News in brief

IN THE week when thousands of runners took to the streets for the London Marathon, QBE Insurance’s aviation division has shown its own charitable side, sponsoring a unique flying challenge for fly2help, a charity that allows the disabled to enjoy the thrill of flight. The Civil Aviation Authority’s Jason Phelan spent three consecutive days experiencing as many aerobatic routines, in as many varied aircraft, from as many airfields as possible. Emilio Di Silvio, managing director of QBE’s aviation unit, said: “Much of our time is spent working with leading airlines and flyers, dealing with the serious side of air travel. However, we couldn’t resist the chance to support this appealing charity. We salute Phelan for completing this challenge and I look forward to hearing the war stories from this marathon series of loops, rolls and hops.”