About Us
Flyability is the Disability Initiative of the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association. The BHPA is the UK governing body of the sport of hang gliding and paragliding. We are a small group of volunteers that work in our spare time to make free flight accessible to anyone who wants to fly.
Flyability strives to motivate disabled people to become involved in the sport of hang gliding and paragliding and to train as pilots. We do this by encouraging disabled people to train at the BHPA registered school of their choice – alongside non-disabled student pilots (where possible).
Much of Flyability’s work in the sport, focuses around changing peoples’ perception of disability and their attitudes toward disabled people. Disability awareness, education and advice play key roles in Flyability’s aims and objectives, as does the development of specialist equipment, training and flying techniques.
Flyability promotes and funds tandem flying for disabled people who may be unable to fly alone or who may need to try out different types of flying to find the form most suited to them. Flyability’s tandem flight scholarships and solo student pilot scholarships are the main use of its charitable funds.
You can contact Flyability in the following ways:
Email: Contact@Flyability.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flyability/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/flyabilityuk
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEYtFGvJz3iqxfsdH7GTgTA/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyabilityuk/
By snail-mail:
Flyability8 Merus CourtMeridian Business ParkLeicester LE19 1RJUnited Kingdom
Success Stories
In July 2013 Steve Kitchen arranged a series of tandem paraglider flights for people with MS. They flew with help from Gordie at Air Ventures. The following is from a write up for the South Lakes Branch MS Newsletter.
UP, UP and AWAY
As a result of the social get-together at Carus Green quite a [ read more ] One of the main problems disabled (and non-disabled) pilots encounter is managing their energy levels.
The main solution to this is to be very self aware of your energy levels and know when to stop or to conserve your energy.
Staying well fed and hydrated is also key - it is especially importa [ read more ] Knowing your left from your right is crucial for a student in training and also for following the rules of the air.
One simple low tech solution for telling left from right is to put different coloured tape (gaffa tape, electrical tape or similar) on a students gloves, base bar or something else [ read more ] I had been flying for about 2 1/2 years, give or take a month or two, when I lost my left arm, so I knew some of what was necessary to get back into the air again.
However, my first flight was a total mind blower as to where I was going and where and how I was going to land... scary, but safe!
[ read more ]
Training Pilots with Disabilities
Steve Varden writes
This article is meant to stimulate thought and provoke discussion with regard to the training of pilots who may just happen to be disabled in some way. This time we will look at the training of pilots who may just happen to be disabled in s [ read more ]
by George Ransome now Chairman of Flyability
George after his solo
I'm sat on a plane from Alicante to Southampton scribbling notes on a sick bag. I want to tell the tale about going solo on a hanglider.
But first some history. I have Fredreich's Ataxia (a condition that affects your balan [ read more ] Back in June 2015 we received an email from Mark asking for some advice about fulfilling his ambition to fly a tandem hangglider while he was on his holiday in Rio de Janeiro. We put him in touch with Judy Leden at Airways Airsports to give him some advice and information about what might be require [ read more ] Steve Varden's wheeled launch technique
My hang gliding wheeled launches (hill) are slightly different from the conventional foot launches. Therefore I decided to put some detail in writing so as to provide better communication between myself and the people who help me launch. As ever I am indebt [ read more ]
Update on Paragliding buggy from Poland
Swiss paragliding wheelchair
French paragliding buggy
French Fauteuil Cage paraglider with wheelchair
Austrailian WASP paragliding wheelchair
Canadian paragliding wheelchair
Polish paragliding launch buggy
Greek wheelchair paragliding
USA pa [ read more ] We're pleased to announce that our first scholarship flight of 2014 has taken place. Chris flew with Andrew Pearse of Flying Frenzy Paragliding in Dorset from the lovely White Horse site near Weymouth. He shared the photos below with us.
[caption id="attachment_881" align="alignright" width="400 [ read more ] In August the Guernsey Paragliding Club travelled to Flying Frenzy in Dorset in order to train two of their members to fly. Flyability has worked with them to loan a Sanderson buggy for training and to help them buy their own buggy for use on Guernsey. We also granted a Flyability scholarship to hel [ read more ] [caption id="attachment_598" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Russel preparing to launch his buggy[/caption]
Hello,
I've been to the flyability website many times now and thought I'd share my experience with you. I'm a T3 paraplegic and I too wanted to get into the air paragliding solo.
[ca [ read more ] A number of Flyability's scholarship awards have gone to people who have invested in extra equipment to get around flying sites.
Quad bikes
Quad bikes can be extremely helpful to get around flying sites. You do need permission from the site owner to use the bike and to have a way of getting the bi [ read more ]Lakes MS Flyability day
Managing energy levels
Can't tell left from right
The Joy of (one handed) Paraglider Flying
Training pilots with disabilities
Wheelchair to 500 feet
Hanggliding in Rio
Hang glider wheeled launch technique
Specialist equipment from around the world
First Scholarship flight of 2014
Flying Frenzy training Guernsey pilots
Russel's Paragliding and BASE jumping Buggy (USA)
Getting around