What's Happening in Burbank, CA…

On May 2, an event was held at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank designed to help families with autistic members to navigate their way through the flying experience.

Titled ‘Blue Horizons for Autism’, it was sponsored by Autism Speaks, JetBlue Airways, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

According to Autism Speaks, people with autism often have “unusual responses to sensory input”, and can find it difficult to process information when it comes at them from all directions. With airports being busy places with information at every turn, they can be particularly stressful places for such individuals.

By giving families an opportunity to do a “dry run” through what occurs when taking a flight, each individual's reaction to the airport environment can be identified. Then, ways of making it easier and less stressful for them can be explored.

Part of the rehearsal featured navigating through the airport and security to a specially designated gate. Once on the plane, the flight crew went through the pre-takeoff procedures as they normally would. The plane then taxied to another gate to give the participants a chance to hear the engines and experience a taste of the flying experience.

Organizations like Autism Speaks often find that brochure printers are helpful to them in the mission to inform families dealing with a disorder of what services are available to them.