Aerobility's first disabled flyer to earn TMG Class Rating
Claire Tonkinson, a disabled woman from London, is the first student with a disability to have earned her TMG (Touring Motor Glider) Class Rating with training from Aerobility on the Grob 109B.
Aerobility is a UK Charity which changes lives by providing anyone, with any disability, access to the magic and wonder of learning to fly and has specially adapted aircraft. It is the only flying charity in the country to offer TMG training for individuals with disabilities.
When someone has a Private Pilots licence, adding a TMG Class Rating gives a pilot the ability to fly a Touring Motor Glider - an aircraft that can take off and cruise like an aeroplane, or fly with power off as a glider.
Claire experiences chronic pain which affects her mobility following a back injury. After hearing about Aerobility from a friend, she visited Blackbushe Airport and began flying with the charity in 2014. Flying soon became her passion, and she went on to earn her Private Pilot’s Licence with Aerobility in 2016.
Claire has also been volunteering at Aerobility for nearly ten years, representing the charity at events and speaking to the public. In 2023 she decided she wanted to earn her TMG Rating so she could speak about flying the Grob 109B from experience.
Aerobility's Grob 109B was made possible through the innovative Project Able bringing former RAF Air Cadet motor gliders back into service for society benefit thanks to the help of the Department for Transport.
She said: “When I fly in an aircraft, the required focus and concentration is a distraction from pain. I am able to sit in an aircraft for longer periods than normally possible.
“I feel incredibly proud and honoured to be Aerobility’s first student to have earned my TMG Class Rating. With a disability, the world doesn't have things put in place. It's a daily battle. One of the most important things that Aerobility does is to build confidence.
“None of this would have been possible without the guidance and support from my instructors, particularly Mike Owen, who is incredibly skilled and an intuitive teacher who always remained calm during my training, however difficult it was. The entire team at Aerobility helps you to focus on what you can do, instead of what you can't, giving people with disabilities a new outlook on life.”
Mike Owen, Aerobility’s Chief Flying Instructor, said: “We are all really pleased with what Claire has accomplished. Earning a TMG Class Rating takes a lot of skill and Claire should be very proud of herself.”
Mike Miller-Smith, CEO at Aerobility said: “We are able to teach people with disabilities to fly thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters. We thank them very much indeed for making this possible for Claire.
“It is important to celebrate Claire’s recent achievements, and we are looking forward to continuing to share the magic and wonder of flight with as many disabled individuals as possible.”
(L to R) Instructor Mike Owen, Claire Tonkinson, Instructor Chris Wade