“The CTLS has been perfect for me and it has worked so well that if I can someday swing it I would by the 4 seat version (the C4) to continue to train and fly with my family. Whoever picked the plane for me to train on couldn’t have picked a better one and its cool to know I can fly it safely without any modifications! Your constant words of encouragement really mean a lot to me and I hope you all know what an impact you have made on me.”  

Adam Kisielewski, Sgt USMC (ret.)

Adam and Tom Peghiny

Read the article here:

http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2012/120315combat-veteran-solos-modified-lsa.html

The Flight Design Technik products provided to Able Flight by Flight Design were installed in a CTLS  recently and are now being put to use at Purdue University to allow two disabled pilots to realize a dream to learn to fly.  Frank Bormann of Procomposite provided excellent support throughout the installation effort. The hand controls were developed over  two and a half year period and were installed in Peak Aviation Center’s CTLS.  Peak Aviation Center is a Flight Design Pilot Center located in Colorado Springs, CO USA and The Pilot Center airplane has been placed on loan to Purdue University’ Able Flight program to train disabled  pilots.

Flight instructors found that the controls worked well and especially appreciated the hand brake on the stick when taxiing on a gusty day. Two pictures below show the installation of the hand controls on the CTLS. One shows the rudder control and shortened throttle lever and the other shows the new hand brake on the stick.

Purdue University, in cooperation with Able Flight has undertaken a program this summer to train disabled pilots under a special scholarship program. The picture below shows two Able Flight scholarship recipients that have a great desire to learn to fly. The man shown is a wounded veteran and the woman seated beside is hearing impaired. She requires a side-by-side training aircraft for communicating with her instructor. We anticipate their sport pilot training to be complete this summer, and their wings awarded during EAA AirVenture 2011 at Oshkosh July 25-31, 2011.