snippercr

Jheath... check your PMs. I think we may be thinking of the same person.

rickair7777

It sounds like you have all of your ducks in a row with the FAA. I doubt any airline, or airline pilot, will have a problem you.

Also IMO, since a missing right hand should qualify as a disability (even though you have obviously overcome it), you should be protected by the ADA. If you are otherwise reasonably competitive to get hired at a given airline (degree, hours, grades, etc., whatever standard they use) they would risk being in violation of the ADA if they did not hire you.

Since the FAA says you're good to go, I don't think they can reject you automatically based on the disability. They might be within their rights to require their own a demonstration of performance, but the training program itself will more than accomplish that.

See You Out There

newarkblows

Do you use a prosthesis at all? I think that might be the way to go. As long as you have some way to manipulate the controls reliably I dont see how the FAA could stop you. Most 121 aircraft do require some muscle to be applied to the controls on landing. Different models of the emb145 require lots of backpressure after your mains touch to prevent the nose from de-rotating too quickly. Embrear RJ's have a ram horn yoke that utilizes different muscles in your forearm when applying crosswind correction compared to a vertical, post yoke found in the CRJ and most corporate jets. With a prothesis I dont see why it wouldnt be possible. It could possibly be even easier to manipluate. In the future it seems that aircraft design is going to a sidestick in the cockpit which I would think would be even easier for you. The bombardier c series and possibly the MRJ are going to be side stick in the coming years.

The only problem i see is getting the prosthesis approved by the FAA which i am guessing would entail a lot of jumping through hoops. I would look into AOPA or other aviation groups that probably have had prior experiences with the FAA. There was a group on long Island called Able To Aviation and i think they were out of Farmingdale airport but they specialized in spinal cord handicapped pilots. Very nice guys but it has been a long time since i have seen them around.
Good luck on the checkride and if the FAA gives you any guff... welcome to aviation!

newarkblows

Alabama Aviator - Alabama Airports - Flight Schools in Alabama and Aircraft Rentals - News

I couldnt find his website anymore but when i met him he was a nice guy and seemed to know quite a bit about dealing with the FAA.

Wiscopilot

One guy at my airline (fairly well know case) had an issue with his hands. I think they had him get in the sim and demonstrate he could manipulate all the controls. Trims, thrust reversers ect. One issue I could think of is auto-pilot disconnect and TCS. Both have emergency actions that require them to be "press and hold" on the controls. (ERJ 170)

Good luck!

Gaffman

I do not currently, and have never, use a prosthesis. I have given it a lot of thought as it would help me have a better handle on the yoke.

At birth my hand never fully developed. Without a picture it is difficult to explain. My right arm ends at a point around the area where my left wrist is. If you were to get within a foot or two of me you would see I have 4 very small bumps that are (should have been) my fingers. There is one larger one (about the size of a pea) which is my thumb. The others are much smaller and I have no use of them. My "thumb" has been useful for pressing buttons and lifting some toggle switches. About 2 inches behind my thumb is my wrist, which I can move, approximately 30 degrees.

This wrist movement allows me to reach my arm into a yoke (normal type like the King Air's, CRJ's, or a Piper's) and have forward, back, left, and right control of that yoke, while I control the throttles with my left hand. Currently I am a CFI so I do have a lot of right seat time. I also have right seat time in a Seminole and a Cessna 320 so I have been exposed to the right seat for a number of hours. I fear that the rams horn style of yoke (ERJ) will be difficult for me to grasp. The same goes for a side stick as it seems to me it would require a better grip. However, I have never sat behind any of these types so I am not sure.

I grew up in competitive baseball and still enjoy to rock climb. I have constantly challenged myself in many ways. I find flying from the right seat a little challenging, however, with a little extra work and the dexterity that I do have available, I find it possible and look forward to a long career in the airlines.

As for the left seat (which I obviously will not see for some time), I control the yoke with my left hand and advance and retard the throttles with my right arm, which I am able to do in a multi with no problems.

This was my first post on this site and I really appreciate all the feedback I have received here.

usmc-sgt

I think I know of the case you mention if it is the gentleman who was injured in the accident. It was a good story and he came back strong and proved his place in the cockpit.

Gaffman. It sounds like your biggest hurdles will be the hurdles the FAA throws your way but it looks like you have that under control at the point. You are likely at an advantage in that you were born the way you are. You have learned to adapt from birth to do anything and like others I have no reason to believe that you couldnt handle a transport category aircraft. I can only speak for the Q400 but it is sensitive in pitch which is no big deal but heavy in roll. If you would have no problem gripping the yoke and handling the heav(ier) forces you should be just fine. On the FO side of the house, everything you need is done with your left hand anyway. I dont recall there being any emergency procedures in the Q400 that require two hands although on the CA side there is only one I can think of which is runaway aileron trim.

Nothing to offer procedurally wise with the FAA and the hoops involved but from what you describe and the things you can do (I dont even rock climb) there would be no problems with the airplane.

TonyWilliams

If it's what I'm thinking, it a guy who crashed in a Baron that caught fire (I think he was in the right seat).

He was then hired at some regional, maybe Eagle? Don't remember.

btwissel

He's here at RAH on the S5 side. has no problems flying the plane. his story was in AOPA mag about 2 years ago.

Gaffman

I got offered the job with Pinnacle! August 1 sounds like that will be my class.