Disabled commercial pilots - looking for info and resources

[Duster]

Hello all,
Recently a young man in our family who holds a Comm Multi-IFR and was working toward an airline career suffered a bad motorcycle accident. He severed the nerves in his right arm and it looks like he will not regain mobility of the arm. I am looking for any info or resources regarding pilots with disabilities. What options are available regarding aircraft modifications, training and job opportunities, anything that will allow this young man and his family a glimmer of hope. Do any of you know any commercial pilots flying with a similar disability? At this point I believe he realizes that an airline job is highly unlikely, but perhaps instructing, charter work, specialty air work etc.?

Please pm me or email to scottjclive@gmail.com
Thanks very much.

[slowstream]

Duster,

Don't quite me but I believe its a case by case basis of proving the ability to do the job.

I use to work with a guy who lost his hand and had a prosthetic hand for a replacement. He had to jump many hoops but he did it passed his PPC rides and now flies for a major 705 operator. But like I said he had to get past some very anal TC inspectors. I don't know what reg's or how he did it but he did it none the less.

Common sense would say that its all on a case by case and your friends ability to prove that he is able to preform ALL the required duties. I would also suggest that common sense would also dictate that he will require a great deal of perseverance and determination to get past all the people who would tell him "No"

Sounds like a bit of crappy situation, good luck to your friend

[Duster]

Thanks very much for your reply - I will pass this on.

[200hr Wonder]

First off, I do know that you would need to be able to perform all duties. I know of a gentleman who had lost a few fingers and all he had to do was prove that he still had enough manual dexterity to twiddle all the knobs and fly the aircraft. With one bad arm that my pose a problem. IE you can not twiddle nobs and program FMSs while flying. The other thing to consider which arm is it? If it is the left and he is unable to reach across to a center radio stack or FMS from the right seat then it would be difficult to get a job as an FO position would not be possible. Then again if it is the right arm that is bad being a captain would be difficult. What TC generally wants is a flight to prove that you are capable of doing everything required to fly the aircraft. First thing your friend should so is talk to the Dr. that is treating him for the nerve damage and heading up his case. I would assume he probably has multiple Doctors in this case. Get that Doctor on his side and then talk to the RMO to see what he wants to issue a medical. For example I just had a medical issue that temporarily suspended my medical, and having a Doctor to Doctor conversation with the RMO got me into the aircraft a month sooner than without I would guess.

Now with all that said you have to consider employment opportunities. The first thing I can say is that your friend needs to be comfortable in loading/unloading cargo, passengers, baggage etc. Almost all entry level jobs require an amount of manual labour. This may indeed cause issues for that first job as the candidates he is going up against will have no physical limitations on that end and competition is very stiff.

Unfortunately for your friend he has a long fight ahead in what can already be a huge fight. It is a lot easier to keep your medical and job if you are already flying as a career then if you are just trying to get into it.

Best of luck to your friend.

[just curious]

I recall my father going for a ride with the Department of Transport for a checkride on a piper Cherokee, some 49 years ago, to demonstrate proficiency in taxiing and landing, as he had lost the ability to press his foot on the toe brakes, and the Cherokee and subsequent Piper singles had hand brakes.
He passed, but it was a long time for a five year old to wait on the ground. The Inspector passed my dad then gave me sh*t for running across the threshold of runway 14 at Malton to look at one of Millardairs DC-3's.

Transport will likely be amenable to looking at a check on any aircraft. Flight instruction on certain light aircraft, and simulator instructor seem like plausible avenues. Given that a move to the airlines would be more difficult, this could actually aid in a flight school position.

[Gannet167]

There are other ways that one can find a fulfilling career in aviation than being a pilot. Just a thought, although it sucks, it might be unrealistic that someone without two hands will find much success in a career that demands "hands and feet," is expensive and really difficult to break into, and in the early stages demands a lot of physical labour intensive activities outside of the cockpit. Guys with two good hands have enough trouble getting trained, paying off their expensive training, finding jobs, moving up, earning a decent wage and finding some security in their job.

But, there's a lot more to aviation than simply flying. I have a good friend who is an experienced pilot. It's a long story, but he's now an air traffic controller by his own choice and loves it. He works around airplanes all day and has a very important and (for him) fulfilling role. There's a lot of careers in engineering, design, regulatory and certification roles, flight safety investigation, ground school training etc. etc. I would encourage this guy to have a solid backup plan because realistically, I would say his prospects of working in a cockpit are fairly limited. He'd probably be better off making more money in a more stable career, doing activities that are in demand and being recognized for his talents in that area; rather than being perpetually disadvantaged and frustrated with his ability to progress.

[Darkwing Duck]

There is always hope in regaining his career. Anything is possible with determination and grit. And if one person says no, don't listen to them until someone says yes. I remember a gentleman who was a paraplegic fly into the FBO I worked at all the time in a Piper Cherokee. Operated everything with hand controls. Pulled out his wheel chair all by his self out of the back with no problems at all. In fact it was faster for him to do it than for us to assist him.

Also remember the story of Douglas Bader who flew Spitfires in WW2. Became an ace and squadron leader. And when he was shot down, If it wasn't for his artificial legs he would have been killed as his feet got caught under the dash trying to bail out. He unstrappe them from his stump and jumped out. Later when he was in the POW camp they took away his legs as he continued to attempt to escape.

Rick Hansen rolling around the world in his wheel chair and Terry Fox running a marathon a day.

4 examples right there.

[Duster]

Thanks to all for the replies and encouragement !

[cncpc]

Hello all,
Recently a young man in our family who holds a Comm Multi-IFR and was working toward an airline career suffered a bad motorcycle accident. He severed the nerves in his right arm and it looks like he will not regain mobility of the arm. I am looking for any info or resources regarding pilots with disabilities. What options are available regarding aircraft modifications, training and job opportunities, anything that will allow this young man and his family a glimmer of hope. Do any of you know any commercial pilots flying with a similar disability? At this point I believe he realizes that an airline job is highly unlikely, but perhaps instructing, charter work, specialty air work etc.?

Please pm me or email to scottjclive@gmail.com
Thanks very much.

When I was a young man, back in the late 60's, I worked in mineral exploration in the high mountains west of Revelstoke. On late fall night, we set up a camp above treeline at over 8000 feet, in a gully, with wet snow and rain falling, nearly died in the night from cold and carbon monoxide from zipping up the tent with a propane ring heater inside. Our bedding was soaked, we were soaked, cloud was down to the ground, and the vis was about 200 feet. I was the leader and I thought we were done for, unless we walked down the mountain into the treeline where we could get wood and start a fire.

All of a sudden we hear a sound. It's a chopper. It finally comes into site, about 10 feet off the ground, an Okanagan Bell 47. Two trips down to camp on the Jordan, in weather you wouldn't want to drive in. That pilot saved four lives. His name was John "Tin Legs" Watson. He's lost both his feet to frostbite in a crash in the Artic. I'm alive today because somebody agreed that his not having feet didn't mean he wasn't a pilot.

[Duster]

Thanks for the inspiring story. I'll pass it along