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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Teenagers with sight loss enjoy flying lesson

This news post is over 4 years old
 

Four youngsters from the RNIB youth club took to the skies over Dundee.

Four blind and partially sighted young people had a chance to experience the thrill of flying on Monday.

Daryl Stewart, 17, Daniel Sanchez, 18, Paul Albiri, 13, and Cameron Herring, 14, took to the skies over Dundee Airport accompanied by an experienced pilot from the Tayside Aviation flight school.

The flights were arranged by the RAF Air Cadets’ Flying Aces initiative, which helps young people from disadvantaged or disabled backgrounds experience the thrill of flight.

The teenagers are all members of RNIB Scotland's youth club, which worked with Flying Aces to arrange the adventure.

Jane Coates from RNIB Scotland said: "This is another wonderful opportunity thanks to Flying Aces for more of our young people to try something they might otherwise have never been given the chance to do, because of their sight loss.”

A film from US TV show CBS This Morning was on hand to film the flight as part of a series on how transport can break down barriers.

Ms Coates explained: “We did this exercise in March and CBS news team in London saw the report and wanted to do a piece on it, too."

Air vice-marshal Ross Paterson, air officer Scotland, is keen to expand the scheme to include disabled and disadvantaged youngsters.

“We’re delighted to see how much all of the young people involved in our scheme not only enjoy their flying but are also really inspired to feel that they can get on and do other things too," he said.

Jim Watt, Tayside Aviation managing director, said: "We are delighted to be the delivery partner for the Flying Aces programme, which includes youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“It's great to share the excitement of taking to the skies with young people that normally would not be given that opportunity."