Flying with the handicapped?

bstratt

bstratt

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Question - my wife is good friends with this woman who was in a bad car accident when she was a teenager which left her partially brain damaged and severly handicapped (read requires a walker, lack of balance/coordination, limited control of hands). We took her out to dinner recently and she expressed to me that she had always wanted to fly in a small plane.

I have a Piper Arrow, i.e. one door on passenger side. I have discussed with my wife that she would have to come along to help this lady into the cabin because I have to get in first. She would then have to wait around to help her out when we return.

Question - I don't think that in the event of an emergency she would be able to open the door. Furthermore, if I did reach across and get it open, she would be unable to exit without help and potentially block me from getting out first and extricating her. I thought about the back seat but: i) getting her in there with her disabilities would be a nightmare; ii) I don't think it would be as exciting for her.

What would you do? Go anyway? Tell her you're sorry but you can't do it? Is there another way I'm overlooking?
 
As I understand it, the pilot-side window is quite easy to kick out in Cherokee-esque planes.
 
In an emergency you could crawl over her and get on the wing to help her out. I think I could do that and there's lot more of me than there is of you.

I also have the Robert escape scissors on the floor to knock out the windshield.
 
infotango said:
Rent a 172.
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I have flown with handicapped people and the 172 does not work any better. That dard strut and the seats being pretty far forward as well as high help to make the ingress and egress difficult.

The only advatage is that pilot can get out and help.

My step-dad is handicapped and I got him into the Warrior but could not get him out. It was very hot and there was no one to help us. I eventually was able to talk him out by having him roll onto his stomach and then pulling himself out.

Someone mnetioned the window thing on the Cherokees for an emergancey. Be careful, last summer an older lady exiting my plane pulled herself up using the door and the windshield cracked like an egg.
 
I might suggest putting the friend in the left seat, and flying from the right.

Obviously, all the other threads about flying from the right seat apply ;)

Personally, I think renting an instructor for an hour or two to get me comfortable in the right seat would be well worth it, if that's what it takes to get a friend in the airplane.

Fly safe!

David
 
MauleSkinner said:
I might suggest putting the friend in the left seat, and flying from the right.

Obviously, all the other threads about flying from the right seat apply ;)

Personally, I think renting an instructor for an hour or two to get me comfortable in the right seat would be well worth it, if that's what it takes to get a friend in the airplane.

Fly safe!

David
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That was gonna be my suggestion, but it would be pretty difficult to get a limited mobility person out of the left seat in an emergency, methinks. This is quite a connundrum. Please let me know how you do it, Barry. This could prove to be useful information some day for me.
 
I've flown handicapped kids in a Cessna Cardinal. Very easy entry/exit.
 
You could also put the disabled person in the back seat. Slide the right seat all the way forward first and help with a step in and turn.

Yeah, that means that much more to get over, but we aren't talking about speed here.
 
MauleSkinner said:
I might suggest putting the friend in the left seat, and flying from the right.
Click to expand...

If his Arrow is like our club's 1969 model the brakes are on the left, only. I wouldn't fly from any seat but the left. Kind of like to be able to stop. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for the ideas. I'll mull it over some more. I never thought of the right seat although I'd want some training first (my Arrow II has brakes on both sides).

I'll let you know how I do it.
 
Barry I fly at our Special Needs Fly-in each year . If you want you can call me at 717-554-8247. I'll try to help anyway i can. BTW we have a pilot that is paralized from the waist down and he fly's a warrior from the left seat.
Dave G
 
Ghery said:
If his Arrow is like our club's 1969 model the brakes are on the left, only. I wouldn't fly from any seat but the left. Kind of like to be able to stop. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Brakes Schmakes! in '66 toe brakes were OPTIONAL altogether...that handle by your knee works GREAT :)

...you oughta try giving dual in a Luscombe with no brakes on your side ;)

Fly safe!

David
 
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