“There is only a Scooby Doo, there’s no Scooby Don’t”
Chris Pearson photographed wearing his favourite slogan printed on his t-shirt
In 2024, Chris Pearson’s life changed in an instant. A serious accident left him with a spinal injury and he became paraplegic. After eight tough months in hospital, as a new wheelchair user he returned home to a life that felt unfamiliar and uncertain.
Before his injury, Chris had built a career doing what he loved. He played guitar professionally, raced motorbikes, and worked in vehicle testing. In his personal life he enjoyed his Private Pilot’s licence, flying small aeroplanes from his home county in the Midlands.
It was safe to say that independence had always defined him, so adjusting to life after his accident was not just physical, it was personal too. Rather than dwell on what he had lost, Chris adopted a simple and effective mindset. “There’s only a Scooby Doo,” he says. “You have to get on with it, there is no Scooby-Don’t.”
While his physical recovery progressed, finding his place in the world again proved more difficult. Like many people after a life changing injury, he faced an unexpected challenge, not confidence, but clarity. He no longer knew where he fitted in.
That changed when Chris discovered Aerobility.
Having flown extensively earlier in life, Chris was at risk of losing his licence. He reached out to Aerobility after passing their stand at a disability exhibition in the NEC. “ I would never have flown again if I lost my licence” Chris made plans with Aerobility to train to ensure he kept his licence, but what followed was something much bigger. “I was just going to see if I could enjoy it. I didn't know what I didn’t know at that point. But, you know, nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
Back in the cockpit, Chris not only rediscovered his love of flying, but also found a sense of belonging. Surrounded by instructors who treated him as a pilot first, he began to rebuild his identity.
Now, he has regained his flying licence and is looking ahead to the possibility of becoming an instructor, helping others experience flight for the first time.
More than anything, flying has given him something he felt was missing after leaving hospital, purpose. “I am enjoying flying again. I'm enjoying the accuracy of my instructor, John's flying. John loves his flying. He's got a little aeroplane and he flies Spitfires, but he's still got this little bit of freedom about himself as well which resonates well with me”
For Chris, the future is no longer uncertain. It is wide open thanks to the possibilities now made accessible by Aerobility. Chris is looking to start his training to become a Class Rating Instructor next, allowing him to conduct air experiences for other people with disabilities in the future.
Chris’s message to others is simple. “Life does not stop and neither should you, remember there is only a Scooby Doo.”
Chris Pearson photographed in the cockpit of an Aerobility aeroplane