On Friday 500 less privileged children from Bloemfontein were afforded the opportunity to fly across the city in the first The Children’s Flight held in the Free State, at the New Tempe Airport.
“What I loved most, was when the airplane tipped left and right so we could see more,” one girl (Gr. 4) said after her flight.
Various events such as this one, all organised by aviation enthusiast Felix Gosher, have previously been held in other provinces, making this a national effort.
For Friday’s event, more than 50 airplaines and helicopters and their pilots volunteered to take the children up and make this experience an unforgettable one.
Gosher says he salutes the community of Bloemfontein for coming together to help organise this huge event.
“The idea behind the event is to give children the opportunity to overcome what they don’t know. To allow them to cross boundaries; and to allow an aviation experience to broaden their horizons a bit. To see the world from a different perspective.”
Gosher confirms that children of about 25 children’s homes, schools and organisations like CHOC, through which children undergoing cancer treatment stay at CHOC House, took part in the day’s activities of flying, enjoying treats and having fun.
“Some may not be fit to fly. So we will see how they feel,” he said at the event.
Everything – from the food and ice cream, to eye tests that were made possible by Spec-Savers – were sponsored. Each child also received a free pair of sunglasses, and they all were given wing pins like real pilots.
To add to the excitement, three members of the well-known Flying Lions Aerobatic Team delivered an spectacular show to start off the day of flying.
The Harvards they flew, were of the same type used by the South African Air Force until 1995. This plane, that dates back to 1945, is called the School Master of the Sky, having taught generations of fighter pilots to fly.
For the young ones, it was their first flight – but also an opportunity to know that they are important and special.
