Wings for Autism™, one of The Arc’s newest national initiatives, is an airport “rehearsal”
specially designed for individuals with Autism spectrum disorders, their families and aviation
professionals. Conceived, designed and implemented by The Charles River Center (CRC) and
the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport),Wings for Autism™ is designed to alleviate some
of the stress that families who have a child with Autism or other intellectual/developmental
disabilities experience when traveling by air. The program provides families with the opportunity
to practice entering the airport, obtain boarding passes, go through security and board a plane.
Wings for Autism™ also gives airport, airline, Transportation Security Administration
professionals the chance to observe, interact and deliver services in a structured, learning
environment. This Wings for Autism™ video
http://www.charlesrivercenter.org/index.cfm?pid=14828 provides a glimpse of a recent Wings
for Autism™ event.
Wings for Autism™, is a national program administered by The Arc of the United States.
Successful Wing's for Autism™ events require four partners; Local Chapters of The Arc, Airport
professionals, Airline professionals, and TSA professionals.
Local Chapters of The Arc
Local Chapters of The Arc have knowledge and experience in working with individuals with
Autism and their families and producing large scale events. Using the professionally developed
and field-tested Wings for Autism™ Coordinator Guide, local Chapters of The Arc will establish
a Wings Team (with airport, airline and TSA representatives), schedule and facilitate team
meetings, invite families to the event, recruit volunteers, seek sponsors, and deliver an
orientation to airport, airline and TSA professionals prior to the event. In addition local Chapters
of The Arc will work with Wings Team members to make decisions about event logistics, plan a
reception (optional) and invite local media.
Airport Personnel
A successful Wings for Autism™ event requires airport personnel to select an ideal day and time
for the event, recommend airline(s) partners, identify a gate and locations for a reception
(optional) and media area. Airline personnel are also asked to recruit airport employees to
participate in the event, secure a date/location for airport, airline, and TSA orientation, schedule
airport personnel to attend the orientation and provide additional input to ensure a successful
event.
Airline Personnel
A successful Wings for Autism™ event requires airline personnel to provide an out of service
plane, recruit pilots, flight attendants, and ticket agents to participate in the event, print out and
Wings for Autism™ Coordinator Guide DO NOT DISTRIBUTE BEYOND CHAPTERS OF THE ARC
issue boarding passes, work with the local Chapter of The Arc to address last minute boarding
pass changes, schedule airline personnel to attend the orientation and provide additional input to
ensure a successful event.
Airport and Airline benefits:
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Participate in a professionally-designed Autism awareness training event.
Work directly with individuals and their family members in a structured, controlled
environment
Receive feedback from family members about their experience.
Attract a new group of potential customers.
Obtain positive publicity and media coverage.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
A Successful Wings for Autism™ event requires TSA personnel to recruit security officers and
work with the Wings Team to determine if additional TSA staff are needed and determine if one
designated or all (live) security lanes should be used. TSA personnel are also asked to schedule
TSA employees to attend the orientation and provide additional input to ensure a successful
event.
TSA benefits:
 Participate in a professionally-designed Autism awareness training event.
 Work directly with individuals and their family members in a structured, controlled
environment
 Receive feedback from family members about their experience.
 Obtain positive publicity and media coverage.
The Arc of the United States (The Arc)
The Arc is a national, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation with more than 140,000 members and
700 state and local chapters that promotes and protects the human rights of people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and
participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. As the administrator of this national
program, The Arc provides local Chapters of The Arc with the Wings for Autism™ Coordinator
Guide as well as technical assistance to ensure that all events are consistent throughout the
country. The Arc will operate a national Wings for Autism™ website and registration page and
provide local Chapters with the list of participants that is required by the airlines for boarding
cards. The Arc also support host Chapters of The Arc in data tabulation and reporting.
Wings for Autism™ Coordinator Guide DO NOT DISTRIBUTE BEYOND CHAPTERS OF THE ARC
Wings for Autism™ is supporting thousands of people with Autism, family members and
aviation professionals test out the joy of air travel. For more information on how you can bring
this exceptional program to your community contact Nichole Goble at 202-600-3482 or
goble@thearc.org
Wings for Autism™ Coordinator Guide DO NOT DISTRIBUTE BEYOND CHAPTERS OF THE ARC