Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Blind pilots aerobatics

A blind pilot has fulfilled a personal dream by flying a fighter jet over Gloucestershire. Miles Hilton Barber, 58, of Duffield in Derbyshire, performed aerobatics at more than 600 mph in the Hawker Hunter jet.

After touching down at Kemble airfield he said: "It's been the amazing fulfilment of a dream."

His co-pilot Andy Cubin said: "It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life."

The adventurer already holds a record for flying a microlight from London to Sydney, and has trekked 150 miles across the Sahara in the Marathon des Sables as well as climbing to 17,500 feet in the Himalayas.

Mr Hilton-Barber, who has been blind for more than 25 years, is hoping to raise money for the charity Seeing is Believing.

"When I was 18 I joined the Rhodesian air force, failed on my sight then started going blind and now I'm blind as a bat," he said. "I've been doing aerobatics in this amazing Delta fighter jet and I'm one of the happiest people in Britain right now and feeling absolutely that even though I'm blind all of us can still live our dreams."

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