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I have mostly succeeded at everything I want in life except the one hobby I wish I could take up, and of course that hobby is flying, or I wouldn't be asking here.

Background

I graduated high school in 1995, and graduated college in 2003. I'm nearly 50, and if I don't do this now, I may never. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. I wish I could say it affects everyone who has it the same, which would make this question easier to answer, but it affects people differently. I'm what's known as a Spastic Tri-plegic (tight muscles affecting 3 limbs). As such I have "no legs" that work, a right arm with control, but no fine motor control (I can use the arm but not the fingers). The only limb hat works 100% is my left arm.

Impact

I realize the following will occur:

  1. Rudder Control with Feet non-existent.
  2. Yoke Control/ascent/descent possible.
  3. Turning possible.
  4. Throttle Control possible if on left.

I'm not wanting to go past General Aviation, but knowing the above, I'd like to ask the forum here if obtaining a Civilian Pilot's License is even possible with modifications that would give me rudder control?

Thanks,

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  • $\begingroup$ This isn't enough for an answer, but one important thing is to not apply for a medical certificate before having an appointment for a consultation (not an exam and application) with an experienced aviation medical examiner. If you have an exam and are denied a medical, your alternative routes will be significantly limited compared to the situation if you had never applied for a medical. If you've never applied, then you can fly as a sport pilot using only a driver license instead of a medical, but that is not an option if you have been denied a medical. $\endgroup$
    – Someone
    Commented Jan 11 at 1:20

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Yes, you can be trained as a pilot even if not all four of your limbs can be used to control an airplane. Some examples:

Jessica Cox is licensed, despite having no arms.

Her type, the Ercoupe, may be the best known GA airplane with no rudder pedals.

Operating yoke and throttle with only right arm sounds mechanically simple enough. That frees up the left hand to operate buttons and switches on radios and navigation equipment, but, even so, some (older) airplanes don't have those at all.

The FAA has published guidelines for evaluating pilots with CP, so this isn't unheard of. Also in the UK.

Finally, in the USA at least, ultralights require no license, and often have few or no instruments to finger-operate. Some even omit some control surfaces, simplifying one-arm control. Weight-shift ultralights are even simpler to operate: no control surfaces at all, just a hang-glider-like "yoke."

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  • $\begingroup$ I guess I should add to my question, but how do I find training, i.e., a flight school now that you've advised it is possible? $\endgroup$
    – eyoung100
    Commented Jan 10 at 22:49
  • $\begingroup$ In the USA, start with the EAA. They can guide you to trustworthy training for pretty much anything you'd be aiming for. Happy hunting! $\endgroup$
    – Camille Goudeseune
    Commented Jan 10 at 22:56

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