Challenge Air Events Give Disabled Individuals Free Flights

Challenge Air Events Give Disabled Individuals Free Flights

Children and adults with disabilities, including Cerebral Palsy, as well as individuals with certain types of cancer, such as mesothelioma, have the opportunity to take flight with the Challenge Air program, which provides free flights for children and adults & their families. Other constraints include that of breathing in which case children would require nebulizers.

The program operates in about 16 different U.S. cities, and an event costs about $13,000. Generally, local businesses sponsor the event. Challenge Air has been providing flights for the last 16 years and recruits volunteer pilots to give plane rides.


Children and adults with Cerebral Palsy experience various degrees of learning disabilities and may be at a heightened risk of developing certain health problems, including heart defects and ear infections.

None of that matters, however, when a disabled child is up in the air at a Challenge Air event.

Founder Rick Amber believed that “every disabled person should see the world from a different view…out of their wheelchairs and crutches and from the sky.” Amber, who lost the use of his legs while serving in the United States Navy, was passionate about providing disabled individuals with new and unforgettable life experiences. Amber passed away in 1997, but his wish is carried on by the staff at Challenge Air.

To contact Challenge Air, please visit www.challengeair.com.