AbleFlight is an organization created by pilots that provide scholarships to people with disabilities who have the desire to learn how to fly an airplane. The mission of AbleFlight is to “offer people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight and aviation career training, and by doing so, to gain greater self-confidence and self-reliance.”
Scot Abrams, a former NYPD police officer, was injured on the job in a severe motorcycle accident. After coming out of ICU, Scot went to rehab for two months, where he learned to walk again.
“I don’t know the word ‘no’ anymore or ‘I can’t’ so I gave (flying) a shot and my stars were aligned.”
Scot became a licensed pilot in July 2015 through AbleFlight. He refers to flying as “freedom.” He states, “(Flying) is freedom. You forget your disability, you forget about the accident, you forget about all the doctor’s visits…I’m flying. But, you know, it all comes down to freedom.”