Dubai Airports, ExecuJet, and Lions Clubs International are welcoming at MEBAA 2018 a pair of disabled aviators circumnavigating the earth to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in society.
Under the banner of the Handiflight association, pilots Mike Lomberg and Guillaume Feral, who both use wheelchairs, are flying some 50,000 miles (80,000 km) over nine months in their two Flight Design CTLS single-engine aircraft, crossing 40 countries and six continents. The two pilots, who began their journey in Geneva last month, stopped at MEBAA to connect with local officials and the media and will also attend the Lions Club International’s Constitutional Area Forum in Dubai, which is bringing together 3,000 delegates from Africa, the Middle East, and Asian sub-continent.
In addition to raising awareness of the importance of inclusiveness, the Handiflight Around the World project, organized by Lions Club International, aims to raise funds for the non-profit Humanity and Inclusion.
“Dubai Airports is an enthusiastic advocate for the rights and inclusion of people of determination in society,” said Essa Al Shamsi, v-p of terminal operations at Dubai Airport. “We are proud to be associated with this worthy cause and salute these pilots for their skill and commitment to this important mission.”
Handiflight’s all-volunteer support staff are former members of the Solar Impulse project, which successfully circumnavigated the Earth with a solar-powered aircraft.
