GETTING HELP
Help is available for those with disabilities who want to be involved in aviation. For example, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) gives instruction on the steps to receive a medical certifi cate and SODA. They review applicants’ medical records before they are submitted to the FAA and periodically check the application while it is being processed. ablefl
ight.org
PRACTICAL ADVICE There are a number of aviators that have suff ered injury that
required them to take a medical fl ight test and be issued a SODA. Reaching out to pilots that went through that process can help. Kyle McNamara is one such student pilot at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He counsels those entering the certifi cation process to start early. “My amputation is a paper cut; I can’t speak for anyone with more severe injuries such as part of an arm or an above-knee amputation. My only piece of advice would be to schedule your special medical fl ight as early out as practical so it doesn’t halt your training.”
If a pilot can perform his duties and control the aircraft
safely, there is no reason why he or she should not advance. Networking, joining organizations, and utilizing good training facilities are all ways that both the disabled, and those less challenged, can further their careers. For Kelly, all the eff ort he put into becoming a pilot has liberated him. “It’s a great equalizer,” he says. “Once you’re in the air, regardless of your injury, when you’re controlling the aircraft by yourself it doesn’t matter if you’re in a wheelchair or missing a leg. You’re free. It’s an incredible feeling.”
Also, everyday activities can prepare one for certifi cation.
Kelly says, “Do as many things outside of just fl ight training to work on your proprioception (one’s own perception of their body parts positioning and movement). Doing everything, from learning to drive a manual transmission car to developing good balance on your prosthetic, will all help in getting you ready to master controlling the helicopter.”
Another resource is Able Flight, a nonprofi t organization founded in 2006 with the mission of helping those with disabilities through fl ight and aviation career training. They off er four types of scholarships and invite candidates dedicated to changing their lives to apply at ablefl
ight.org. Does the program work? Kelly is one of eight wounded veterans they have so far helped become pilots. Three more veterans are currently training. Able Flight not only helps veterans become pilots, but also others with disabilities fi nd aviation careers.
Original reporting by Rotorcraft Pro with some quotes sourced from CBS News report by Lee Woodruff
52 September 2014
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