Flyability
{{Infobox non-profit
| name = Flyability
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| image = File:Flyability_logo.png
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| alt = Flyability logo, a graphic black and white image of a paraglider and hang glider with the word Flyability in front
| caption = Flyability logo
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| established = {{Start date|1996|df=y}}
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| type = Charitable organisation
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| focus = Hang Gliding and Paragliding for Disabled People
| method = Equipment Loans, Training Scholarships
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| region_served = United Kingdom
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| leader_title = Facebook
| leader_name = https://www.facebook.com/flyability/
| leader_title2 = Twitter
| leader_name2 = https://twitter.com/flyabilityuk
| leader_title3 = YouTube
| leader_name3 = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEYtFGvJz3iqxfsdH7GTgTA
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| affiliations = British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
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| staff = 0
| staff_year = 2017
| volunteers_year = 2017
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| website = {{URL|www.flyability.org.uk}}
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| registration_id = [http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1059197&SubsidiaryNumber=0 England and Wales: 1059197]
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Flyability is a UK based charity that works to help disabled people fly hang gliders and paragliders. It is the disability initiative of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, the governing body of hang gliding and paragliding in the UK.{{cite web|title=BHPA Flyability Information|last1=BHPA|url=https://www.bhpa.co.uk/sport/bhpa/flyability/|website=British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association|accessdate=13 May 2017}}
Schools with close links to Flyability include Airways Airsports,{{cite web|url=http://www.airways-airsports.com/flying/hand-gliding/disabled-hang-gliding|title=Disabled Hang Gliding|website=Airways Airswports Flyability|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911201728/http://airways-airsports.com/flying/hand-gliding/disabled-hang-gliding|url-status=dead}}{{cite journal|last1=Derwin|first1=Steve|title=The Darley Moor Project|journal=BDFA Newsletter|date=Autumn 2002|page=2|quote="Airways has been involved with 'Flyability' within the BHPA since its outset and received the 'Flyability Trophy' in 2001 from the BHPA for their efforts in supporting and promoting free flying for disabled people.}} EscapeXC {{cite web|url=http://www.jockysanderson.com/escape/js2/index.php/courses/uk-courses/flyability.html|title=Flyability Information|website=EscapeXC|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=4 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160704134106/http://www.jockysanderson.com/escape/js2/index.php/courses/uk-courses/flyability.html|url-status=dead}} and Flying Frenzy {{cite web|url=https://www.flyingfrenzy.com/faqs.htm|title=FAQs|website=Flying Frenzy|accessdate=13 May 2017}}
History
Registered on 13 November 1996{{cite web|url=http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1059197&SubsidiaryNumber=0|title=Flyability Charity COmmission Information|website=Charity Commission|accessdate=13 May 2017}} by Steve Varden, John Crosbie, Pamela Hughes and Mark Hastings.{{cite book|title=Flyability Charity Registration|date=25 January 1996|publisher=Charity Commission|page=13}} This followed an intensive period of organising and fundraising within the hang gliding and paragliding community.{{cite journal|last1=Hastings|first1=Mark|title=Flyability News|journal=Windsock, SHGC Magazine|date=April 1996|pages=18–19|url=http://www.shgc.org.uk/windsock?m=windsock&v=1996&i=April%201996|access-date=2017-05-16|archive-date=2017-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019112004/http://www.shgc.org.uk/windsock?m=windsock&v=1996&i=April%201996|url-status=dead}}{{cite journal|last1=Haslett|first1=Ian|title=When Hell Froze Over|journal=Mach One|date=Jan–Feb 1999|volume=1|issue=9|pages=6–7|url=http://www.uhpc.co.uk/Joomla25/images/pdfs/1996%20issue%209%20Jan-Feb%20Mach%20One.pdf}}
Flyability works closely with British Disabled Flying Association (now Aerobility).{{cite web|url=http://www.flyability.org.uk/about/friend-and-supporters/|title=Friends and Supporters|website=Flyability Links|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=16 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816060325/http://www.flyability.org.uk/about/friend-and-supporters/|url-status=dead}}
Flyability is one of the chosen charities of Access Unlimited.{{cite web|title=Charities|url=http://www.accessunlimited-uk.com/chartities.htm|website=Access Unlimited|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=27 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127030105/http://accessunlimited-uk.com/chartities.htm|url-status=dead}} Generous donations from the Lakes Charity Classic event allowed Flyability to expand into offering pilot scholarships{{cite journal|last1=Varden|first1=Steve|title=LCC – Not just about 'US'|journal=Cumbria Soaring Club Newsletter|date=October 2009|quote=it was monies donated to Flyability from the 1996 Lakes Charity Classic that were used to conceive, begin and fund the first two historic Flyability pilot training scholarships.}} with continued financial support over the years.{{cite journal|last1=Rawlinson|first1=Kate|title=Dales Do "the Lakes Charity Classic"|journal=Skywords|date=July 2012|pages=2–3|url=https://www.dhpc.org.uk/assets/files/skywords/Skywords%20Jul%202012.pdf|accessdate=16 May 2017}}
Flyability Activities
=Equipment loans=
Flyability loans out specialist equipment to BHPA schools for training disabled people. This includes a range of paragliding buggies including the Flychair,{{cite web|url=https://flychair.fi/|title=FlyChair|website=Flychair Paragliding buggy|accessdate=13 May 2017}} the Swanton, the Chevron paragliding wheelchair and the Sanderson.{{cite web|title=Flyability Equipment|url=http://www.flyability.org.uk/how-can-flyability-help-you/equipment/|website=Flyability|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=27 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427012151/http://www.flyability.org.uk/how-can-flyability-help-you/equipment/|url-status=dead}} Flyability was involved in encouraging the development of some of these buggies and has passed some of their older buggies onto disabled flying organisations in other countries. One Sanderson buggy has even got as far as New Zealand where Making Trax and Infinity Paragliding use it.{{cite web|title=The thrill-seeking tetraplegic refusing to live a boring life|url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/the-thrill-seeking-tetraplegic-refusing-to-live-a-boring-life?autoPlay=4654707283001|website=1 News Now|publisher=TV New Zealand|accessdate=15 May 2017}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|title=Our tours > Air|url=http://www.makingtrax.co.nz/Our-Tours/Air/|website=Making Trax|accessdate=15 May 2017|archive-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406123803/http://www.makingtrax.co.nz/Our-Tours/Air/|url-status=dead}}
=Pilot Scholarships=
Flyability offers scholarships for tandem flights and Elementary and Club Pilot training.{{cite web|title=Flyability Scholarships|url=http://www.flyability.org.uk/how-can-flyability-help-you/flyability-scholarships/|website=Flyability|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=5 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705003151/http://www.flyability.org.uk/how-can-flyability-help-you/flyability-scholarships/|url-status=dead}}
= Events =
Flyability has a presence at a number of flying events around the UK. Recent events have included Farnborough 2016{{cite web|title=Exhibitor listing|url=http://www.farnborough.com/trade/Content/FIA2016-Exhibitor-Listing|website=Farnborough 2016|accessdate=13 May 2017|archive-date=7 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507225046/http://www.farnborough.com/trade/Content/FIA2016-Exhibitor-Listing|url-status=dead}} and Flyer Live 2016{{cite web|title=Exhibitor listing|url=https://www.flyer.co.uk/live/whos-exhibiting/|website=Flyer Live 2016|accessdate=13 May 2017}} on the Aerobility stands. Flyability also attended and was a beneficiary of the Richard Westgate Memorial Fly-in in 2013{{cite web|title=Richard Westgate Memorial Fly In|url=https://www.facebook.com/events/372798689505840/|website=Facebook Event|accessdate=13 May 2017}}
Flyability and Aerobility ran a combined "Try Everything!" event in June 2016 offering flights for disabled people in hang gliders, microlights and aerobatic gliders and motor gliders.{{cite news|last1=MIG: Leek Post and Times|title=Flyability/Aerobility Disabled Flying - Try Everything!|url=http://www.leek-news.co.uk/event/flyability-aerobility-disabled-flying-try/event-29396150-detail/event.html|accessdate=13 May 2017 |publisher=Leek Post and Times|date=June 13, 2016}}{{dead link |date=May 2022 |fix-attempted=yes}}
Media
Flyability and their activities are often reported in national, local and specialist press reports.
=National=
- BBC - Flyability worked with Airways Airsports to take BBC Presenters Mike Bushell and Tony Garrett flying in a tandem hang glider to demonstrate how accessible the sport is.{{cite news|last1=Bushell|first1=Mike|title=Mike Bushell flies high with aerotow hang-gliding|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/9075500.stm|accessdate=15 May 2017|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 October 2010}}
- Guardian - Flyability referenced within an article introducing paragliding.{{cite news|last1=Kineally|first1=Patrick|title=Paragliding|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/sep/29/guardianspecial4.guardianspecial222|accessdate=15 May 2017|publisher=Guardian|date=29 September 2007}}
=Local=
- Two pilots from Guernsey train to fly paragliders in Dorset with Flying Frenzy with help from Flyability using the Sanderson and FlyChair buggies.{{cite news|title=Young Wheelchair Users Try Paragliding|url=http://guernseysports.com/2015/11/24/young-wheelchair-users-try-paragliding/|accessdate=16 May 2017|publisher=Guernsey Sports Commission|date=24 November 2015|archive-date=26 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126093128/http://guernseysports.com/2015/11/24/young-wheelchair-users-try-paragliding/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Bolado|first1=Catherine|title=Wheelchair users take to the skies thanks to a West Dorset paraglider|url=https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/13634811.Wheelchair_users_take_to_the_skies_thanks_to_a_West_Dorset_paraglider/|accessdate=16 May 2017|publisher=Dorset Echo|date=29 August 2015}}
=Specialist=
- Skywings January 2006 - 1st Solo{{cite journal|last1=Ransome|first1=George|title=1st Solo|journal=Skywings|date=January 2006|pages=44–45|url=http://www.flyability.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/GeorgesArticle.pdf|accessdate=15 May 2017|archive-date=17 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617162534/http://www.flyability.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/GeorgesArticle.pdf|url-status=dead}}
- Skywings December 2016 - Buggy Boot Camp {{cite journal|last1=Ransome|first1=George|last2=Bellezze|first2=Paolo|title=Buggy Boot Camp|journal=Skywings|date=December 2016|pages=38–40|url=https://www.bhpa.co.uk/sport/bhpa/skywings/index.php?doc=1612_Dec_2016_Skywings|accessdate=15 May 2017}}
- BHPA Elementary Pilot training guide{{cite journal|last1=Schofield|first1=Joe|title=Flyability|journal=BHPA Elementary Pilot Training Guide|date=2016|page=6|url=http://www.skywingsmag.com/ep_training_guide/files/ETG%202016%20v2.2e.pdf|accessdate=15 May 2017}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- A report in the Multiple Sclerosis Society magazine on a day of tandem flights for people with MS.{{cite journal|title=High Fliers|journal=MS Matters|date=Sep–Oct 2013|issue=111|page=6|url=https://www.mssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/MS-Matters-Sept-Oct-2013-England.pdf}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.flyability.org.uk/ Flyability website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512211920/http://www.flyability.org.uk/ |date=2017-05-12 }}
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEYtFGvJz3iqxfsdH7GTgTA Flyability youtube page]
- [https://www.facebook.com/flyability/ Flyability Facebook page]
Category:Charities based in the United Kingdom
Category:Disability organisations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Aviation organisations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Charities for disabled people based in the United Kingdom