THE WINGS OF THE SMILE

Of wings and smiles

Since 1995 and with the support of many flying clubs across France, Aviation Sans Frontières has been organising events offering the possibility to discover the world of aeronautics to disabled people.

The Ailes du Sourire events are proposed to people with motor, sensorial, cognitive, or social disabilities affiliated with public or private structures. The events are organised with the coordinators of these hosting structures, not directly with the participants themselves.

In addition, since February 2009, Aviation Sans Frontières has organised free visits to aeronautical sites, including French Air Force bases, air traffic control centres, and the main airports in Paris.

60 volunteers working in collaboration with more than 15 flying clubs across France provide the participants with the best conditions for an introduction to navigation, meteorology, and to a first flight, with the delivery of a certificate at the end of the day of the experience.

In close concert with the flying clubs, our volunteers are in charge of ensuring the safety of all the people involved, of the aircraft and the infrastructures.

Key Figures In 2019, more than 1,274 people with disabilities took part in 129 Ailes du Sourire events organised in cooperation with 12 flying clubs across France, for an average cost of €80 per participant. Recipients The Ailes du Sourire event

Gérald Similowski, founder of Aviation Sans Frontières and e-Aviation

Key Figures

In 2019, more than 1,274 people with disabilities took part in 129 Ailes du Sourire events organised in cooperation with 12 flying clubs across France, for an average cost of €80 per participant.

Recipients

The Ailes du Sourire events are offered to people with motor, sensorial, cognitive, or social disabilities affiliated with public or private structures. The events are organised with the coordinators of these hosting structures, not directly with the participants themselves.

Partners

In the Paris region, flights take place from the airbases of La Ferté-Alais
From April to October, various flying clubs across France also contribute in making these events possible. Among them, Aviation Sans Frontières is supported by local flying clubs in Aix-les-Mille, Abbeville, Angers, Beaune, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Dijon, Nancy, Nantes, Quimper, Perpignan, Saint-Omer, Sarlat, Strasbourg, Toulouse and Valence

To ensure that these events are held regularly and successfully, Aviation Sans Frontières works in partnership with Les Ailes Brisées, Airbus Toulouse, the Airbus Foundation, ATR, l'Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis, Groupe Caisse d’Épargne, Dassault Aviation, the Air France Foundation, the Banque Populaire d'Atlantique Foundation, Kiwis de Strasbourg, Biarritz’s Lions Club, Barbizon’s Rotary Club (l'Envol), la Ville de Nancy, and many others.

Antennas

Aix-en-Provence, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Caen, La Ferté-Alais, Le Bourget, Le Plessis-Belleville, Nantes, Perpignan, Saint-Omer, Sarlat, Toulouse, Valence, Vinon-sur-Verdon.