BFR during COVID

[Tankerpilot75]

Originally Posted by airguy

I've already had it, recently, and so I have the antibodies. I called the local instruction outfit here and talked to one of the instructors who also, coincidentally had also recently had it and recovered - and we went flying together with no mask and no worries.

Call up your local instructors and ask if anyone has had it recently (my doc says 3-6 months for the antibodies) and go fly with them. If they are carrying the antibodies, they can't give or get the decrapitation again until those anitbodies fade.

Here’s the rub. There is no “definitive knowledge base” on whether having the virus, and now a positive antibodies test, guarantees that one cannot get it again or still transmit the virus to another person if re-exposed.

A three to six months immunity window is still not confirmed and probably very dependent upon the individual and how serious their original Covid case was. In fact, getting the vaccine does not guarantee 100% immunity - it just improves one’s chances of either not getting the virus or having a mild case.

I had the virus last August and let me confirm it’s a tough ordeal. My youngest son is a Navy physician and we’ve had several discussions on the nature of this virus and what is known vs unknown. Bottom line: there is still a lot to learn and as the virus mutates even more unanswered questions will become relevant.

My recommendation is simple: take it seriously, wear a mask, follow good personal hygiene avoiding unnecessary exposure and close personal contact as much as possible until this virus is under control and herd immunity is achieved. If you must accomplish something that requires close contact with another person please understand there are no guarantees.

Don’t stick you head in the ground but please be careful. Herd immunity is probably over a year away but that doesn’t mean we have to completely shut down our lives. Be smart, be careful and pray that you don’t contract the virus.

[sprucemoose]

Originally Posted by airguy

Call up your local instructors and ask if anyone has had it recently (my doc says 3-6 months for the antibodies) and go fly with them. If they are carrying the antibodies, they can't give or get the decrapitation again until those anitbodies fade.

You beat me to it, but this was going to be my advice as well. The length of antibody based immunity is still somewhat up in the air (mostly due to lack of long term data) but it seems to be getting longer as time goes on and we know more about it. Besides, if we needed a 100% guarantee of safety in our lives, we probably wouldn't be flying around in homebuilt airplanes

I'm a fair ways from the OP but I had a moderate COVID case back in October so I'm still within even the conservative 3-6 month window. If anyone in the midwest is looking for a confirmed antibody-carrying RV CFI, I'm available.

If there is enough interest, perhaps a sticky thread with names of COVID-safe CFIs around the country might be in order?

[scsmith]

Originally Posted by RV7A Flyer

I might be wrong, but the SFAR is for some pretty specific categories of operations, and just general flying around for fun isn't one of them:

https://www.faa.gov/coronavirus/regu...COVID-FAQs.pdf

That's what I get from it, at least...someone else may have better info.

Yes, this seems to be correct. Folks, the extension is not granted for just general flying privileges. It applies only to some very specific flight operations. Read SFAR-118-2 before you rely on any extension.