EVERETT — Allene Hicks recently discovered that her only limit was the sky.

Allene, 13, was one of about 130 kids and adults who participated in the Fly Day on July 18, an annual event at Paine Field where people with disabilities get a chance to fly a small plane with a pilot.

“Kids who don’t have the best abilities get up on the plane, and those things don’t matter,” said Allene’s mom, Tamma Hicks of Everett. “Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean that you can’t do something different.”

Participants go on a half-hour flight with pilots who volunteer their time and planes. This year, 25 pilots came out to take Allene and others up to the sky.

The program is open to people up to 32 years old. Some are as young as 7, Tamma Hicks said. Many, like Allene, have developmental disabilities.

Tamma and Rusty Hicks watched from the back of the small plane as Allene, a shy girl, took hold of the wheel.

“The pilot said, ‘Come on; you can do it!’ And she did,” Tamma Hicks said.

Allene already participated in Fly Day last year but wasn’t quite so brave. The Hicks first heard about the event from another parent at a Special Olympics basketball practice.

Her Marysville team placed third in the regional meet.

The Hickses didn’t miss the chance for their daughter to try something new.

Anytime she sees a plane now, Allene says “I did that,” Tamma Hicks said. Going up into the sky and taking hold of the steering wheel gave her a different perspective and a boost of confidence, she said.

The program is part of Challenge Air, a nonprofit organization that hosts Fly Day in 16 cities throughout the country, Tamma Hicks said. The Hickses this year helped organize the event in Washington.

It’s a great way for people to make friends and find new support groups, Tamma Hicks said. This year, there was face-painting, a bouncy house and more.

“It’s one of the most exciting programs out there,” she said.

Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.