Dreams take flight for Dove House pupil (From This is Hampshire)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Dan Blackman, from Dove House School Academy, uses British Airways simulator
9:30am Monday 11th March 2013 in News By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
Dan Blackman at the flight simulator
A TEENAGER got to grips with the thrill of flying after winning a prize from a charity.
Aerobility offers disabled people the opportunity to fly an aeroplane, with the hope of changing their outlook on disability forever.
Dan Blackman, from Dove House School Academy, a secondary school for those with learning disabilities, in Sutton Road, Basing-stoke, won a competition after completing a series of challenges, and was selected to experience a flight on a British Airways simulator.
The 16-year-old was the envy of all his school friends when he set off for Heathrow Airport.
Dan met with pilots to hear about their training, learned about cabin safety procedures and carried out a descent on an evacuation slide before flying a full motion simulator.
He piloted a Boeing 747, taking-off from Heathrow, circled over London and landed safely 20 minutes later.
He said: “It was awesome and fun to do. Everyone should try it if they have a chance.”
