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Microlighting

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English Channel
On 25 August 2003 Miles became the first blind person to fly the English Channel in a microlight, accompanied by his highly accomplished co-pilot Storm Smith. They joined 160 other microlights flying the Channel that day, celebrating the first 100 years of powered flight.

Miles and Storm
Miles with Storm and the "Optical Express", as they prepare for takeoff in their attempt on the British microlight altitude record currently at 10,800 feet.

Storm Smith's Experience
Storm is a highly experienced microlight pilot, having already flown a microlight from India back to Britain, landing at the Farnborough Air Show several years ago. Miles and Storm are planning to fly the microlight from London to Sydney in 2004, following the original route taken by the first London to Sydney air race in 1919.

Flying at Altitude
"Flying at extreme altitude and the high wind-chill factor (around -38C) got to my hands again, preventing us from reaching our desired target of around 20,000 feet. We broke the record, but didn't reach our goal. We will plan another attempt to go higher still, with additional heated protection for hands, feet and body."

Coming Down
Coming back down to land, with the record achieved and another life-lesson learnt: "You have to aim high in life to go high, and it is important to not be satisfied with a performance that you know is below your potential".

Miles Comments
"A microlight is a great, sensual form of flight for a blind person, with the wind in your face, and the roaring engine just behind you, holding a wing bar to fly it. We are working on speech-output for flight instruments- the key to enabling us to fly to Australia in the microlight during 2004."