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Now in its 19^th year, Able Flight has achieved another milestone by awarding its greatest number of flight training scholarships for people with a disability in a single year. In just a few months, ten new scholarship recipients who make up the “Class of 2024” will be on their way to one of two training locations to begin a two month intensive flight training program.

The members of the “Class of 2024” are Ian Azeredo of New Jersey, Andrew Daigneau of Indiana, Jake Simmons of Pennsylvania, Natallia Mirashnichenka of New York, Omar Duran of Florida, Susan Baldwin of Arizona, Jacob Robinson of North Carolina, Jordan Sprague of Indiana, Tim Riney of Florida and Tyler Pugeda of California. Four of this year’s scholarship recipients are veterans, and two are women.

The new student pilots have already received their online ground school course courtesy of Sporty’s Pilot Shop, and over the next three months they’ll prepare for their written exam with the assistance of a live remote instructor from one of the training locations. Once they arrive at the university and check into their dorm, they’ll have one day to settle in before attending orientation. As soon as their second day, they’ll begin six-seven weeks of daily flights in adapted training aircraft to prepare them for their early July check ride.

Ian Azeredo of New Jersey was already well engaged in aviation when a skydiving accident on July 4th, 2019 nearly cost him his life.  But Azeredo not only survived, he pushed through recovery and rehabilitation to return to work where he is now the company’s chief engineer.

In 2021, he was awarded a Career Training Scholarship from Able Flight and earned a Light Sport Repairman Certificate and soon after he purchased an Ercoupe 415C project plane. Now, with a flight training scholarship from Able Flight, Ian will be a licensed pilot just before he completes the total restoration of his Ercoupe. [Read more…] about ANNOUNCING OUR LARGEST CLASS EVER

There is big news on the horizon for Able Flight. For over a year we have been working on two major initiatives to build a long term future for our unique and successful program. Now we can provide you with an exciting update.

MAJOR INITIATIVE #1

It’s been obvious that there is a compelling need for additional adapted aircraft in which people with a disability can train. So, over the years, Able Flight has (shall we say) strongly encouraged manufacturers to offer the option of adapted hand controls for use by pilots without full use of their legs and feet.

Now we are well into a collaborative project with Vashon Aircraft to create a set of controls for their Ranger. That project is being led by engineer and pilot Clayton Smeltz, the owner of a Cirrus Vision Jet that he adapted for his own use. Due to lower limb paralysis, Clayton cannot use the standard rudder and brake controls, so he came up with his own version and gained approval by the FAA.

For months Clayton has been working with the engineering staff at Vashon. Prototyping, testing and approvals for add on controls for the Ranger are projected for 1st quarter 2024, just in time for the new controls to be used beginning next May. And that leads us to our second major initiative. [Read more…] about Exciting News For Able Flight

The seven members of Able Flight’s “Class of 2023” were pinned with their pilot’s wings at a ceremony on July 25th at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They were honored after months of study that concluded in them passing their check rides after training both online and then in-person for six weeks at Purdue University.

Receiving their pilot wings were Tyler Cernik of Michigan, Bobby Dove of Alabama, Melvin Du of Colorado, Leslie Irby of Georgia, Andrew Kurka of Alaska, Dijon McCorkle of Mississippi and William Scheremet of Minnesota.

Also honored at the ceremony were Volunteer of the Year Amalia Yoandies and Flight Instructor of the Year Cameron Sansone. Presenting those awards were Able Flight supporters Bob Seidel and Aviation Hall of Fame member, Patty Wagstaff.

In a special announcement this year it was revealed that Cirrus Aircraft has now signed on to sponsor a scholarship for an Able Flight pilot for the next three years.

[Read more…] about Able Flight Pilots of 2023 Get Their Wings