Looking Ahead to the Access to the Skies Summit
by Robert Thomas Jr.
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has just concluded the celebration of our 80th anniversary, and it was great timing to coincide with our country’s 250th birthday of independence from Great Britain.
We’ve had a busy start to the beginning of the 2027 fiscal year. This month will close out the first quarter, but there’s still plenty of work to be done.
We’re still fighting hard to get key legislation passed through Congress while gearing up for PVA’s Healthcare Summit + Expo in Las Vegas.
I’m sure the attendees will place the importance of their continuing education credits over the bright lights of slot machines, blackjack tables, the hustle and bustle of The Strip and the amazing shows. I’m sure they’ll take this opportunity to let the breakout sessions be their entertainment for the week.
Outside of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, the PVA Healthcare Summit + Expo is the largest event that we hold annually, but we have begun working on another event that we hope will grow to be just as large or even larger — our Access to the Skies Summit.
This is our second year hosting the Summit in Colorado Springs, Colo. Held Oct. 1, the event will feature a series of panels that thoroughly discuss the travel experience of people with disabilities.
We’re looking to educate attendees about their current rights and responsibilities. We also want to address what the future may look like for people with disabilities when accessing air travel.
We’ll be giving a nod to the 40th anniversary of the Air Carrier Access Act, which is a few days after this event. In addition, there will also be an expo that will display some of the manufacturers of new accessible aviation products.
Being able to adequately access air travel is a big issue of concern for our members. Just like everyone else, we need to have the ability to travel via airplane for various reasons, such as work obligations, to visit loved ones or to simply enjoy the experience of flying. There are those who haven’t been fortunate enough to have that opportunity due to limitations, and that’s something PVA is working to change.
If you’re interested in finding out what the future of aviation looks like for people living with disabilities, please contact our PVA Government Relations Department at Government_Relations@pva.org to find out how you can view the Access to the Skies Summit via Zoom video conferencing.
Lastly, with it being September, I would be remiss not to mention the anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11 and the men and women who lost their lives just 25 years ago. Please take a moment of silence to remember these individuals and their families.
