Helen Keller once flew an airplane!

It was 75 years ago, during June of 1946 that deaf-blind disability rights advocate Helen Keller flew a plane. The story is recorded in a newspaper article archived by the American Foundation for the Blind. She piloted the airplane for 20 minutes as it flew over the Mediterranean ocean. Her companion, Polly Thomson, is recorded as saying:

She sat in the co-pilot’s seat with the pilot beside her, and I relayed to her his instructions.The plane crew were amazed at her sensitive touch on the controls. There was no shaking or vibration. She just sat there and flew the plane calmly and steadily.

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