PPL Training and Dyslexia
 

Has anyone got any experience in dealing with prospective PPL candidates suffering from Dyslexia to the extent that it compromises their ability to deal with the ground exams? I am not sure how the condition is dealt with by GPs/AMEs when considering certification etc. Just to mention I am fully aware of the Disability Discrimination Acts, but going forward I am not sure how this could be addressed for solo flying (checklists etc)
Tks

Thanks Mr A, that's is very helpful.
Just wondering now what the relationship is with the issue of a Class 2 med having being issued when this condition is known?

I have known student and qualified pilots with a certain degree of either Dyslexia and Asperger's syndrome. There is a large range of impairment from the barely detectable to being unable to function without assistance. In some cases that I have seen, there have been compensating factors. In undiagnosed persons, this can simply show up as having very poor academic ability whilst exhibiting excellent hand-eye skills, we probably all know people like this. Likewise, I have students who breeze through the paperwork with 100% results and struggle with the flying - which is the better pilot?

It's a pity if someone who has good piloting skills can't be 'helped' a little with the paperwork side but that's the system. For the PPL exams, I think from my experience, people who have been diagnosed at school with Dyslexia can usually pass them unaided with sufficient ground school and encouragement. Checklists can be learned by rote - indeed I make students learn checklists used when the aircraft is in motion as memory items. In the end, I do think it's right that students shouldn't have a scribe, on the other hand I think the PPL exams are far too burdensome.

TOO

Many years ago I had a student that I did about 4 hours with, who somehow passed Air Law (before I flew with him) but just wouldn't take the Nav exam. I had to almost pay him to buy a watch as he didn't have one and didn't want one. Shortly thereafter he stopped flying and I moved to a club nearer home. About two years later I was at the old club and asked after him. They told me he was very dyslexic and actually could not tell the time, but had been to a very well known ground training / exam "expert" and passed all the exams first time inside a week. I must ask after him again next time I visit my old friends..........

JustMaybe,

There is a thread from 2014 on this subject and on this forum (sorry couldn't paste the link) but comes up if you Google it.

I once had a ppl student who was dyslexic....the most naturally able handling student I ever had. Just needed a helping hand with the exams.

Shouldn't be a barrier to those determined I would say.

Thanks to all for your help here on the Forum, and for those who took the trouble to PM me. Your insights have been extremely useful and have ceratinly given me lots to think about and work with. Its great to know their is so much help and expertise here, and is so readily shared for the benefit of others.

A rather famous Oz pilot is Dick Smith, the first person to fly a helicopter solo to the north pole and solo around the world (east-west). He has also gone around it north-south, built 3 different empires (electronics, Australian Geographic, Dick Smith Foods) which were sold for multiple millions, and all starting as a dyslexic who couldn't say his own name. He is obviously now over it but from a bad start he is making a fabulous finish.