Aviation Sans Frontières recently raised more than €200,000 ($217,000) for projects using aircraft and industry volunteers to support humanitarian work worldwide. On October 20, the Paris-based not-for-profit organization held its first sponsored AéroRun event in which 1,200 people of all ages raced around the runway at Le Bourget Airport.
The charity event received strong support from the wider French aviation community, including the country’s DGAC civil aviation agency, Dassault Aviation, Groupe ADP, Jetex, and SkyFirst. The runners included 22 different nationalities and they had full use of Le Bourget’s Runway 03-21 for a 10-kilometer course, enjoying 360-degree views of the airport as they progressed to the finish line.
Aviation Sans Frontières supports projects such as raising funds for a flying hospital that can bring healthcare to vulnerable and isolated populations. It has also organized humanitarian transportation in Africa, helped to carry children to France for medical care, and taken medicines to where they are needed.
“This event beautifully proves what we can accomplish when we unite our efforts for a common cause,” said Gérard Feldzer, president of Aviation Sans Frontières. “Participants, partners, volunteers, and runners, all of us showed how sport can be a means of incredible solidarity.”