Below Knee Amputee Airplane Plilots?

[Indecision]

So I'm a below knee amputee and I just got my Commercial Helicopter Certificate like an hour ago. My next plan of transition is Commercial MEL, SEL, and Instrument - Airplane. I'll be training in the DA42, 182, and 172 respectively. The problem is obviously that I don't have a left ankle and I'm concerned with methods to both operate the brakes and NOT (accidentally) operate the brakes when I don't want to. It's never been a concern because every helicopter I've flown has skids. Now I need to figure out how to work it out.

I do have access to simulators and I have some ideas about what to do, but I was hoping that either someone had either gone through it themselves or trained someone in the same situation that may be able to point me in the right direction. I know there are other pilots out there like me, but I don't know any personally so I figured this was a good place to start.

Thanks in advance.

 

[zaitcev]

I learned to fly in a Piper Cherokee without foot brakes. A number of LSAs are set up that way too, including market-leading FD CTLS.

Able Flight graduates use a Sky Arrow with a European-style hand rudder control (push-pull).

 

[Indecision]

I'm working towards a commercial certificate and intend to use it at some point... I won't have the option to choose what I fly. All of my training will be in the 172, 182, and DA42.

I KNOW it can be done, I've personally met guys that have done it, but I unfortunately didn't have the foresight to get some contact info.

I appreciate the advice, but I'm looking for how to work with the equipment available to me, not change the equipment.

 

[Gucci Pilot]

pm sent

 

[ClimbnSink]

Hang around there are a few amputee pilots here. One of the Golden Knights became a double amputee helicopter pilot, google would probably find contact info. Good luck and keep charging.

 

[flyingron]

Frankly, I'd see if someone with something like a 172 with toe brakes on both sides will instruct you to see if you can control the plane with your leg as it is. It's often necessary for those of us with functioning ankles to move our feet to get to the toe brakes. I'd give it a shot to see if you can do it as is.

The other option is to see if you can add a removable hand option for getting that brake. My neighbor who has no use of his legs period, flies with a contraption that allows him to move the rudders and fly. It would seem a similar thing could be worked out to work the top of the rudder on your bad side.

 

[hook_dupin]

Here's a story of a Delta pilot who returned to the 121 world after an above-the-knee amputation:

http://dlnet.cc/share/captain-returns-to-flight-deck-after-year-of-hardship/

 

[Indecision]

Hang around there are a few amputee pilots here. One of the Golden Knights became a double amputee helicopter pilot, google would probably find contact info. Good luck and keep charging.

I've actually met him... super nice guy. They jumped in while I was at Walter Reed.

 

[Indecision]

Frankly, I'd see if someone with something like a 172 with toe brakes on both sides will instruct you to see if you can control the plane with your leg as it is. It's often necessary for those of us with functioning ankles to move our feet to get to the toe brakes. I'd give it a shot to see if you can do it as is.

The other option is to see if you can add a removable hand option for getting that brake. My neighbor who has no use of his legs period, flies with a contraption that allows him to move the rudders and fly. It would seem a similar thing could be worked out to work the top of the rudder on your bad side.

Yeah.. I have access to 172s and 172 sims... I'm actually going to be in the sim later this week to play with it, but I figure if I could get some pointers going in it would make my life a little easier.

As for the the hand controls... Not happening. I want to be able to fly anything, not only what's been modified to work with me.

I can still drive a stick and ride motorcycles without modification... this will be the same.

 

[EppyGA]

Not an amputee, but she is a pilot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Cox

 

[Turningfinal]

Yeah.. I have access to 172s and 172 sims... I'm actually going to be in the sim later this week to play with it, but I figure if I could get some pointers going in it would make my life a little easier.

As for the the hand controls... Not happening. I want to be able to fly anything, not only what's been modified to work with me.

I can still drive a stick and ride motorcycles without modification... this will be the same.

If you can use a toe shifter on a motorcycle I can't imagine using toe brakes is going to be that large of a challenge.

 

[Henning]

Setting up a brace to activate an ankle with a lever would not be difficult. Could even do it with a servo that in the calf and give you a powered 'ankle' or just a center flap that would actuate the brake. That would get expensive though. Some stainless rod and a handle building a brake actuating brace would be pretty simple and cheap to fabricate up. Several options. I believe there is also a hand brake rig for the 172 and 182, but they are a PITA to deal with in a rental.

Actually sounds like a fun project. Powerful enough servo in the foot and it could make you jump.

 

[Henning]

I know, a motorcycle hydraulic hand lever that clamps on the yoke working a slave that Is clamped on the ankle/foot that activates a bottom plate hinged under the arch area. Squeeze the handle to actuate that brake.

 

[AcroGimp]

Brakes are not an issue, no special or adaptive equipment is needed IMO.

I am a BK amputee and learned how to fly as such. Just move your foot up to the toe brakes and use your knee and thigh to modulate combined with your good ankle - easy peasy.

I have flown more than 36 different make/model aircraft, and earned my TW endorsement last year with 3 hrs of dual, and I have flown planes out to 1700 SHP turboprops with no issue, same for aerobatics.

PM if you want to discuss more but there is really nothing to it - especially if you have mastered anti-torque pedal inputs for helo's the rudder in a fixed-wing will be no big deal.

Edited to add - there WILL be types that you cannot safely operate due to possible interference with the technique I describe, typically top-hung rudder pedals more common on high-performance experimentals (e.g., Glasair RG, or extremely tight cockpits like the Long-EZ) - but they will be very far and in between and not likely anything you would want to fly exercising your Comm privileges.

'Gimp

 

[bnt83]

I just took a medical flight eval a couple years ago for these.



I'm not a twin driver or landed anything hot like a Malibu but it seems like the ones that I'm uncomfortable in have poor brakes and needed maintenance. My own Dad's Cardinal kinda freaked me out till I put new brakes disks and pads on.

Here's some shots of my every day equipment for ideas.







Even tried to master a Grumman but I think the brakes just needed to be replaced because I never did seem to have good braking performance.

 

[bnt83]

Brakes are not an issue, no special or adaptive equipment is needed IMO.

I am a BK amputee and learned how to fly as such. Just move your foot up to the toe brakes and use your knee and thigh to modulate combined with your good ankle - easy peasy.

I have flown more than 36 different make/model aircraft, and earned my TW endorsement last year with 3 hrs of dual, and I have flown planes out to 1700 SHP turboprops with no issue, same for aerobatics.

PM if you want to discuss more but there is really nothing to it - especially if you have mastered anti-torque pedal inputs for helo's the rudder in a fixed-wing will be no big deal.

Edited to add - there WILL be types that you cannot safely operate due to possible interference with the technique I describe, typically top-hung rudder pedals more common on high-performance experimentals (e.g., Glasair RG, or extremely tight cockpits like the Long-EZ) - but they will be very far and in between and not likely anything you would want to fly exercising your Comm privileges.

'Gimp

There are a lot of turbine aircraft that have top hung rudder pedals. These aircraft all have power brakes and a lot of them have a tiller wheel too.

Not sure if the OP has eyes on that kind of gig or not. Just food for thought.

 

[AcroGimp]

There are a lot of turbine aircraft that have top hung rudder pedals. These aircraft all have power brakes and a lot of them have a tiller wheel too.

Not sure if the OP has eyes on that kind of gig or not. Just food for thought.

Good point Brian. It depends on the pedal layout and how high up the top-hung axle is. I have only found it to be an issue in very small/tight cockpits with top-hung pedals like the Glasair and Lancair types, was not an issue in the Epic LT or T-6A Texan II for example.

In the light planes the top-hung axle is right where you need to be able to move the foot on a prosthetic to get good braking action - for this type it might be possible to come up with a heel extension (think like part of a platform heel) that would give an amputee pilot room to maneuver for brakes but I don't want to need any special equipment beyond my prosthetic and it seemed like that was the OP's desire as well.

In 28 years of flying and over 36 or so make/models the top-hung pedal thing has only been an issue once (Glasair I RG), and once in an emergency egress drill in a Long-EZ when I hopped out of the cockpit my prosthetic was stuck under the instrument panel (the Long was not comfortable for me anyway, too straight-legged when seated).

'Gimp

 

[Indecision]

If you can use a toe shifter on a motorcycle I can't imagine using toe brakes is going to be that large of a challenge.

I use my heel for the toe shifter... I reach over, hook my heal and pull. Or I ride something like a Street Glide with a heel/toe on it. Only bikes I can't ride are cuz I'm 5'8" and my legs aren't long enough to reach over the toe shifter, like a V-Rod for instance.

 

[docmirror]

Moving from piston rotary wing to piston fixed will should be a non-issue. I am not an amputee but flew with one several times in a Piper Cherokee with the hand brake. Never a moments notice, great pilot.

Old taildraggers with heel brakes might be your limit to 'anything' but I'm guessing with a bit of boot vs alum engineering even that might be doable.

Cher have hand brakes, Navions(orig) have hand brakes, there's a few others for convenience but I don't see anything with toe brakes causing a bit of trouble. If you can do a safe turning A/R in a Robinson, you've mastered pretty much all facets of foot coordination to a T.

 

[Indecision]

Brakes are not an issue, no special or adaptive equipment is needed IMO.

I knew this much... I just wanted to discuss methods as mentioned below more than ways to modify the aircraft to work.

I am a BK amputee and learned how to fly as such. Just move your foot up to the toe brakes and use your knee and thigh to modulate combined with your good ankle - easy peasy.

I have flown more than 36 different make/model aircraft, and earned my TW endorsement last year with 3 hrs of dual, and I have flown planes out to 1700 SHP turboprops with no issue, same for aerobatics.

PM if you want to discuss more but there is really nothing to it - especially if you have mastered anti-torque pedal inputs for helo's the rudder in a fixed-wing will be no big deal.

This is basically what I assumed, but it's one of those things where if I could talk to someone before doing it myself, why not?

Edited to add - there WILL be types that you cannot safely operate due to possible interference with the technique I describe, typically top-hung rudder pedals more common on high-performance experimentals (e.g., Glasair RG, or extremely tight cockpits like the Long-EZ) - but they will be very far and in between and not likely anything you would want to fly exercising your Comm privileges.

'Gimp

This doesn't surprise me either, I may or may not run in to this issue with the DA42. I was(am?) planning on doing my multi first, and when I got in the sim I saw NO way to make it work at first. But the cockpit is tight, i'm a big guy, and a cripple so EVERYTHING was working against me. I usually wear skateboard shoes cuz my good foot is 9-11 EEEE, but I have some pumas that should help with that. I also need to toe in and down and it should be good to go. They are telling me that the brakes on it aren't very forgiving and will destroy tires on touch down, so we are going to play around in a 172 for a couple flights to get comfortable.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Indecision]

Also, thanks to everyone for the replies.

I was not expecting to get this many replies in this short of time. I thought it would be a few days on here with a reply or 2... Not 20 in a few hours.

 

[poadeleted20]

At the end of the day, all the FAA cares is whether you can fly the aircraft to the PTS standards for your level of certificate/ratings. You will have to take a Special Medical Flight Test with an FAA Inspector to demonstrate that. The general guidance in FAA Order 8900.1 for your situation is:

3) Observe an applicant with a deformity or absence of an extremity demonstrate the following in an aircraft:

a) The ability to reach and operate effectively all controls which would normally require the use of that extremity (or those extremities); note any unusual body position the applicant may use to compensate for the defect and what effect that position has on the applicant's field of vision.

b) The ability to satisfactorily perform emergency procedures relative to flight, such as recovery from stalls, and engine out procedures (multiengine aircraft).

c) If the pilot has an arm prosthesis and is being tested in turboprops, the ability to lift the power handles for reversing (including asymmetrical reversing).

d) If the pilot has a deformity or absence of an extremity, determine whether the applicant should be restricted to the specific make and model of aircraft in which the medical flight test is accomplished, to a make and model within a series (e.g., Cessna 172), or to aircraft models with special equipment or control arrangements, and/or whether to impose special operating conditions, as necessary.

This SMFT can be either combined with your practical test with an Inspector, or conducted by an Inspector after you've passed the practical test with a DPE. I'm guessing you already went through this for your helo ratings. My suggestion for airplanes is just to go out and get some training in an airplane and see how it goes.

 

[bobmrg]

Yeah.. I have access to 172s and 172 sims... I'm actually going to be in the sim later this week to play with it, but I figure if I could get some pointers going in it would make my life a little easier.

As for the the hand controls... Not happening. I want to be able to fly anything, not only what's been modified to work with me.

I can still drive a stick and ride motorcycles without modification... this will be the same.

I trained several paraplegics in Piper Cherokees using a hand control that they brought with them....no modification to the plane required. There has to be something similar for Cessnas, but I have no information on them.

Bob Gardner

 

[poadeleted20]

Big difference between a paraplegic and someone with a below-the-knee amputation -- they've got some pretty amazing prosthetics these days. I really think the first step is to just get in the plane and see how it works.

 

[AcroGimp]

My SODA ride was fun, actually got to do a quartering tailwind landing to a full stop (I was sweating bullets).

It will be evident in about 5 minutes in a cockpit whether or not you will feel comfortable/safe enough to operate it. Heel brakes were actually more of a challenge to my good leg than my artificial leg but are no big deal now.

'Gimp

 

[Henning]

I just took a medical flight eval a couple years ago for these.



I'm not a twin driver or landed anything hot like a Malibu but it seems like the ones that I'm uncomfortable in have poor brakes and needed maintenance. My own Dad's Cardinal kinda freaked me out till I put new brakes disks and pads on.

Here's some shots of my every day equipment for ideas.







Even tried to master a Grumman but I think the brakes just needed to be replaced because I never did seem to have good braking performance.

Looking at that leg unit, I can see it being pretty easy to add a calf muscle powered 'ankle' if there is calf muscle to work with.

 

[flyingron]

Yeah.. I have access to 172s and 172 sims... I'm actually going to be in the sim later this week to play with it, but I figure if I could get some pointers going in it would make my life a little easier.

As for the the hand controls... Not happening. I want to be able to fly anything, not only what's been modified to work with me.

I can still drive a stick and ride motorcycles without modification... this will be the same.

The plane doesn't really need a modification. The hand control my paraplegic buddy uses attaches and detaches pretty quickly. He's building a plane special for him but he used this device on rentals to do his SODA rides with the FAA>

Still I think if you've got reasonable coordination with your fixed prosthesis you may be able to work the toe breaks as it is.

(my son also has a btn amputation but he's got other issues that preclude him from being a pilot).

 

[Indecision]

My SODA ride (SMFT) for helicopter was a joke, taxi out, pedal turn, instructor put in hard right, had me counter with my left... departure, approach, 360* pedal turn to the left, departure, approach, done. It was like .2 on the hobbs.

 

[Jimmy cooper]

Brakes are not an issue, no special or adaptive equipment is needed IMO.

I am a BK amputee and learned how to fly as such. Just move your foot up to the toe brakes and use your knee and thigh to modulate combined with your good ankle - easy peasy.

I have flown more than 36 different make/model aircraft, and earned my TW endorsement last year with 3 hrs of dual, and I have flown planes out to 1700 SHP turboprops with no issue, same for aerobatics.

PM if you want to discuss more but there is really nothing to it - especially if you have mastered anti-torque pedal inputs for helo's the rudder in a fixed-wing will be no big deal.

Edited to add - there WILL be types that you cannot safely operate due to possible interference with the technique I describe, typically top-hung rudder pedals more common on high-performance experimentals (e.g., Glasair RG, or extremely tight cockpits like the Long-EZ) - but they will be very far and in between and not likely anything you would want to fly exercising your Comm privileges.

'Gimp

Yes! Read douglas baders life for sure! Flew combat with two false legs, got shot down, held prisoner, survived, later flew commercial for shell oil. State of the art prosthesis came much later. ( he also played a lot of golf this way.)

 

[frfly172]

I was on a cruise in AK,a few years ago,I met an airline pilot with one artificial leg. When we had to go through TSA they made him take it off ,for the check .

 

[poadeleted20]

My SODA ride (SMFT) for helicopter was a joke, taxi out, pedal turn, instructor put in hard right, had me counter with my left... departure, approach, 360* pedal turn to the left, departure, approach, done. It was like .2 on the hobbs.

That should give you a good hint of what it will be like in an airplane -- just do whatever you might normally have to do with that leg, and as long as you can do it, you're done. My guess is normal ground ops, some slow flight/stall work, and slip to landings, and crosswind landings both T&G and to a full stop. Do all that, and there's really not much else. If you add an ME rating, I'd expect to add all the engine-out work from the ME practical test.

 

[docmirror]

My SODA ride (SMFT) for helicopter was a joke, taxi out, pedal turn, instructor put in hard right, had me counter with my left... departure, approach, 360* pedal turn to the left, departure, approach, done. It was like .2 on the hobbs.

Yeah, no reason to run up the hobbs unnecessarily. He knew when you pulled pitch and the skids cleared if you could do the job or not. Formality. ASEL will be basically the same. Don't wander around = passed.

 

[Indecision]

Yeah, no reason to run up the hobbs unnecessarily. He knew when you pulled pitch and the skids cleared if you could do the job or not. Formality. ASEL will be basically the same. Don't wander around = passed.

I had like 12 hours at the time... It wasn't exactly pretty.

 

[Indecision]

For what it's worth... The Scottsdale FSDO I spoke to said the SODA is a category specific unless a specific limitation is placed on the SODA. So I'll have to do one for airplanes, but that should be the end of it unless I decide to try gliders or something.

 

[Henning]

For what it's worth... The Scottsdale FSDO I spoke to said the SODA is a category specific unless a specific limitation is placed on the SODA. So I'll have to do one for airplanes, but that should be the end of it unless I decide to try gliders or something.

Well that's good. It's not like the FAA wants to make it difficult.

 

[AcroGimp]

For what it's worth... The Scottsdale FSDO I spoke to said the SODA is a category specific unless a specific limitation is placed on the SODA. So I'll have to do one for airplanes, but that should be the end of it unless I decide to try gliders or something.

FWIW, I just reviewed it and my SODA is tied ONLY to my Medical Class (Second) and says nothing about Category.

I have taken 2 SODA Rides, 1 for my initial 3rd Class/Student Pilot's License back in the 80's when I first learned how to fly, and then around 2000/2001 when I wanted to make sure I could get a 2nd Class for exercising Commercial privileges.

YMMV

'Gimp