Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Seeing is Believing?
• Why is Standard Chartered Bank sponsoring this Microlight Adventure?
• What is the Bank hoping to achieve?
• Why is Miles doing this adventure?
• How does Miles navigate?
• What is the route to Sydney?
• When do they finish?
• How do Richard and Brian feel about flying with Miles?

What is Seeing is Believing?

In 2003, to celebrate the Bank's 150th anniversary, the staff of Standard Chartered Bank launched Seeing is Believing, which aimed to help restore the sight of individuals around the world.

The drive and enthusiasm of staff is fundamental to the success of this initiative. High levels of staff engagement has enabled Seeing is Believing to grow it's ambitions and make a significant difference to the eye health of some of the most vulnerable people in our markets. A recent survey of staff revealed that 97% of employees are 'proud' or 'very proud' of Seeing is Believing. This powerful initiative has brought staff together across markets, businesses and targets as well as helping us engage with our customers and clients.

• In 2003, we aimed to restore the sight of 28,000 people across the globe. We doubled that target and helped 56,000 people to regain their sight.
• Our second target of raising US$6 million was reached one year ahead of schedule and we are on target to have contributed to one million sight restorations by World Sight Day 2007

Inspired by these achievements the Bank began to consult with leading eyecare agencies and the WHO (World Health Organisation). On World Sight Day 2006 Seeing is Believing announced its most ambitious target yet and broadened its scope from curing blindness but critically to helping prevent avoidable blindness.

Seeing is Believing aims to raise USD 10 million by World Sight Day 2010 to fund medical, community and education projects to make a difference to the lives of 10 million people across 20 countries.

Seeing is Believing is now working in partnership with the IAPB (The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) and with the support of the WHO. Over the next four years it will continue to help people with cataracts as well as tackling other forms of preventable blindness including trachoma, river blindness and various forms of childhood blindness as well refractive error.

Why is Standard Chartered Bank sponsoring this Microlight Adventure?

The Bank is hugely impressed by Miles determination, enthusiasm for life and his achievements to date, the Bank wanted to support him in such a brave endeavor as he embodies the Banks core values of Courageousness, Creativity, Trustworthy, Responsive and International

We believe that the Bank is the Right Partner to help him achieve his dream, give faith to others and create awareness about blindness

What is the Bank hoping to achieve?

Seeing is Believing hopes to increase awareness about Blindness around the globe and aims to raise USD1 million

Why is Miles doing this adventure?

Although Miles is never going to see again, he is fully committed to helping others
regain their sight having known what a wonderful gift it is. Miles is "absolutely delighted
to combine a long held ambition to fly from London to Sydney whilst aiming to raise USD1 million for Seeing is Believing and raising awareness. The flight will be a huge and
exhilarating challenge but is one that I am committed to overcoming."

How does Miles navigate?

Miles is relying on revolutionary voice output technology. He has a GPS navigational system which has been developed so he can get a voice output signal from all the usual flying instrumentation such as his altimeter, wind speed meter, compass and angle of bank. Miles can select a different voice signals to be directed into his headset, along with his radio for talking to Air Traffic control. Miles has used similar technology while scuba diving and uses voice output for all his computer technology such as e-mails but it has not been used to this extent before for flying.

The Microlight also has fitted all the standard equipment so can be flown by a sighted person.

What is the route to Sydney?

They will travel through 19 countries to get to Sydney from London. The basic route is down through Europe (stopping in France, Italy, Greece, Rhodes, Cyprus), through the Middle East (Saudi, Jordan, Qatar, Dubai, Oman), across to Asia (Pakistan, India and Bangladesh), Down through S.E. Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) and then across to and through Australia. The total distance is over 13,000 miles or 20,000 Km

When do they finish?

The team will aim to land in Sydney Australia on the 28th April and from there Miles will visit Standard Chartered Bank staff in key markets to tell them first hand about his incredible adventure.

How do Richard and Brian feel about flying with Miles?

They have known about Miles' dream of flying for a number of years and are determined to help him achieve his dream, while at the same time helping individuals around the world.

Both feel that SCB is the right partner for this adventure as we have a common aim towards helping combat avoidable blindness across the globe.