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May 2, 2007

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply that they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings." --J.M. Barrie

Insights From a Blind Pilot

As a child, Miles Hilton-Barber wanted to be a pilot -- not an uncommon ambition among the young. But his is no ordinary story. When his plane touched down recently in Sydney, he became the first blind man to fly half-way around the world. His hope is to raise $1.2 million for Seeing is Believing, an organization that restores sight in developing countries. "When I went blind, they said you’d never fly, and thanks to people like Richard, we’ve flown half-way around the world," he said, referring to safety pilot, Richard Meredith-Hardy. Hilton-Barber was inspired by his blind brother, who sailed solo from South Africa to Australia. "That's what made me realize the problem in my life wasn't my blindness," he said, "The only thing holding me back was five inches, the distance between my ears. Attitude is what determines altitude."