How sick is too sick to fly?

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drotto

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drotto
With some reservations I grounded myself today, because of illness. It just felt like the right decision. I really really did not want to because I am on the home stretch for training and was scheduled to do my mock check ride today. Plus the winter and my overall schedule has been difficult lately really limiting my chances to get up, so I have been about 3 or lessons from my check ride for almost 2 months now. I am congested (which with me includes my ears), and have a frequent cough. Medications like decongestants and ibuprofen make me feel about 90% better. I personally did not feel I would get 100% out of the lesson, and did not want to subject the CFI that small cockpit and my illness. But I am the type of person that tends to fight these things very aggressively, and basically have to be dead to take a day off of work, so part of me is still saying I could have flown.

At what point do others consider themselves to sick to go up?
 
I was the other side of the coin, as an instructor....should I fly in spite of congestion or should I disappoint my students by cancelling? I made the wrong decision and spent a week or two on the ground, recovering. Somehow altitude just drives the bugs deeper into wherever they hide. From that point on I never flew with a head cold.

Bob Gardner
 
Common head cold, I fly. Fever, I don't fly.

Always seems like I get sick just prior to evals around the March timeframe. Hate having to get asked questions and performing flight maneuvers while sick. Never had to cancel though.
 
I won't go unless I feel 100%. But I'm under no pressure work wise or training wise.

Wash them hands! :yesnod:
 
These are my personal limits and are not based on anything other than personal experience.

Any respiratory or ear infection keeps me on the ground.

Any time I take medication I don’t fly.

If I have not had enough sleep I stay on the ground.

Gastro intestinal challenges keep me from flying.

Things like poor radio communication, sloppy altitude and air speed control, sloppy headings/ poor navigation and inelegant landings or takeoffs let me know I should not fly. I also evaluate my situational awareness and ability to spot other aircraft.

I have a debriefing card that I fill out after I land and if I am not flying well I stay put.

I am a hobby pilot and do not have a compelling reason to fly.

Fortunately despite my age I don’t ground myself very often.
 
txflyer said:
I won't go unless I feel 100%. But I'm under no pressure work wise or training wise.

Wash them hands! :yesnod:
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+1.....

This sport is a 100% kinda thing....

Do it wrong, and 100% dead ain't good...:sad::sad:
 
You have to set your own personal limits. What are you comfortable with. If there's a chance I could pass out ,or get sudden back spasms I don't fly.
 
I was bound and determined not to let a cold stop me from ferrying a sold plane to TN from Nebraska. I was working on it the day before and wrecked it and another plane in a ground "accident". That was a bad day, I should have not been operating machinery. :rolleyes2:
 
There's no firm rule. I like the three strike thing. Rainy and not feeling perfect? I'd likely go. Rainy, low vis, and not feeling well? Probably not. That's a simplified example but you get the point. A short flight on a calm bluebird day is different from a more complicated flight in low weather.

For the OP's purposes? Go have your instructor run you through some head between your knees unusual attitude recoveries. See how you do with your congestion.
 
Human reactions to viruses are inherently variable. It's exquisitely unlikely that a flight "somehow" gives virions a foothold. The length of your illness was far more likely to have been the luck of the draw.

From another perspective, as a student, I would have been far more disappointed to have an instructor or examiner show up for my flight in a contagious state.

bobmrg said:
...or should I disappoint my students by cancelling?...Somehow altitude just drives the bugs deeper into wherever they hide.
Click to expand...
 
Even if I have a common cold I don't want to fly. 1. Because I rent planes and don't want to contaminate the plane and get others sick. 2. Because if I'm all clogged up on the ground it's going to be a lot more uncomfortable in the air.
 
Shy of blood coming out if a orifice or a limb falling off :dunno:
 
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If you ain't working and you have to ask you are too sick to fly. If you are working well you better work...
 
I flew with the flu (lol) to Oklahoma City a couple weeks ago. I had terrible sinus pressure, my ears hurt, and I had a headache, chills, and muscle aches, but once at altitude, my sinus pressure subsided. It was quite nice, until time to descend. Hurt like hell. Would I do it again? Probably not.
 
Unless I'm having to flee from the commie horde, I don't do much of anything that can't wait for a better day if there are questionable issues.
 
If you have to second guess yourself whether you should go up or not. You already know the answer. Think of days when you have that headcold and are driving. I know there are times I find myself space out when I have a headcold and sinus congestion. I personally won't risk flying like that, and I don't want to rely on meds for a temporary fix just to go flying.
 
I don't stress over it anymore. If I'm not rested and alert, it's a no-go. There will be better times for flying.
 
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