The series of flights proved very popular with a range of passengers from South Yorkshire and further afield.
Aerobility’s Chief Executive, Mike Miller-Smith, said: “It has been a great few days at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, with the weather playing its part. Providing access to aviation and a memorable experience for people who might not otherwise get that opportunity, whatever their disability, is what the charity exists to do.
“Having delivered thousands of accessible flights over the years, it has been fantastic to visit Yorkshire, and we hope that this is the start of a long and successful partnership. Our thanks go to the entire airport team, the incredible people at The Mark Long Trust, as well as 2Excel Aviation for their support, ADHD 360 and the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, without whom, none of this would have been possible.”
The introductory flights were carried out in the charity’s specially adapted light aircraft as part of a joint ambition for both the airport and Aerobility, to empower disabled individuals to challenges their limits, conquer fears and learn more about aviation.
Christian Foster, Director at FlyDoncaster Ltd, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with the Aerobility and The Mark Long Trust teams, not just this week but in the months of detailed planning that have made the visit a massive success. We have an ambition to be a leader when it comes to accessibility when the airport reopens. That’s not just about the experience inside the terminal building but also listening to the views of individuals and experts as we build something that is welcoming of people from all walks of life and ensures that nobody misses out.”
Simon Hinchley, Executive Director of Airport operations, added: “The success of the past week has been down to a true team effort, between staff here at the airport, three charities and collaboration with our existing tenants. It has been great to see the runway busy with flight movements as we build towards reopening to freight, passenger and general aviation traffic. It has been another very active week at the airport and we look forward to building on this partnership in the future.”
Images: Shaun Flannery
