Weight limit?

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Dr. Mike

Filing Flight Plan
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Dr. Mike
Hi all
I am brand new to the forum and have a question. I used to fly many, many years ago, but the practice of medicine made flying take a back seat. Today, I am 6’2 and a hair over 300 pounds. Am I able to become a licensed private pilot again?
 
Yes, you need to be healthy and pass a medical exam for private pilot. Someone will be along to post a link to a helpful post about the exam. And Dr Bruce checks in here occasionally too and may have more to add. DWIs, drug arrests, SSRI meds, Add meds, sleep apnea, cardiac issues can all be impediments. Best to understand you will pass the exam BEFORE you apply. Best of luck. Oh, and if you have had a medical within the last 10 years you can apply for basic med.
 
Once a private pilot, always a private pilot unless the FAA revokes your privileges. You are what we call a rusty pilot. Basically you need some sort of medical approval, unless you fly sport pilot, and a flight review. I went through this process last summer, got my medical in October and have been having a blast since.
 
I was in same boat. Went for a yearly exam with someone who happened to be an med examiner. He advised me it’s not a good idea to use a pcp who is your examiner as I’d anything would come up he’d have to report it.
I too am a hefty guy. He did go into a long diatribe about me being 40 pounds overweight. He advised me to get a piece of luggage and weigh it and load it with crap until it weight 40 pounds... then told me to realize that I can’t take that with me on a flight with my family!!!! At the time felt a bit harsh.
I got my medial with a different examiner but kept him as my pcp (and now use similar tactics on my pts lol), did my flight review, bought into a club on a 182.. now that I’m flying regularly again and doing flight planning and w&b... I realize his wisdom and it has inspired me to drop some real tonnage!!!
 
Unless your weight has created a medical condition that affects you ability to get a third class medical, the weight itself is not a problem. During your medical, you are going to get screened for glucosuria, also, with that BMI the AME will have to ask you screening questions about obstructive sleep apnea.

The next question is whether you can find a Cessna 182 or a Cirrus do your flight training in and/or a really skinny flight instructor. Its not necessarily an issue of payload, but simply one of comfort.
 
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Adding to what PaulS said... if there is anything in past medical history that causes you to question the ability to obtain your medical on the first throw, then seek out an AME who will conduct a consultation. A consultation will review your situation with the medical standards in mind and advise you on if you can be issued without any delay, or what additional items will need to be obtained before you for for a "live" exam.

More info is in this post: https://tinyurl.com/ame-consult
 
Dr. Mike said:
Hi all
I am brand new to the forum and have a question. I used to fly many, many years ago, but the practice of medicine made flying take a back seat. Today, I am 6’2 and a hair over 300 pounds. Am I able to become a licensed private pilot again?
Click to expand...

I started flying after a 10 year pause, and it didn't take long to get signed off with a flight review. The biggest change that has happened in the last 10 years is medical reform. If you've had a valid medical since 2006, you can get a basic med, which can be done by any physician. I've been told that commercial drivers license clinics are more likely to be familiar with it. In my case I couldn't convince my regular physician that he could sign the document, so I elected to do a 3rd class medical. Two other big changes I noticed were the extensive use of tablets in the cockpit (i.e no more paper charts), and ADS-B.
 
You guys..... here is a picture of the OP with his wife and butler.

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I was 6' and 300# when I started training. Wasn't pleasant in any of the training planes, but it worked. (Luckily, my instructor was a string bean.) It did inspire me to lose 50# though.

Go for it.
 
This is a reminder that all posts in the medical forum need to be constructive to the OP.
 
Find an airplane you are comfortable in,take a flight review,after a medical,and enjoy. Good Luck.
 
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