Pilots do HYROX London

On 26th November, 10 pilots from British Airways Euroflyer will be competing in the gruelling London HYROX fitness race. This involves running 8km, 1000m SkiErg, 1000m row, 152kg sled push, 103kg sled pull, 80m burpee broad jumps, 24kg x 2 kettle bell farmers carry, 100m sandbag lunges with 20kg and 100 wall ball throws with a 6kg ball....not to mention lots of sweating and lots of pain! We have split into 2 x 4 man relay teams (1 - Ole, Anthony, Thijs, Alex B, 2 - Alex F, Alex G, Craig, Josh and 1 mixed double team - Garry and Liv).
We are raising money to support the excellent work of 2 very important charities; Macmillan & BA High Flight.

Several of the competitors have witnessed first hand the excellent work of Macmillan over the last couple of years and they offer a huge variety & depth of support for anyone touched by cancer.

The second charity we are raising money for is High Flight. High Flight is a pilot charity that challenges disadvantage through the medium of flight. The charity gives access and opportunity to aviation for individuals whose situation or circumstance wouldn't otherwise allow it. The charity was established over 20 years ago and has a successful history supporting various organisations including Flying Scholarships For Disabled People. This gives flying instruction to disabled students and aims to challenge and inspire; building up confidence, self-esteem and future aspirations. It has proved to be incredibly successful and rewarding for the students, guiding and pushing them to accomplish life changing achievements. They will be embarking on scholarships for disadvantaged children to learn to fly too. As pilots, this is a cause close to many of our hearts. For others to be able to experience the magic of flight is truly exciting.

One of this years scholars to be sponsored by High Flight is Andy Raynor. In early 2022, British Army mechanic Andy was the victim of a road traffic accident, resulting in a broken vertebrae and a spinal cord injury resulting in him becoming paralysed from the waist down. "My disability has affected me in every aspect of my life, I have daily struggles that I am still learning to deal with, and learning new ways of dealing with them. I have considered the challenges of a scholarship and will be trying my utmost to complete them to the highest standard I can achieve. I have already learned since the accident that no matter how bad things can get, that you have to keep going and never give up. I know this scholarship will boost my self-confidence and belief that I can still achieve things, and it will spur me on to be a better version of myself every day." Andy will be doing his flying with Shadow Aviation in Compton Abbas.

Training has well and truly begun for all the pilots, with some early 0600 gym sessions becoming the norm, runs after work and HYROX specific circuit sessions every week. Lets raise some money for these 2 very different but phenomenal charities.
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