Students in the Able Flight training program at Purdue University now have two aircraft at their disposal: the tandem-seat Sky Arrow 600, which was used in 2010 during the program’s inaugural session, and a side-by-side-seat Flight Design CTLS.
"We had such success with our joint flight training program at Purdue in 2010 that the university asked us to send more students this year,” Able Flight Executive Director Charles Stites said in a news release. “That meant more airplanes and we were pleased to add a Flight Design CT adding to the specially adapted Sky Arrow 600 that was used last year. So we have two students and two instructors per plane.”
The Flight Design CTLS was supplied by Flight Design and Peak Aviation, a Colorado-based dealer for the aircraft manufacturer, and the Sky Arrow 600 has been provided by Philly Sport Pilot both years. Peak Aviation modified the Flight Design CTLS to install hand controls that included “a hand-control rudder lever and a shortened throttle lever as well as moving a new hand brake control to the joystick,” the release said.
Able Flight grants full scholarships for individuals with physical disabilities who are 17 years or older to earn their sport pilot certificate. The group also provides return-to-flight, flight training challenge, and career training scholarships. Able Flight’s website lists 21 scholarship recipients, including Jessica Cox who spoke at AOPA Aviation Summit in 2009, plus three more who are currently training. The scholarships have helped pilots injured in automobile accidents return to the air and members of the military who were wounded earn a pilot certificate.
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