I had the pleasure today of doing several new things in Aviation with Freedom in the Air at Cranfield Aerodrome, EGTC – http://www.freedom-in-the-air.com
I know it has been a while since i last wrote regularly on this forum re aviation related subjects. well there have been good reason for that, little flying and work commitments since getting my PPL mid september 2007. In the last month i have had the time and the opportunity to fly just under 4 hrs. Some exciting new news for me and pilots with lower limb disability which is that there is available on the market a set of approved hand controls for the rudder pedal for Cessna 172. The hand controls are portable which is enlightening as i feel it gives people with a disability greater choice for accessing potentially many flying clubs with the Cessna 172 variant up to model P.
I had a full on day loving being at Cranfield for the whole day doing general aviation related activity..
1) Installing a portable hand control for use in Cessna 172 and 177
2) Flying a new single engine piston in the left seat, Cessna 172 (until now i have only flown a PA28 which i love to bits)
3) Land C172 in cross wind (within limits) using my right hand to control the rudder AND the throttle, with my right hand on the control column as per normal. In the PA28, my right hand can control either the rudder OR the throttle but not at the same time
4) Fly at night with a flying instructor, start of the night rating – i like flying at night alot
It was our first time fitting and adjusting the portable hand control into the C172. We had engineers, flying instructors and me…it took just over an hour to get the unit adjusted to fit properly and make sure that full left and right rudder was achievable with differential braking and full braking. Once all this was ascertained, it really only takes 8 minutes for me to fit the controls and perhaps 4 minutes to take them off.
The engineers re-fitted the unit before i could go flying today. They were kind enough though to give up their time at work to show me how to fit them and they taught the flying instructors too that are going to use them for other students with a disability. Next week, a CAA person is coming to watch us fit them so that we can be approved to install without the need for engineers, well that i suppose that is the point.
After the flight i was thrilled to feel free to fly from any flying club up and down the country in a c172 with my own controls. how cool is that..well these controls can also be used by other people who need a hand control and wish for regular flying from a good airfield. Get in touch to organise a time to fly – well check the weather first…
once finished with it, simply pack it up and off we go. the pedals are now free to be used by an able body pilot….happy landings gang.
more information for those wishing to learn about flying for people with a disability can visit http://www.freedom-in-the-air.com when you have some free time
By: mike currill - 13th December 2007 at 09:10
Well done young sir. Four hours in a month with the vagaries of British weather is very respectable for an able bodied pilot. At least you are keeping your skills honed and I would say that would probably be the minimum number to actually achieve it. I know that I would not accept that anyone who only flies an hour every month or, in some cases, even less is actually keeping up with the game.
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December 10, 2007 at 11:52 pm