Our third generation Flying Eye Hospital

The current Flying Eye Hospital is the third of its kind, able to fly further than the last two and kitted out with the latest eye care technology. Here are some more facts about this latest version of the sight-saving plane:

• It can fly 6,000 nautical miles, compared to the previous plane which could cover 4,000 nautical miles.
• The plane's wingspan is 165.4ft and length is 181ft.
• The Flying Eye Hospital has three engines.
• At the front is a 46 seat classroom and there are 26 screens and monitors, allowing trainees to watch surgery performed on the plane in real time.
• The plane can carry 378 gallons of water and 40 tons of medical equipment, all used during operations.
• The cockpit has been modified so that only two pilots are needed to fly the plane. Originally three were needed.

A big thank you to our supporters - none of the below would have been possible without your support!

• Our Flying Eye Hospital is the world's only full accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an aeroplane.

• Since 1982, it has delivered 316 programmes in more than 95 countries.

• The Flying Eye Hospital has circumnavigated the globe hundreds of times and bounced continent to continent and back multiple times per year since 1982.

• Since 2001, the Flying Eye Hospital has flown more than 500,000 nautical miles.

• Over the past four decades, Orbis has conducted tens of millions of eye screenings and conducted eye surgeries and laser treatments for hundreds of thousands of patients.

• Since 1985, volunteers have conducted over 1,100 hospital-based trainings at partner institutions to build local eye care teams' skills.

• Our 400+ volunteers come from more than 30 countries.

• FedEx pilots volunteer during their time off to fly the plane around the world on Orbis projects.

• Ten of our long-standing volunteers have worked on all three generations of the Flying Eye Hospital, the DC-8, DC-10 and MD-10.