Challenged
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 35
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From: Up a sago palm
Challenged
I have a problem. I am only 4 foot 6 and a half, and I am told I cannot keep my helicopter license because I am a dwarf. I have passed all medical exams with flying colors and I do not have a speech impediment, yet I am told that I am a danger to myself and any passengers I may carry.
I beg to differ. I fly professionally and follow all the rules. I am able to reach all the controls, usually at the same time, and can see out of all the windows. I wear 6 inch clogs that also add up to put me over the minimum pilot weight. I usually fly with the doors off so that if there is any doubt I can fly out of balance and view my surroundings through the doorway. My hands and feet are normal size and I have full use of each limb. I can carry more payload than the others.
The only problems I have encountered so far have been things like turbulence, where I have slid down the seat marginally and it has obscured my view. Also, if I do not place a pillow behind my back, I find that my legs cannot bend at the knee and my feet protrude straight out. Once during a large area of turbulence I was bounced up and down like a yo-yo in my shoulder harness and my legs banged against the instrument panel. Very rarely do I need to let go of the controls to adjust my position.
My passengers do not seem to mind. They enjoy the fact that I allow them to place their feet on the pedals and do the actions when I ask them to, they will nearly always give me a hand to get into the cabin and they seem to get a kick out of the fact that I look so young. They will often ask if I am too young to fly helicopters.
Do you think it’s a good idea to get an instrument rating so that it dispels the fears that others may have about me not being able to see out the window? Could you all please help me build a case against this form of intolerance as I see no reason why I should not have a license.
I beg to differ. I fly professionally and follow all the rules. I am able to reach all the controls, usually at the same time, and can see out of all the windows. I wear 6 inch clogs that also add up to put me over the minimum pilot weight. I usually fly with the doors off so that if there is any doubt I can fly out of balance and view my surroundings through the doorway. My hands and feet are normal size and I have full use of each limb. I can carry more payload than the others.
The only problems I have encountered so far have been things like turbulence, where I have slid down the seat marginally and it has obscured my view. Also, if I do not place a pillow behind my back, I find that my legs cannot bend at the knee and my feet protrude straight out. Once during a large area of turbulence I was bounced up and down like a yo-yo in my shoulder harness and my legs banged against the instrument panel. Very rarely do I need to let go of the controls to adjust my position.
My passengers do not seem to mind. They enjoy the fact that I allow them to place their feet on the pedals and do the actions when I ask them to, they will nearly always give me a hand to get into the cabin and they seem to get a kick out of the fact that I look so young. They will often ask if I am too young to fly helicopters.
Do you think it’s a good idea to get an instrument rating so that it dispels the fears that others may have about me not being able to see out the window? Could you all please help me build a case against this form of intolerance as I see no reason why I should not have a license.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: South of the North Pole
You talk of "I cannot keep my license", which indicates an authority must have issued it in the first place. Seems likely it would be the same authority trying to revoke it. If they were happy to issue a licence, what has changed since then to change their mind?
