I just got the sad news that Ray Temchus, former President of Freedom's Wings International, has passed away.

Ray was the first quadriplegic Commercial license glider pilot in the USA, and the first CFIG.

He generously brought his glider, a G 103 with hand controls, to my club in Canada to demonstrate his program to such a success that we received a grant from the government-funded Ontario Trillium Foundation to start what I believe 9is now the most successful such program in the world operating at several gliding clubs across Canada.

In recent years, Ray flew his beloved Grob out of Tampa Bay Soaring, continuing to offer Inspiration Flights to anyone with a handicap, and flight instruction for paraplegic student pilots.

He is a loss to our community. He embodied charity.

Charles