The Flying Scholarships for the Disabled (FSD) graduates, Caroline Begg from London, Andrew Lewis from Gloucestershire and Steve Hopwood from Norwich flew with experienced pilots in formation on June 18 to Inverness via 15 island airports, which also included Islay, Tiree, Orkney and Shetland, in 15 hours.

A fourth participant, Emma Suddaby, was forced to retire from the challenge in Tiree due to illness and headed early to Inverness, but her aircraft later flew on to Kirkwall to join the others and continue the formation flight.

The challenge began in Jersey just after 4.30am and ended in Inverness slightly ahead of schedule just after 9pm.

Miss Begg, 33, who suffers from hereditary spastic paraplegia and is working towards her pilot's licence after winning a place on a six week flying course in South Africa through Gloucestershire-based Flying Scholarships for the Disabled (FSD).
She said she had taken the controls during part of the flight, and was elated by the experience.

She said: "There was so much happening and so much to see and weather conditions were getting more horrible the further north we went."

Mr Lewis, 26, lost his leg ten years ago after being hit by a lorry while out on a motorcycle. Ironically, he had just completed gruelling training with the Parachute Regiment. After training at Goodwood through FSD, he went on to gain his pilot's licence two years ago and has clocked up 300 hours flying.

Mr Hopwood, 50, lost part of his right arm and part of his right leg in a motorbike accident in 1996, after being hit by a driver who had fallen asleep at the wheel. He also trained with FSD in South Africa last year and despite the limitations of his arm has managed to make three unaided take offs and landings. He now specialises in making films featuring amputees.

Aviation entrepreneur Edwin Brenninkmeyer was lead pilot on the challenge.
He said: "I have met many flying scholars and seen many letters from them which show that being able to learn to fly gives disabled people, particularly those who were at one time able-bodied, renewed confidence, which can help them go on to get jobs or study."

The flying scholars have already raised more than £20,000 for FSD, and hope their Reach for the Islands feat will win this year's Pooley's Dawn To Dusk flying competition which challenges pilots to demonstrate their airmanship over a day while furthering a worthwhile objective.