Greetings!
Congratulations to the latest Co-Pilots to have earned their Fly Day Participant Certificate!
Challenge Air completed its McKinney fly day event on Saturday, April 2nd. We had 47 participants join us for a beautiful fun-filled day.
A special 'thank you' to those who participated and donated their time.
We have included a link below so you can catch the recap.
We are excited to be planning our next in-person fly day events and have some special guests attending in Fort Lauderdale. Read more in this month's newsletter and find out how you can help uplift a child with special needs.
With much appreciation,
April Culver, CEO/Executive Director
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Watch the recap from the McKinney, TX Fly Day
click the link below
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"What an absolutely amazing day! Pilot John was the perfect fit for my kiddo…kind, patient, encouraging and skilled. The day far exceeded anything I had imagined."
- Candace(Co-Pilot Parent)
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
A very special THANK YOU to our sponsors, volunteers, pilots and ground crew.
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Special Guests Coming to Ft Lauderdale
For the 2nd year, Challenge Air is welcoming Tony and Jennifer Montalto as special guests and sponsors at the upcoming Fort Lauderdale fly day.
Tony and Jennifer's daughter, Gina Rose, signed up for the Ft Lauderdale event one week before she was the victim in the Parkland Florida mass shooting on Feb 14th, 2018.
Learn more about Gina and the Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation here.
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In-Person Fly Day Schedule
Note: The Chattanooga fly day has a NEW date
Ft Lauderdale, FL- April 23rd
Tyler, TX - May 14
Spokane, WA - June 25
Kansas City, MO - September 10
Chattanooga, TN - September 17
Denver, CO - October 1
Conroe, TX - November 12
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Challenge Air is always in need of donations to get our Fly Day events off the ground, literally. These life-changing events are offered at absolutely NO COST to our families and are made possible through the generosity of our donors, corporate sponsors, volunteers, and pilots.
It takes quite a bit of everything to make a fly day run successfully. From balloons to tablecloths, every detail comes with a cost.
Can you support this effort by donating a new item on this needs list? Our goal is to have the supplies we need for each fly day by April 29th, 2022.
Just sign your name up next to an item(s), then go buy it, or order it. Find the list HERE.
Using this list avoids duplicate purchases of the same item. You can..
1) Drop the item(s) off weekdays (M-F) now through April 29th at 8001 Lemmon Ave, Suite 280, Dallas, Texas 75209
2) Have the item(s) delivered to the same address above.
Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. If you have a specific question, please contact us at 214-351-3353.
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Thank you for your support. We couldn't do this without you! |
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Wheels up: Accessible cockpit for Flight Simulator takes wing
The life skills center is a welcoming place for those who rely on their own wheels, as in wheelchairs – whether because of cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or other physical disabilities. Participants master various abilities, but most importantly, they are taught “the maximum self-confidence and the tools of social interaction that can help them live their lives,” says Yonatan Karni, House of Wheels CEO.
That includes the recent addition of an adaptive cockpit that enables House of Wheels participants like Wanda to play “Microsoft Flight Simulator,” enjoyed worldwide by real-world pilots, flight enthusiasts and virtual travelers.
“I really enjoyed controlling the machine,’” Etai says “For a whole hour, I was in a very different world from my everyday life, like a free bird, like escaping from reality.”- Etai. Read more here.
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Without our Pilots, there is no Challenge Air
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A special THANK YOU to our pilots at the McKinney fly day event.
We often call our Challenge Air Pilots the ones who make the “magic happen”. Without YOU, there is no Challenge Air.
Register for a future event on the website.
When you sign up to fly at one of our local Fly Days, you will experience something you did not dream possible.
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Spotlight on Pilot Larry Robicheaux |
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Meet Pilot Larry Robicheaux ✈️
Larry first got involved with Challenge Air in 2005 when he saw an ad in FLYING Magazine.
"I volunteered for an event at LOVE Field and have been involved ever since. As long as there is Challenge Air and I am able, I will be there", said Larry.
Larry has been flying for 35 years. "I grew up in a family of pilots. Dad was an Army Air Force pilot in WW2 and then flew crop dusters, my Uncle managed an airport and was a Civilian Instructor in WW2, and my father-in-law was in Naval Aviation in WW2."
You will find Larry flying a Piper Cherokee of Piper Arrow.
His favorite place to fly... "Challenge Air events, it's our way of giving back, not that the occasional $100 hamburger, BBQ or Breakfast run is out of the question also." 😀
Thank YOU Larry for your continued support with Challenge Air. We look forward to many more fly day events with you.
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Let's Be Social
#Givekidswings
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