Ed_Wischmeyer
Well Known Member
The good news is that I'm getting my third (and hopefully last!) back surgery on Monday, but the challenge is maintaining the high level of proficiency required to make RV flying rewarding.
The brief history:
* Three years ago, laminectomy with bilateral foraminotomy. The challenge after that surgery was regaining G tolerance. I don't think that I ever got it back more than about 3 Gs, pretty low.
* A year ago was the mother of all surgeries, spinal fusion from L1 - L5, with full recovery taking a year. I started flying after six months (with a CFI buddy, a really good call, even in my docile old Cessna), and when the Cessna sold, bought an RV-9A and added a second G3X touch screen. What with weather, flu, and other interruptions, I'm barely up to comfortable proficiency with the G3X and have not flown the RV-8 nearly enough. My last flight in the RV-8 was within my acceptable limits but I was working too hard;
* Monday, I'll get extreme lateral interbody fusion L1 - L2 because, as sometimes happens, the last surgery didn't heal completely. No riding in cars for two weeks, no driving for six, but full recovery after 12 weeks;
* I'm now 66 and have been physically fit my entire life.
So here's what I've found with all these interruptions to my flying:
* Because I've got 3,000+ hours, basic flying skills are restored with an hour of flight time;
* Situational awareness is much slower to come back, and it's too easy to get fixated on something, especially with new glass. I think this has taken months and is not yet where I think it used to be;
* I've also noticed lessened ability to handle mild irregularities, like a bounced landing or too many distracting airspace alerts from the G3X;
* On the first flight after the big surgery, my body had trouble handling a mild unusual attitude. I think that this was a basic physiology issue as the recovery from that surgery had not progressed far enough;
* Physical problems can include getting in and out, reaching things on the floor of the RV-9A baggage compartment, how long you can sit in the plane, and how much your back hurts when you get out;
* After the last surgery, which has not healed completely, I can start to feel pressure in my spine at about 1.8 Gs. That's lots less than I want...
What I think I've learned:
* Don't lower your standards just because you've been off for a while;
* Don't be in a hurry to come back too soon;
* Stack the deck in your favor by flying with a CFI, choosing low wind days, short flights, etc.
* There's little if any guidance on when to come back after surgery or major illness. The rule that I used was that I would fly only after I was completely comfortable driving.
Frankly, I'm glad that I can get my back fixed the rest of the way and that I've got a great church and support network. I'm looking forward to returning to the air and re-achieving a high skill level in a body that can pull at least a few Gs.
Merry Christmas to all!
Ed
The brief history:
* Three years ago, laminectomy with bilateral foraminotomy. The challenge after that surgery was regaining G tolerance. I don't think that I ever got it back more than about 3 Gs, pretty low.
* A year ago was the mother of all surgeries, spinal fusion from L1 - L5, with full recovery taking a year. I started flying after six months (with a CFI buddy, a really good call, even in my docile old Cessna), and when the Cessna sold, bought an RV-9A and added a second G3X touch screen. What with weather, flu, and other interruptions, I'm barely up to comfortable proficiency with the G3X and have not flown the RV-8 nearly enough. My last flight in the RV-8 was within my acceptable limits but I was working too hard;
* Monday, I'll get extreme lateral interbody fusion L1 - L2 because, as sometimes happens, the last surgery didn't heal completely. No riding in cars for two weeks, no driving for six, but full recovery after 12 weeks;
* I'm now 66 and have been physically fit my entire life.
So here's what I've found with all these interruptions to my flying:
* Because I've got 3,000+ hours, basic flying skills are restored with an hour of flight time;
* Situational awareness is much slower to come back, and it's too easy to get fixated on something, especially with new glass. I think this has taken months and is not yet where I think it used to be;
* I've also noticed lessened ability to handle mild irregularities, like a bounced landing or too many distracting airspace alerts from the G3X;
* On the first flight after the big surgery, my body had trouble handling a mild unusual attitude. I think that this was a basic physiology issue as the recovery from that surgery had not progressed far enough;
* Physical problems can include getting in and out, reaching things on the floor of the RV-9A baggage compartment, how long you can sit in the plane, and how much your back hurts when you get out;
* After the last surgery, which has not healed completely, I can start to feel pressure in my spine at about 1.8 Gs. That's lots less than I want...
What I think I've learned:
* Don't lower your standards just because you've been off for a while;
* Don't be in a hurry to come back too soon;
* Stack the deck in your favor by flying with a CFI, choosing low wind days, short flights, etc.
* There's little if any guidance on when to come back after surgery or major illness. The rule that I used was that I would fly only after I was completely comfortable driving.
Frankly, I'm glad that I can get my back fixed the rest of the way and that I've got a great church and support network. I'm looking forward to returning to the air and re-achieving a high skill level in a body that can pull at least a few Gs.
Merry Christmas to all!
Ed