I have MS and want to learn to fly

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I have had a desire to learn to fly for a while. I was diagnosed with MS last spring and am now taking a disability because I worked in commercial construction and am now using a cane for balance.

I now have the time and the money but have no idea if the MS will stop me from getting a medical cert.

Has anyone gotten a cert. that has MS.

Art
 
Art, I sincerely hope there is a way to achieve your dream. This is the place to get some answers but there are those who will chime in with much greater experience than I on medical waivers.

A question to Bruce and gang...

Could he possibly go for a Sport Pilot ticket and not be subject to a waiver for a Class Three? That has me curious with what is being accomplished through the Able Pilot programs.
 
I don't have much to contribute, other than that as far as I know, MS is _not_ necessarily disqualifying. Quite a few people with MS are flying. I'm sure more knowledgeable folks will chime in.

Good luck!

-Felix
 
According to the AOPA site:
http://www.aopa.org/members/ftmag/article.cfm?article=2350 said:
The remaining standards say that you can't have any disease or condition that would (or could be expected to) interfere with or be aggravated by flying, or that interferes with clear and effective communication, or has symptoms of vertigo or disturbance of equilibrium.
Some disqualifying conditions could be an obstruction, such as a tumor or anatomical disfiguration that interferes with your airway, or injuries or disfiguration of the tongue that prevent clear communication (other severe speech impediments might also fall into this category).
Active Meniere's disease, which affects the membranes of the inner ear and can result in an abrupt onset of severe dizziness, is an example of conditions/diseases characterized by vertigo and disturbances of equilibrium. Multiple sclerosis, brain injuries and tumors, cerebellar dysfunction, and certain medications can result in dizziness and diminished equilibrium. Because the FAA realizes that a broad range of symptoms is associated with some of these conditions, it tends to evaluate them on a case-by-case basis.
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(emphasis mine)
Using the cane for balance makes me think you have equilibrium issues, so you're right to find out about this ahead-of-time. Now I'm looking for one of the Docs to chime in.
 
The balance problem is more due to my legs getting really weak after i walk a way.

sometimes I miss step and that is what the cane is for



I don't have dizziness or vertigo.


Art
 
Unregistered said:
The balance problem is more due to my legs getting really weak after i walk a way.

sometimes I miss step and that is what the cane is for



I don't have dizziness or vertigo.


Art
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That's good to hear, and raises some hope. Mere leg weakness could be dealt with via hand controls, such as those used in the Able Flight that Ken mentioned. Keep on hoping, and let's see what the Docs say...
 
KennyFlys said:
Could he possibly go for a Sport Pilot ticket and not be subject to a waiver for a Class Three? That has me curious with what is being accomplished through the Able Pilot programs.
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Since he's never lost a medical certificate or been denied one, it's possible, as long as he has a DL and a doctor willing to sign off on him being able to safely operate a Light Sport aircraft.
 
Ron Levy said:
Since he's never lost a medical certificate or been denied one, it's possible, as long as he has a DL and a doctor willing to sign off on him being able to safely operate a Light Sport aircraft.
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Good deal!

Art, I'd take that and get your physician's help on a letter stating you're physically capable.

After that, it's looking for a location on where you can get Light Sport training. Try this link for some information: http://www.sportpilot.org/

A couple folks on the board whom I think would be a great source of information for you are:

Mike, aka Maddog52; and,

Kate, aka SkyFlyer8

Everyone on the board will help ya wherever possible but these two great people are very involved with helping folks obtain their dream who may otherwise be denied. I'll look forward to reading your posts as you work on this dream.

Should you feel comfortable in posting under your normal user name to let us know more about you and where you're located, I can promise you will receive nothing short of encouragement and all the help possible in reaching your dream not to mention the welcome of another aviator in our midst.

Kenny
 
KennyFlys said:
Good deal!

Art, I'd take that and get your physician's help on a letter stating you're physically capable.
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He doesn't need a letter. He needs a current drivers license and NOT to have applied for an airman's medical and been denied.
 
mikea said:
He doesn't need a letter. He needs a current drivers license and NOT to have applied for an airman's medical and been denied.
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The purpose would be for showing the school/instructor he has no limitations to keep him from safely operating an aircraft. That's slowly becoming an issue around the country. Kate recently discussed this in a thread but mostly from a view point of having held a medical certificate and now wanting to fly sport aircraft.

Having the letter will quickly negate any concerns there may be of his abilities.
 
Why are y'all trying to sell the Sport Pilot idea as the best solution?

Lots of people with MS have medicals. Obviously, it depends on exactly how MS is affecting you, but for quite a few folks, symptoms can be relatively minor. Talk to an AME who's dealt with this before - my completely unqualified guess would be that you would be able to get a medical.

-Felix
 
Unregistered said:
I have had a desire to learn to fly for a while. I was diagnosed with MS last spring and am now taking a disability because I worked in commercial construction and am now using a cane for balance.

I now have the time and the money but have no idea if the MS will stop me from getting a medical cert.

Has anyone gotten a cert. that has MS.

Art
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Art, what type of flying do you want to do?
If you want to just buzz around in good weather in a 2 person plane, then the sport pilot certificate is for you!
If you want to fly in all weather in heavier and faster aircraft, you are going to need to jump through all types of hoops.

If you don't mind sport pilot, you can fly on just your drivers license. No need to get an aviation medical, nice and easy.
 
mikea said:
He doesn't need a letter. He needs a current drivers license and NOT to have applied for an airman's medical and been denied.
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The Federal Air Surgeon seems to disagree with you:

"If I suspect I have a significant medical condition, but have never had an FAA medical certificate denied, suspended, or revoked, can I exercise sport pilot privileges using my current and valid driver’s license, if otherwise qualified?

"Response by the Federal Air Surgeon
"Long-standing FAA regulation, § 61.53, prohibits all pilots--those who are required to hold airman medical certificates and those who are not--from exercising privileges during periods of medical deficiency. The FAA revised § 61.53 to include under this prohibition sport pilots who use a current and valid U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification. The prohibition is also added under §§ 61.23 (c) (2) (iv) and 61.303 (b) (2) (4) for sport pilot operations.

"You should consult your private physician to determine whether you have a medical deficiency that would interfere with the safe performance of sport piloting duties. Certain medical information that may be helpful for pilots can be found in our Pilot Safety Brochures."

[emphasis added]

Source: http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/sportpilots/response4/index.cfm

And I didn't say he needed a letter, just that the doctor had to "sign off on him being able to safely operate a Light Sport aircraft," which I suppose he could do verbaly, although in this day and age, it would be legally imprudent for such an individual not to get that in writing from the doc lest the doc change his tune after something bad happened ("No, sir, I didn't say it was OK for him to pilot an airplane by himself; he must have misunderstood.") and leave the individual hung out to dry in order to protect is own malpractice insurance.
 
Art,

You should be able to fulfill your goal of getting a license. There are several options available as a sated previously. If you decide to try to get the third class medical, make VERY sure that you'll be able to get it before applying. Find a friendly AME and see if he thinks you could pass before you formally apply. If you are denied a medical certificate, even flying as a Sport Pilot becomes impossible.

Decide on what you want out of flying and choose the best course for you. There is nothing that says you can't start out as a Sport Pilot and then move up the ratings ladder if you want to. All your Sport Pilot time counts. This is all stuff you've probably heard before, but check out www.sportpilot.org


Also check out www.ableflight.org. There might be scholarship money available if you decide on Sport. One of our scholars has a similar condition. Good Luck!!! I hope your dreams come true!!


Maddog
 
Unreg, About 2/3rd of MS patients have stable or improving disease. If you are in this 2/3rds you can get a certificate. There is one Corporate pilot that I know of (flies C550) with an ATP who is stable enought to maintain his first class cert.

The key, however, is the meds. Interferons in particular produce enough brain side effects that FAA will NOT allow that. The condition has to be shown stable for the preceeding 90 days and if there are significant visual deficits, these are dealt with with a FSDO vision checkride.

One of the regular posters is nearing the end of his Instrument Rating with this diagnosis. Most lay persons visualize a person in a wheechair with braces on their arms and think that's MS. Well, about 1/3 will end up that way, but not the majority.

Lastly, this is a situation in which you do NOT want to just bomb on into an AME office an fill out an application for a medical. You want to get the diagnosis documentation, the current status letter from the neurologist, and any scans to be reviewed by an AME who does special issuances, FIRST, at a separate appointment. Why?

If you get denied and then subsequently don't win the special issuance, then you can't do Sport Pilot on a Auto Driver's license ever. You want to know the result BEFORE you apply.
 
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Thanks everyone I registered as Master Yoda but the system isn't letting me post under that name yet.

Bruce your information tells me exactly what I needed to know and how to proceed. At this point the neurologists has still not given the final MS diagnosis. I have had only one documented exacerbation. But the symptoms have not let up from the very beginning. June 07. He feels that I may have the non remitting type which will most likely put me on interferon. I have been looking into the sport pilot information that Maddg?? put in the comments. I have extensive mechanical background and building a kit plane (Zenair Zodiac from what I can read with a corvair engine), is the direction I'm leaning at this time. I need to go find one and go for a ride. My wife is looking forward to this possibility as well. She has flown in gliders and really enjoyed it. We have grandkids in the western states and live in Washington. so a max 600 mile one way would be as far as we would ever fly. The Zodiac appears to have enough speed and hopefully ceiling to allow us to go from Seattle area to Montana almost as fast as a 172. I would probably instrument it with a Glass cockpit or IFR instrumentation. Except for IFR I think the sport Pilot would serve our needs

My brother is a CFI and owns a Cardinal RG and is based at Davis Cal. and that was what I set as a goal but after the last three days of research I may have to change that Goal to the Zodiac.

Anyway thanks again for all the information and for the comradeship.

I'll post and keep keep those interested up to date.

"Master Yoda"

Art Bouvier
Sanderson Field Shelton Wa.
artbouvier@hotmail.com
 
Master Yoda....

Whatever you do, please, please follow the medical advice given to you even if it costs you the ability to get a medical. Remember that you can always learn to fly.... and fly as long as there is someone with a valid medical riding right-seat.

I admire your attitude.... I've seen someone get depressed, degenerate, and ignore medical advice with respect to alcohol, personal fitness, and even medication. Their primary support person has spiraled downward, too, and they are, unfortunately, mutually co-dependent. It's really sad to see.
 
Ron Levy said:
Since he's never lost a medical certificate or been denied one, it's possible, as long as he has a DL and a doctor willing to sign off on him being able to safely operate a Light Sport aircraft.
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When did they require that a doctor sign off to exercize sport pilot
privileges? Did I miss that one? If so then I'm illegal since I didn't renew
my medical since I don't need it for my plane.

As long as you have a DL, and haven't flunked an FAA medical
then you're good to go as long as you can self certify as not
having anything that could cause sudden incapacitation.

RT
 
RogerT said:
When did they require that a doctor sign off to exercize sport pilot
privileges? Did I miss that one? If so then I'm illegal since I didn't renew
my medical since I don't need it for my plane.

As long as you have a DL, and haven't flunked an FAA medical
then you're good to go as long as you can self certify as not
having anything that could cause sudden incapacitation.

RT
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Roger, it is more of an issue for those that want to get their LSA certificate while renting LSA airplanes from a flight school. There have been several threads discussing this.
 
There's an article on the AOPA members page about a pilot with MS. See AOPA. I don't know if you have to be a registered member though. Let me know in a PM and I'll cut and paste.
Good luck.
 
silver-eagle said:
There's an article on the AOPA members page about a pilot with MS. See AOPA. I don't know if you have to be a registered member though. Let me know in a PM and I'll cut and paste.
Good luck.
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Cutting and pasting AOPA's copyrighted material into our web site is prohibited -- short teaser and a link only, please. If non-AOPA members want to read the full article, they can join AOPA (which every right-thinking pilot should be doing anyway ;)).
 
silver-eagle said:
There's an article on the AOPA members page about a pilot with MS. See AOPA. I don't know if you have to be a registered member though. Let me know in a PM and I'll cut and paste.
Good luck.
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Ron Levy said:
Cutting and pasting AOPA's copyrighted material into our web site is prohibited -- short teaser and a link only, please. If non-AOPA members want to read the full article, they can join AOPA (which every right-thinking pilot should be doing anyway ;)).
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If you find it and email it to me, I'll post it on my webpage and host it so it can be viewed without AOPA membership. Its the least I can do until Phil is dethroned.

edit: moot point, its available without membership (and, I should note, available without a copyright notice of any sort...publicly viewable documents are generally available to be publicly used)
 
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SkyHog said:
edit: moot point, its available without membership (and, I should note, available without a copyright notice of any sort...publicly viewable documents are generally available to be publicly used)
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No they're not. Nowadays Copyright is implicit thanks to the Berne Convention. A piece has copyright as soon as it is created. Public domain has to be explicitly stated as it always has been.

--Carlos V.
 
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