Flying For Freedom Over The French Battlefields

A team of wounded ex-servicemen and women are going on an aerial pilgrimage.

The Flying for Freedom team is heading to the skies of France to fly over the battlefields of the first world war.

The tour will commemorate the centenary of some of the most notable air battles of the war.

All of the team got into flying after suffering an injury or illness and found it played a significant part of their recovery process. Luke Sinnots, a former Captain in the Royal Engineers said:  

"That feeling of the aircraft leaving the ground, you feel so free. I would book my surgery and physio around flying. It wasn't rehabilitation dictated my life anymore, it was me trying to go flying." 

The microlights normally fly around 2000ft and travel at speeds of up to 100mph. Their longest stint without stopping will be when they cross the channel.       

The team are hoping the trip will raise £25,000 to fund further challenges and enable more former forces personnel to train as pilots.