Let' s all wish this young man a safe journey
 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-23/hayden-mcdonald-autistic-aviator-flying-14000km-around-australia/102886404

The way that CASA treated the whole autism thing with the famous Form 420 is nothing but ignorant prejudice, an absolute disgrace and has been covered here: ADHD/ASD and CASA medicals - PPRuNe Forums

CASA would have grounded Neil Armstrong and Mr Spock.

Good luck Hayden!

Hear! Hear! Clare.

No atmosphere on the moon, so the safety of air navigation not affected.

Clear skies and happy landings Hayden.

+1. The very best of wishes in your endevour young Man, windmills were built for tilting. Wonder how CASA would treat the young Lass in the US with no arms and flies with her feet.

It also highlights how silly it is to have one medical rule for RA and another for GA.

Hayden is the sort of person we need in the industry, resourceful and focused and would be an asset to many employers. Compare his attitude to the entitled VET generation who wear gold bars before they have even gone solo. Here's an interview with him from a few months back. aUpdate | Q & A with Hayden McDonald, creator of Wings Without Barriers (autismawareness.com.au)

Interestingly, CASA do seem to have removed all reference to autism from their website now, although it is still mentioned on the current Form 420 on the first page though the footer just says "ADHD Questionnaire", I guess proof reading it is for next year's KPIs; so if they are still denying him a medical it is even more disgraceful.
Form 420 - ADHD Instructors Questionnaire (casa.gov.au)

Re physical disability, it is possible for a paraplegic to get a medical and I have personally checked people out for the Wheelies with Wings scholarships, there is a Cherokee mod that allows them to be flown with just hand controls. My job is to make sure they can enter and exit without assistance. Home – Wheelies with Wings

The "Blackwood " control device allows people with limited mobility to fly. A few people at Beriwck (Vic) back in the 1970's learned to fly with the Blackwood device.
Some at Moorabbin also; I have observed people flying Piper Lance and PC-12 at Moorabbin with control arms fitted.

But Mr Armstrong spent many years training on aircraft, including fast jets, in the Earth's atmosphere.....:)

I know, just roll with it......:}

:) :ok:

Yes, I have battled with a 420 in support of Haydn and it is structured so that a flight instructors or examiners practical observations hold little weeight.
I was Haydn's examiner for the issue of his RPC. He more than met the standards. If flying is going to be restricted by obscure medical numbers.... where has competency gone? Changes needed.

I’ll be the one to say the obvious;

Makes you wonder the legitimacy of an Autism diagnosis.

It’s not about the “legitimacy” of the diagnosis, B2N2. It’s about Avmed’s overreaching incompetence and carefree arrogance in deciding the “aero-medical significance” of and response to what’s been diagnosed.

Form 420 was inflicted on guinea pigs with ASD for years, even though the questionnaire was about ADHD. When Avmed finally acknowledged - internally and as a consequence of a complaint to the ICC - that which can be found out by a minute’s googling, the form was not amended for years. When it finally was, the heading was changed but the “purpose” statement still referred to ASD. Then they were finally embarrassed into disappearing the form while a purported “review” is being carried out.

Well done poteroo in supporting Haydn’s efforts in the face of Avmed’s overreaching incompetence and carefree arrogance.

The incredibly scary fact about that ADHD form is that ADHD takes many forms and the stereotype of a jittery, impulsive and careless person is that of the past.

Remember that 420 was plagiarised from here: ADHD Test for Kids: Symptom Test for Kids, Tweens & Teens (additudemag.com)

But they left out this bit: NOTE: This ADHD test for kids is not intended to diagnose or to replace the care of a health care professional.

Few flying instructors are healthcare professionals. Which is why I refused to fill it in. I don't expect a clinical psychologist to be able to teach someone to fly, after all.

Well done young man, best wishes.

Exactly. I added comments in same vein when I tried to negotiate 420. My argument with CASA revolves around the words ' competency based training ' as used around Part 61 and the pedantic MOS that trails it. Whats really important is whether the pilot is competent and safe to achieve the requirements of their category of licence. The nuts and bolts of the condition of ' autism ' need redefinition by a top panel of medicos - certainly not Avmed alone.