…And Without Leaving The Ground

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Key Takeaways:

  • World Flight is a charity event that organizes a week-long, virtual round-the-world flight using a homebuilt flight simulator.
  • The event aims to raise money for Dreamflight, an organization that provides seriously ill children with vacations to Florida theme parks.
  • Anyone can volunteer as a "pilot" for the 35,000-mile virtual journey, regardless of whether they hold a pilot certificate.
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Mounting a round-the-world flight for charity takes organization, up-front funding, pilots and, of course, an airplane. Or does it? Some enterprising do-gooders in Sutton, England, have been circling the globe without ever leaving the ground. Using a homebuilt flight simulator, World Flight volunteers take the controls over a period of about a week in a virtual circumnavigation that raises money for Dreamflight, a group that takes seriously ill children to Florida theme parks for vacations. The next “trip” (flown by virtual pilots from all walks of life) leaves England Nov. 8 for a 35,000-mile journey that ends Nov. 14. One of the great things about World Flight is that there’s no need to have a pilot certificate to take part. Volunteer “pilots” include truck drivers and business managers. Apparently some airline pilots also take part.

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