My Aerobility Flight by Katy Roberts

On Saturday 2nd May, I was given the opportunity to fly a Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six with Aerobility for the first time.

I was diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy from birth which affects the left side of my body and restricts my movement. I can't use my left hand freely as I can't use my fingers, and I am unable to walk long distances without becoming fatigued and experiencing pain. I have had different challenges in life as a result of my disability, often struggling with daily activities which involve the use of both hands - and it took me 5 years to learn how to drive a car, so you can probably imagine how much more nervous I was about flying a plane!

My flight experience with Aerobility was a 28th birthday present from my Dad, who himself used to fly Cessna light aircraft and had a PPL many years ago. He was keen for me to push myself out of my comfort zone, as I have experienced anxiety throughout my life. I was also keen to test myself... but when we arrived at the airport in Blackbushe, I found myself wondering if I had made a terrible mistake!

I was very lucky to have Steve as an instructor on the day, who also had cerebral palsy just like me - even though it affected him differently, it still gave me great comfort to know my instructor also understood the challenges of my disability. Steve was reassuring, level-headed and very considerate of my nerves, which really put me at ease. He talked me through each step of the experience, so that by the time we walked to the aircraft, I was feeling more excited than worried.

Takeoff was exhilarating, and smoother than I had imagined given how small the little plane was! We had truly gone from the runway to hundreds of feet in the air in the blink of an eye. When we had reached a cruising altitude, Steve talked me through the controls, and then came the magic words: "Right, time for you to have a go!"

I gripped the yoke with both hands, and Steve began with the simple instruction for me to try and keep the plane from lifting or dipping too much by moving it up and down. That didn't seem too bad... so then, Steve asked if I wanted to try banking left and right. The plane was very responsive - the smallest movement would produce a big result - so I found that once I was able to start the turn, I could easily follow it through.

"I can't believe I'm actually flying a plane!" I said. It was truly extraordinary - I had always thought that aviation would be totally inaccessible for me. I looked over at Steve, his hands off his yoke, and realised that I was completely in control.

As a disabled person, you often hear that this or that activity is "too hard", that "you won't be able to do that" or "you can't". Even when people mean well, or are trying to protect you, it still hurts to think about all of the things you can't do. But through Aerobility, I was able to access flying for an amazing hour soaring through the skies, from Surrey all the way to Oxford and back again.

I want to thank Steve, Caz, Mike and everyone at Aerobility for this incredible experience - and my Dad, for encouraging me to go for it! I came away from my flight experience with a newfound sense of self-confidence and the realisation that, if I step out of my comfort zone, it can reap huge rewards. Even though it was my first flight with Aerobility, I have a strong feeling it definitely wasn't my last!

- Katy Roberts