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Brit Brakes
Douglas Bader had lost both his legs and the reason he could fly Spitfires and Hurricanes is because they don't have toe brakes. They have pneumatic brakes and I think the rudder pedals went to a proportioning valve for differential braking. The control for the brakes was on the stick.
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I have seen the plane
Greg, I have seen the plane and met the man of which Pierre speaks. Absolutely great. Go for it!
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Bader was not the only one
Douglas Bader was not the only no legs Spitfire Pilot. There was a second one, a chap called Colin Hodgkinson.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/sto...-legs-591.html I wish you all the best in your efforts to get back in the cockpit Greg. Don't give up mate! Cheers Jim |
Thank you my friends.
I am truly touched by the enormous support given here, actually choked up. I will concentrate on healing first, but in the very near future I will look back on this thread and find a way back in my airplane that my father and I built. I won't make it to Oshkosh this year, but in 2014 I look forward to flying in with my son. There, I plan on meeting so many of my brothers and sisters I've only shared a few online words with, words that have provided immeasurable support and inspiration.
Thank you so much my friends, Godspeed and safe flying (and riding). |
Quote:
Right back atcha, Greg! Anything you need....any time. v/r, dr |
Hand Throttles and Brakes
There was a gentleman in the Northwest (Oregon/Washington) that was in a wheel chair and flew an RV6. He had two hand sticks in the center console that were brakes and rudder, I think he had a twist grip throttle too, but not sure. I used to have a t shirt with his photo on it. I saw him at the Scapoose, Oregon annual RV fly-in. I would contact someone up there to find out more.
Then watch this video about the "Miracle Man" Morris Goodman who broke his neck and they said he would not make it through the night and if he did he would never be able to do anything, I said ANYTHING. But he was determined to walk out of the hospital, and he did!!! http://www.themiracleman.org/ Don't listen to the negative influence of other people!!!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!!!!! I look forward to seeing you in the sky and on a ramp someday. N37HR "Knuckle Sandwich" in honor of my father. |
Hi Greg,
I have no words of wisdom, but want to wish you a speedy recovery. All the best, and will be looking for an update from you in the future as to your SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY. Rich |
Read this
I'm also a part time Methodist lay speaker and try to be encouraging..read this story:
When an elephant is a baby, it's tied to a post with a large enough rope that he can't break or get loose. When he gets older and matures into a grown elephant, he is tied to a small post with a small rope. He could easily, physically free himself...he has the strength. What keeps him tied there, with that small rope, is his lack of will, to even try to free himself, since he has learned from youth that he is unable to. Don't ever give up hope, our mind has an incredible amount of control over our bodies and our body's health. Best, |
Well Said Pierre
Well said Pierre!
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Update
Hello my friends,
Just to give you an update, I'm just out of three weeks of in patient rehabilitation therapy, and I can now get in and out of bed by myself. My own bed, not the hospital bed I was in for so long. I'm able to get in and out of the shower by myself, after four months of bed baths, which is wonderful. I'm able to use the toilet, not the bed pan and in dwelling catheter. Also wonderful. I'm able to drive, pretty much normally, using my left foot instead of my right. I'm pretty good in a wheelchair, even though I'm still holding on to the idea of walking again someday. I'll be sending my plane off to Pierre's friend Ray, to see what he can do about modifying my plane for my future use. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Just a side note about how my plane ended up in Van's calendar this month. Last year, at Oshkosh, a reporter from GA News left a note on my plane asking about an interview. I thought it was either a joke or a scam, because of the volume of beautiful RVs there, why in the world mine? Turned out, she was interested because of my USAFR patch on the tail. She met me for the interview, and said she would like to get some air to air photos. I took her up on that offer, and some fantastic pictures came out of it, at absolutely no cost to me. I sent some off to Van's around this time last year, and now, about a year later, my plane is Ms September! Bottom line, if my plane can get in there, pretty much any plane can, with a good professional photographer in a chase plane. I gotta tell you, after hanging a Vans calendar in my shop for four years while I built my plane, I never imagined my plane would someday be in there. Anyway, thanks again for all the support. Again, my goal is Oshkosh next year. To those of you still building, keep at it. There is nothing besides my wife and kids that is more motivational than my plane, to help me recover from this and adjust to my new normal. See you in the skies before too long, and best regards to everyone. |
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