Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

While we were up in Wanaka, we caught up with a local journalist and pilot Barry Cardno to do a story on him. Barry was paralysed from the waist down in a top-dressing plane crash 11 years ago (he has some movement in his legs, but relies on a wheelchair to get around).

He's been battling the CAA to be able to fly again, and recently took his first solo flight in over a decade in a 'Light Sports Aircraft' (a modern Microlight). Barry uses a t-bar attachment which fits onto the foot pedals, so he can control the rudders with his hands.

The solo plane he normally uses was waiting to be repaired, so here he is preparing to go up with his instructor Ruth from Fly Wanaka...