My new hobby. Mixture rich, flaps up...

[slodave]

Joe, I was ready to solo. I continued to work on other things to try and make it worthwhile.

[slodave]

Medical was in the mail today. Looks like I'm back in the saddle again. Time to arrange some lessons.

[Joeaksa]

Great to hear it, now get your buns back up in the air!

[450knotOffice]

Yea!!

[slodave]

Probably Monday. I will try and find an available plane when I get home later. I would make it sooner, but I think I'm getting sick.

[john70t]

10 Most Amazing Armless People - Oddee.com

"The plane she is flying is called an Ercoupe and it is one of the few airplanes to be made and certified without pedals. Without rudder pedals Jessica is free to use her feet as hands. She took three years instead of the usual six months to complete her lightweight aircraft licence, had three flying instructors and practiced 89 hours of flying, becoming the first pilot with no arms."

[Joeaksa]

She is from Tucson and we see her around the airport from time to time. Glad to see her make it.

[cashflyer]

When I went to a Part 141 school for my commercial and CFI, I met this guy from Colorado. You can see in the pic that his hands are just mal-formed nubs. What you can't see is that his legs stop at the knees.

Wearing prosthetic legs and a home-made contraption for his hands, Randy received waivers from the FAA. Randy earned his commercial ticket and CFI, and went on to Part 91 flying, amassing well over the minimum time for working with a Part 135 operator.



He stayed in touch with me for several years. When last we spoke, he told me that he had applied with many 135 operators over the course of about three years after his hours met the criteria. However because of his deformities he never did secure a 135 job.

You may think the ADA would have prevented discrimination since he had the requisite hours and licenses - however it was not that the operators would not hire him.... it was that the insurers would not cover him.

Randy eventually gave up and returned to a grounded life. After he gave up aviation, he also gave up keeping in touch. I haven't heard from him since.



*Some may ask, "would *you* fly with a handicapped pilot?" Well, I have flown with him, and while he was still active I received my high-performance endorsement from him.

[slodave]

About to getback in the air...

[slodave]

Those are some incredible stories! Thanks for sharing.

[slodave]

Good to get back in the air today. It's been too long. Now with medical in hand, solo should be in the next two weeks. Just need to get back in the groove. Most of the flight went well, except that landing thing... That was just a bit rough.

[Joeaksa]

Thats why I was telling you to keep flying, even if its one hour ever week or two. Keeps you "in the groove" and that makes a difference.

Do not push the solo, it will happen when its time. Just keep soaking up the knowledge and feel of the airplane.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

If you've still got available credit, you're not flying enough.

[slodave]

I did it! My instructor and I did a few T&G's at VNY, then he had me drop him off at the flight school and told me to go around 3 times. Perfect weather, very minor breeze 3 good full stop landings. Feels good to finally log the first solo! I'll get the back of my shirt back from my instructor in a few days.

[cgarr]

So did she jump right off the ground?!!

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by cgarr

So did she jump right off the ground?!!

It is fun to feel the better performance the first time you are solo!

Congrats Dave!

[tswaney]

Excellent! Congratulations.

[matthew-s]

Congrats!

[Hugh R]

Sweet.

[slodave]

Thanks all! I was supposed to solo back in Feb., but the guitar project was still heavily on my mind and then life and some weather stepped in as well. I almost didn't solo today. A few questions on the presolo exam needed answering and by the time we were done on the ground, his next student had arrived. The student kindly traded spots with me - I was going to go for it tomorrow morning by giving up his afternoon time slot today.

Oddly, the airport was very quiet up until it was time for me to go solo, then everyone decided to take off or land. Second landing was a short approach, although I really had no hands on practice for a short, I knew what to do and executed it almost perfectly. On of the landings also surprised my audience as I basically landed "short field". I was off at the second taxiway. I could have made it off the first, but I didn't see a reason to really step on the brakes. All-in-all, a successful afternoon!

I did notice the weight difference, but I really noticed, was the ability to put my notepad, charts on the right seat and not stuffed in the corner on top of the instrument panel.

I was hoping that I would be able to solo on 16R, but a minor Santa Ana popped up, changing us to 34L/R, which I landed both.

Onwards and upwards!