4 Point Challenge (Disabled pilot flight around the UK)

I am Albert Thomson, disabled veteran (above-knee amputee), injured whilst serving with 1 Black Watch in Iraq in 2003. In August 2021, I was fortunate to be granted a flying scholarship with FSDP (Flying Scholarships for Disabled People), and that is where a new chapter in my life began. Flying was something I had always wanted to do, but never really did anything about it because life had taken over and whilst I had the opportunity to jump out of planes and land safely with the benefit of having donned a parachute before I left the plane, never actually got into the cockpit. When I was severely injured in 2003, my life was completely turned upside down and any dreams I had faded.

FSDP changed everything for me, and I seized this opportunity with vigour, keen to give this my utmost attention. Having completed my 16 hours flying time with the Scholarship, I was keen to continue and become a fully qualified pilot. I needed at least 40 hours of flying time – an expensive hobby indeed!

BLESMA, (British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association) came to my aid and understood the desire and the absolute need for me to mentally and physically succeed and they were able to assist with funding to achieve my ambition. In June 2023 I qualified as Captain Thomson at Sibson Airfield in Peterborough flying in a Cessna 172.

That feeling of freedom in the skies, the exhilaration and the sheer awesomeness of flying is fantastic for someone who is able-bodied, but when you become or are disabled this becomes something else! Totally indescribable! That is why my new goal is to show and encourage other disabled people and veterans like myself that the sky really is the limit.

I am planning a flight challenge to fly solo (accompanied by another Veteran) taking in 4 most outlying points of the UK (North, South East and West), although not in that particular order and hoping to encourage other disabled people and veterans to come along and meet us, and highlight the possibilities open to them.

The challenging part is that I am hoping to achieve this in 5 days and with our British weather this will be challenging indeed!

I am seeking financial support to help me achieve this and spread awareness of the possibilities for disabled people and anything you can give would be deeply appreciated.