Blind pilot's epic journey

A British pilot has become the first blind man to fly half-way across the world.Miles Hilton-Barber completed the 13,500 mile trip from London to Sydney in a microlight.The 58-year-old flew a specially modified aircraft and was accompanied by co-pilot Richard Meredith-Hardy.After he touched down, Mr Hilton-Barber said: "I'm just euphoric at the moment. I started thinking the biggest thing was to be the first blind man to fly across the world."I realise now what a hollow, meaningless thing that is compared with helping blind children."He aims to raise £1 million for the charity Seeing Is Believing, which is helping the World Health Organisation's Vision 2020 attempts to eradicate preventable blindness in developing countries around the world.Mr Hilton-Barber said: "I felt like a kind of Father Christmas, going through the skies throwing these gifts."I'll never see again but the next best thing is to give to people who can."Imagine what it's like to say to a little blind child 'Would you like to see again? Come and see me tomorrow and you'll be able to see."'Mr Hilton-Barber has been blind for 25 years due to a degenerative condition called retinitis pigmentosa.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

ITN | April 30, 2007

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