Kaiya Armstrong: A Blind Woman Is Flying A Plane Herself

She’s Flying 2,000 Miles After Losing Her Sight Due to An Autoimmune Disease

Kaiya Armstrong is a 21-year-old who tragically lost her vision seven years ago due to an autoimmune disease. Kaiya learned of the autoimmune disease when she received the life-changing diagnosis in 2014. [i]

An N882LA aircraft that is similar to what is being flown by Kaiya.Photo byZaubee

Kaiya had been going for a bike ride, “just like any other day,” when she returned home to find that her vision had become noticeably more blurry. Kaiya decided to visit the doctor’s office the following day. Following learning that she had an autoimmune disease, Kaiya remained positive. [ii]

Kaiya’s recent piloting of a plane over 2,000 miles has been made possible partly by the “Foundation of Blind Children’s ‘Flight for Sight.’ Their website details how “Kaiya Armstrong, a blind 21-year-old from Phoenix, will fly a plane without vision from Phoenix, AZ to Washington, DC.” [iii]

They mention how Kaiya was required to undergo “extensive ground school and in-air flight training throughout 2022” to make this flight possible. Kaiya’s journey began on Oct. 7, 2022, and is scheduled to end on Oct. 13, 2022. Kaiya is taking the flight in legs, with her first flight path taking her from Mesa, AZ, to Colorado Springs, CO. [iv]

The following morning, Kaiya left Colorado Springs and headed to Kansas City, MO. For the third leg, Kaiya took off from Louisville, KY. Finally, on Oct. 13, Kaiya will finish her last leg and land in Washington DC at College Park Airport. [v]

Fred Hall is responsible in part for the success of Kaiya’s flight. He is a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and an Orientation & Mobility instructor. He spent two hours twice a week working with Kaiya on independent flight training. [vi]

References

[i] See It Our Way, Flight for Sight, (2022)

[ii] Id.

[iii] Id.

[iv] FlightAware, N882LA, (Oct. 12, 2022)

[v] Id.

[vi] Chloe Ranshaw, Orientation and Mobility Training to Fly a Plane, (2022)

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[Article Note: This piece was originally published on NewsBreak and has been archived and transferred to DOPE Quick Reads to preserve its informational value. Original publication date: 2022-12-21]