Flying when missing a finger
 

Hi, i'd like to ask if there's any reference of any medical and operational considerations being put into practising the privileges of a CPL with a missing thumb?
case: missing a left thumb, operating on the right hand seat.

Some years ago we had a senior pilot who lost digits from his left hand in a Huey in VN, and a copilot who lost similar digits from his right hand as a kid, in a farm accident.

We would often crew them together to put enough fingers on the centre console to get the job done :cool:

(nb we have the captain in the right seat in helicopters, as it should be ;). )

they operate without any limitations?

There was a hiccup some years ago with a flybe Capt whose entire prosthetic arm came off smack dab in the middle of landing. No time to transfer control to FO but luckily they only made a hard landing and plane could be used again. AAIB should have the details about this.

The people you need to ask are your licencing authority. It's a simple "over the phone" question. Don't be too surprised if they say that its probably OK, for both seats - once they have seen you!

PM

Not knowing which authority you plan to fly under makes it hard to say, but in Europe and US I'd think they'd take a practical view and as long as you have an acceptable ability to grip and manipulate heavy controls (think hydraulic failure) for instance you should be fine, but expect them to check it out at the initial medical. As said above, ask them first.