Pilot with Arm Prosthesis?

[smknvtec]

Hi, I was in a plane crash almost nine years ago and lost my right arm below the elbow. I now have a prosthesis that looks like an arm/hand and has marginal function that allows me to safely fly the plane. Just wondering if anyone has heard of or knows anyone who flies with ARM prosthetics? I am currently in the process of getting my medical back. Hopefully they will give it back to me. Thanks, Matt

 

[bbchien]

Matt, you'll get it back but it will require a functional checkride at the FSDO, a fifteen minute affair in which you are given a prosthetic waiver.

If you use special controls, that will be in the waiver too. They REALLY do want to give you the wiaver, too....

 

[Unregistered]

Bruce thanks for the reply. I really hope I can get it back. Once you have the bug you always want to fly. You know how it is. Have you ever certified an upper amputee? Just curious. Thanks again

 

[smknvtec]

Wow this site signs one off fast. I posted the above post. Thanks again.

 

[shywon]

Type in 'armless pilot' on yahoo and you will learn about Jessica Cox who flies with no arms. I would think the waiver would not be a problem.

 

[maddog52]

Hi, I was in a plane crash almost nine years ago and lost my right arm below the elbow. I now have a prosthesis that looks like an arm/hand and has marginal function that allows me to safely fly the plane. Just wondering if anyone has heard of or knows anyone who flies with ARM prosthetics? I am currently in the process of getting my medical back. Hopefully they will give it back to me. Thanks, Matt

One of the directors of Able Flight is John Kuniholm. He is a Marine who lost an arm in Iraq. He flies with a prosthetic device he developed himself. You can get in touch with him at www.ableflight.org

 

[Jack Spectre]

Talk about climbing back onto the horse. Care to share more about your accident?

 

[AdamZ]

Matt, First off welcome to Pilots of America. Second Bravo to you for continuing to pursue the dream despite a few obsticals. Please let us know how things progress. I will look forward to reading you post stating that you got the waiver!!!

 

[Geico266]

Hi, I was in a plane crash almost nine years ago and lost my right arm below the elbow. I now have a prosthesis that looks like an arm/hand and has marginal function that allows me to safely fly the plane. Just wondering if anyone has heard of or knows anyone who flies with ARM prosthetics? I am currently in the process of getting my medical back. Hopefully they will give it back to me. Thanks, Matt

Glad to see you getting back in the saddle, that takes a little grit.



Welcome.

 

[bbchien]

Bruce thanks for the reply. I really hope I can get it back. Once you have the bug you always want to fly. You know how it is. Have you ever certified an upper amputee? Just curious. Thanks again

Yes. The application gets deferred; then in about a week I have to start bugging OKC for the FSDO referral. Then it takes the FSDO about 6 weeks to get it together. GA is their lowest prioritiy. Sigh.

 

[twdeckard]

There is an old timer in my flying club who has a prosthetic arm (a Dorrance Hook? I think you'd call it). He's quite an accomplished flyer. I gather that his accomodations have more to do with the flashlight and the charts than juggling the airplane.

I have a Statement of Demonstrated Ability as I have mild CP and walk with a limp. My initial medical was stamped "valid for student pilot purposes only." For my 3rd class medical I scheduled a checkride with the local FSDO thru OK. The checkride is administered by an FAA examiner who is not a physician who can select items from the Practical Test Standards as necessary to satisfy themselves that its not going to be an issue. My second class SODA was awarded based on operational experience alone (I offered to conduct the ride in my Cessna 170 - hah!)

There was a one-armed lady who flew for FedEx. I couldn't google up her name.

There was also fellow who built an RV? who had two myoelectric arms and he had to jump thru quite a few hoops as they made him certify that the bionics wouldn't fail under extremes of cold and altitude. I gathered the issues were more related to the functioning than his facility with them and the complication that both hands were artificial.

Good luck! Don't worry about the medical certification process. Its very straightforward.

Todd

 

[Unregistered]

There is an old timer in my flying club who has a prosthetic arm (a Dorrance Hook? I think you'd call it). He's quite an accomplished flyer. I gather that his accomodations have more to do with the flashlight and the charts than juggling the airplane.

I have a Statement of Demonstrated Ability as I have mild CP and walk with a limp. My initial medical was stamped "valid for student pilot purposes only." For my 3rd class medical I scheduled a checkride with the local FSDO thru OK. The checkride is administered by an FAA examiner who is not a physician who can select items from the Practical Test Standards as necessary to satisfy themselves that its not going to be an issue. My second class SODA was awarded based on operational experience alone (I offered to conduct the ride in my Cessna 170 - hah!)

There was a one-armed lady who flew for FedEx. I couldn't google up her name.

There was also fellow who built an RV? who had two myoelectric arms and he had to jump thru quite a few hoops as they made him certify that the bionics wouldn't fail under extremes of cold and altitude. I gathered the issues were more related to the functioning than his facility with them and the complication that both hands were artificial.

Good luck! Don't worry about the medical certification process. Its very straightforward.

Todd

There was a one-armed lady who flew for FedEx. I couldn't google up her name.
thats Sheri Collins... she lives in KY I'm deaf / left arm below elbow amputee pilot. I don't use prothesis.. have FAA SODA and skydive too.. Mike Boland

 

[twdeckard]

I'm deaf / left arm below elbow amputee pilot. I don't use prothesis.. have FAA SODA and skydive too.. Mike Boland

Awesome. I made 20 jumps out at East Troy Wisconsin (static line series and the AFF course thru to only one chaperone). It is what drew me into aviation. I never got the hang of freefall, bad kinesthetic sense I guess.

Did you ever meet Dan Rossi?

 

[smknvtec]

Matt, First off welcome to Pilots of America. Second Bravo to you for continuing to pursue the dream despite a few obsticals. Please let us know how things progress. I will look forward to reading you post stating that you got the waiver!!!

Thanks Adam. I am glad I found this place via a google search btw.

Type in 'armless pilot' on yahoo and you will learn about Jessica Cox who flies with no arms. I would think the waiver would not be a problem.

Man I saw that video of her flying with no arms. She is amazing.

One of the directors of Able Flight is John Kuniholm. He is a Marine who lost an arm in Iraq. He flies with a prosthetic device he developed himself. You can get in touch with him at www.ableflight.org

I will check him out. Thanks man.

Talk about climbing back onto the horse. Care to share more about your accident?

Hey man thanks. Sure, it was March 2001. I was flying out of Daytona Beach with my boss, the owner of the flight school who was giving me MEI Standardization in a Seneca I.
It was our last flight and on the last landing into Flagler, for some unknown reason to me, he killed one of the engines via the fuel selector, at about 700 feet. Well, since we had a low power setting I didn’t realize he failed it and for some reason he let it go way too far. On final with flaps and gear out we started to get too slow, I gunned the power, we started to VMC and he took control albeit too late and feathered the engine. We narrowly missed power lines and a brick wall and we clipped trees which the FAA thought punctured the fuel tank on my side [right.] When we crashed down about ½ mile short of the runway, the **** exploded all over me. I ran out of the plane on fire, hit the deck and rolled etc. I was in the Shands burn unit for six months and to date have had almost 70 surgeries the last of which was to amputate my right arm back in 2006. The FAA took all of my boss’s licenses except private pilot and thank goodness the flight school went out of business but not after they had two more crashes.

Glad to see you getting back in the saddle, that takes a little grit.

Welcome.

Thanks man glad to be back I have missed it even though I am a little scared.

Yes. The application gets deferred; then in about a week I have to start bugging OKC for the FSDO referral. Then it takes the FSDO about 6 weeks to get it together. GA is their lowest prioritiy. Sigh.

Thanks again B I will do it.

There is an old timer in my flying club who has a prosthetic arm (a Dorrance Hook? I think you'd call it). He's quite an accomplished flyer. I gather that his accomodations have more to do with the flashlight and the charts than juggling the airplane.

I have a Statement of Demonstrated Ability as I have mild CP and walk with a limp. My initial medical was stamped "valid for student pilot purposes only." For my 3rd class medical I scheduled a checkride with the local FSDO thru OK. The checkride is administered by an FAA examiner who is not a physician who can select items from the Practical Test Standards as necessary to satisfy themselves that its not going to be an issue. My second class SODA was awarded based on operational experience alone (I offered to conduct the ride in my Cessna 170 - hah!)

There was a one-armed lady who flew for FedEx. I couldn't google up her name.

There was also fellow who built an RV? who had two myoelectric arms and he had to jump thru quite a few hoops as they made him certify that the bionics wouldn't fail under extremes of cold and altitude. I gathered the issues were more related to the functioning than his facility with them and the complication that both hands were artificial.

Good luck! Don't worry about the medical certification process. Its very straightforward.

Todd

Wow a pro at Fed Ex with a prosthetic. Excellent to hear. That’s what I have; the latest mioelectric arm.

There was a one-armed lady who flew for FedEx. I couldn't google up her name.

thats Sheri Collins... she lives in KY I'm deaf / left arm below elbow amputee pilot. I don't use prothesis.. have FAA SODA and skydive too.. Mike Boland

Wow man that’s amazing. How do you communicate with tower not being able to hear?

 

[bbchien]

I had a conversation with OKC today. The student who I got certified of course was NOT a pilot at the time we endorsed him "valid for student purposes only". That is exactly how the medical is supposed to be endorsed when this occurs with an already certificated pilot.

It allows him to.....practice, with a PIC or a CFI on board, and make him legal for the FSDO ride....

 

[smknvtec]

Matt, you'll get it back but it will require a functional checkride at the FSDO, a fifteen minute affair in which you are given a prosthetic waiver.

If you use special controls, that will be in the waiver too. They REALLY do want to give you the wiaver, too....

Hey Mr. Bruce,

My Aviation Physician I saw recommended I see a physiatrist to verify my mobility to the AME because they denied me based on just that physical. Do you think that's a necessary step or should I just go to the local flight school, get current, and call the Check airman from FISDO and tell him to bring a waiver for a check ride? Thanks

 

[bbchien]

Hey Mr. Bruce,

My Aviation Physician I saw recommended I see a physiatrist to verify my mobility to the AME because they denied me based on just that physical. Do you think that's a necessary step or should I just go to the local flight school, get current, and call the Check airman from FISDO and tell him to bring a waiver for a check ride? Thanks

Did he Deny or did he Defer? i think this is an "oh Cr_p" due to a non-knowledgeable AME.....

You cannot call the FSDO. The Referral has to come from OKC. In the 80's you could do that- but a lot of successful waiver ride records were lost because of noncentralization.

If there is now an official record of an exam, you can call 405-954-4821 and ask htem for the referral to the FSDO.

 

[smknvtec]

Yes, that's what I am thinking too; an oh c*ap moment.

Looks more like a denial. It says based on my physical I do not meet the med standards prescribed by Title 14 of Part 67. By virtue of my failure to provide info requested by their office, it has been determined that I do not qualify for a med certificate at this time.

They wanted to see medical records etc. There haven't been any for years now and the records are in Florida, California, Oklahoma, so very hard to get at. I was also going to see a physiatrist so they can verify my mobility but, some personal things came up and I had to defer doing that. Anyway, I have a lesson in an Arrow this week so I will get back up and get flying.

I will also call the number you gave. Thanks again for the help.

 

[bbchien]

Call again two more times on nonconsequitive days. It boosts your file to "interested airman" status.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Matt, just read your accident report. Wow. You have my kudos; that's a tall horse to climb back onto. GOOD FOR YOU. And welcome to POA. Please let us know when you get your medical back.

 

[jesse]

Wow this site signs one off fast. I posted the above post. Thanks again.

If you click the Remember Me box you should be able to stay logged in about as long as you'd like.

 

[smknvtec]

Matt, just read your accident report. Wow. You have my kudos; that's a tall horse to climb back onto. GOOD FOR YOU. And welcome to POA. Please let us know when you get your medical back.

Tango that's it man. Thanks for the kudos. It has been rough. Couple of errors in the report, I was actually 23 not 24, I had 670 total hours with 100 multi at the time, and there was a positive exchange of the flight controls at least on my side. He did not respond verbally but, took the controlls and started fighting the plane. Other than that its pretty accurate.

If you click the Remember Me box you should be able to stay logged in about as long as you'd like.

OK thanks man will click it.

BTW just getting current again then I will call them. I am going to shoot for getting back my instrument and commercial. So far, my practice flights are pretty much to standards.

 

[Ted]

Talk about a bad situation. Sorry to hear what happened to you, but glad that you're getting back in the game! That takes guts.

 

[smknvtec]

Talk about a bad situation. Sorry to hear what happened to you, but glad that you're getting back in the game! That takes guts.

Thanks man it's been rough but, getting back up there slow but sure. Tomorrow gonna check out a 172 SP with G-1000 cockpit. Never seen glass in such a GA piston before. When I was doing it ADF and LORAN C were hot.

 

[Unregistered]

Wow man that’s amazing. How do you communicate with tower not being able to hear?[/QUOTE]

I normally do NOT fly to tower controlled airports. I fly at non-tower airports and uncontrolled airspace. sometimes I do fly to tower controlled airports I usually call the tower people before flight give them my route / time request light gun signals, the tower usually assigns me a different transponder code too than the "1200" I normally use.

 

[Unregistered]

Wow a pro at Fed Ex with a prosthetic. Excellent to hear. That’s what I have; the latest mioelectric arm.



Wow man that’s amazing. How do you communicate with tower not being able to hear?[/QUOTE]

My mistake I was pulling it from back of my head... the correct name for arm amputee FedEx pilot is Sherri Coin Marshall...

I'm left arm BE deaf private pilot. I do NOT wear any prosthestic when I fly..only when I skydive do I wear the prosthestic arm...

mike

 

[smknvtec]

Bruce man I can’t believe this. They are actually making it very difficult almost impossible to get this medical. I called the number you gave and they pulled up my file. He said they couldn’t schedule the check ride until I complied with what was on the letter. So, I scheduled another exam with my doctor and he basically reiterated what they were already told about my mobility etc. We also included a fantastic letter from my flight instructor who stated that in our five hours of flying together I have basically demonstrated abilities to commercial pilot standards including single pilot IFR, all with my arm prosthesis and non functioning left hand.

Now, I get a letter yesterday stating they need to see every medical record since the accident. Either they have no idea what that will entail or they don’t care because I was in the hospital for six months and have had 70 surgeries in at least five different locations in four different states. Med bills in total over nine years have been well over $2.0 million. To get records of all this stuff providing they even still have them, can take months. Is there any way you can help me out? I don’t understand why they need this info which is completely irrelevant to my situation today. Thanks Bruce, Matt

 

[bbchien]

Matt, this is one of those situations where "holding out" on a web board conflicts with what I know to be the best thing to do. I should have just told you to hire me.

Records for seven years are obtainaible in most states from the hospitals. It's cost is $40-50 each hospital. They use outside data services to produce the records.

Then go to you rehab or primary care guy and have the doc write a whole page letter, describing what happened, your hospital / operation course, (You'll have all the op notes and discharges summaries, for heaven's sake), and then summarizing your current performance, and any driver's license qualification stuff you've been through.

See, these guys are occupational medicine /regulatory specialists, not patient-care docs. It's a different world view. In this situation I have filmed the cnadidate in the aircraft as sole manipulator of the controls. That has helped the examiners.

THEN you have to get an AME to issue you a certificate with the limitation "Valid for flight test only" so you can take the FSDO ride.

The referral process takes six to eight weeks, I got one done for a part 91 corporate airman, in three weeks, but that's because we went to the TOP, AND the local FSDO guy Warren S--th is well known to us as a reasonable guy for these matters.