[Larrybia]

I have heard of a person that may lose some capability in his right hand. He is concerned that he may not be able to safety fly his RV-8 is the loss of capability is too high. He is concerned with safety landing because both hands are required to work the stick and throttle simutaniously. Has anyone heard of or had experiance with one hand flying? Does anyone know how the RV-8 could be modified to allow for one hand flying?

 

[John Clark]

References

Here is a site to help start on the research:

http://flightability.bizland.com/page85.htm

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

 

[Phil MacFarlane]

I have a friend who flies with one hand. He has a motorcycle throttle on the stick. He had an accident when he was very young one arm useless. He got his PPL like this.

 

[Veetail88]

No arms

Check this web page.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/jessica-cox-armless-pilot.shtml

If Ms. Cox can get a ppl with no arms, I believe your freind can find a way, if he has the will.

 

[Danny7]

Check this web page.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/jessica-cox-armless-pilot.shtml

If Ms. Cox can get a ppl with no arms, I believe your freind can find a way, if he has the will.

I don't think she has a private pilot license, I think it is a sport pilot. and only in an ercoupe (is that the right plane?) that doesn't have rudder pedals

 

[N941WR]

I have a friend who flies with one hand. He has a motorcycle throttle on the stick. He had an accident when he was very young one arm useless. He got his PPL like this.

Exactly what I was thinking.

I have a friend who is in a wheelchair and always drives a sick and loves to go off roading in his five speed Land Rover. The stick shift is fited with both a hand clutch and a throttle.

 

[Low Pass]

If he has some mobility in the lower portion of his right arm to operate the throttle, he could (build and) fly it left handed.

 

[N941WR]

If he has some mobility in the lower portion of his right arm to operate the throttle, he could (build and) fly it left handed.

If he can move his upper arm, he can always put a glove on and velcro it to the throttle.

 

[N526JS]

Whereas I cannot comment on the difficulties in using hand controls I can relate to the loss of a limb as I have a below the knee amputation of one leg. Motorcycle accident, another story. This was when I was 58 years old and an instrument rated private pilot. I was already active in our local EAA chapter and my first reaction (other than Ah S***!) was that this was not going to stop me from flying. My second reaction was to order a RV-9A kit. I remember assembling the tail and wings before I was even fitted with a prosthesis. Kinda hard hopping around with one leg and crutches and a rivet gun in one hand. After getting fitted with a prosthesis it took a few trials and tribulations to get the rudder / brakes figured out in a rental C172, but I did and the flight with a FAA examiner for the SODA (Statement Of Demonstrated Ability) was a non-event. Now I have no problems hopping into my (1/2 shared) C182 and going anywhere or, as recently, flying a bunch of Young Eagles kids. Life is good again (not that it ever wasn't) and I am absolutely confident that I will fly my, still in progress, RV-9A without a problem.

And, by the way, although I have not met him there is a gentleman at a nearby airport who lost both hands in a vehicle accident (Bonneville speed run as I am told) and he flys a Pitts.

We, as a species, are supremely adaptable and with the proper will power and attitude just about anything is possible.