Great Scott! Blind man flies plane and lands it
Thrill-seeking fundraiser is loving the high life
A BLIND daredevil flew a plane – and landed it on his first ever attempt.
Scott Cunningham took control of the light aircraft during a lesson at Strathaven Airfield.
While a trained pilot took him up, he was allowed to take control of the craft in the air and brought it safely back to ground.
Scott, 46, who has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity over the years, was thrilled with the outing and said he can’t wait to take to the skies again.
“I’ve always been into aeroplanes and the idea of flying,” he laughed.
“It was an amazing and surreal experience. It was exhilarating.
“I’m a bit of a thrill- seeker and this was one of the best ones ever.
“Getting out of the aircraft, I felt 20ft tall.”
The pilot described everything in detail to Scott during the flight.
He was also able to experience the adrenaline-inducing sensation of the plane “banking and rolling” as he tested it out.
And there was no need to worry about safety as the plane’s dual controls meant the pilot could take over at any point.
Scott, from Larkhall, Lanarkshire, said: “There was a joystick in the middle and the rudders on the wings were controlled by pedals at my feet.
“I tested it to the full when the pilot said I was in control. You could really feel it banking.
“He gave me a shot at landing too. The pilot had overall control but he let me bring it down.”
Pilot Graham McNally, 52, an instructor with Sport Flight Scotland at Strathaven Airfield, took Scott for his lesson and said it was the first time he’d ever taught someone who was blind to fly.
Graham said: “I got him to feel out the controls and talked him through everything.”
And he said he only gave a “bit of assistance” at the final point as Scott touched down.
Graham added: “He was better than some of the students with sight that I’ve taught.”
Scott lost his vision at the age of 23 as a result of a degenerative eye condition.
He initially struggled but turned his life around with the help of guide dogs.
Ike was his first guide dog, followed by Travis and then Milo.
This year, Milo won in the Special Family Pets section of The Sunday Post Broons Awards for the part he’s played in Scott’s fundraising.
Scott has said he “wouldn’t be here” without the help of his guide dogs.
Keen to repay the work of the Guide Dogs Charity, Scott has carried out numerous fundraising events and is well on the way to raising £300,000 for the organisation.
Scott, who was awarded with an MBE for his services to fundraising, has completed numerous challenges in recent years.
This has included becoming the first guide dog and owner to trek the West Highland Way, the 268- mile Pennine Way and reach the top of Ben Nevis.
But now Scott has had a taste of the high life, he can’t wait to get back up in the air.
“As soon as I can, I’m going back up again,” Scott said.