Hi Chris,
I was 62 when I made my last flight. I then began showing symptoms of
"Fever of Undetermined Origin" which, after some months, was shown to
stem from Endocarditis, an infection of the mitral valve in my heart.
The appropriate cure was replacement of the valve with a mechanical
valve. Since access was through the aortic valve, I ended up with two
St. Jude mechanical valves, which are still clicking after 25 years of
service. However, when I inquired of the FAA about a new medical
certificate, I was told that I could apply, if I wished, but they had
never approved one for a pilot with two artificial valves. Because of
that, and the fact that I would be on anticoagulant medication for the
remainder of my life, I accepted the fact that my flying days were over.
Life does go on. And I still enjoy visiting the airport and shooting
photos.
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 1/30/2019 8:08 AM, ChrisB wrote:
Jiim
Yes, I can, provided that the student has advanced through the syllabus
sufficiently to find her own way back to a runway if I collapse in the cockpit.
The rules come from the CAA: you may not fly as captain in charge of an aircraft with
fare-paying passengers once you reach the age of 65 because of the increased risk of a
cardiac event and the RAF will not work to less stringent regulations. The problem
was highlighted about 8 years ago when an air experience pilot hit a glider and broke
his neck. It wasn’t a cardiac event, but he had been flying with ankylosing
spondylitis which had given him a bent spine and a weakened neck; the medical
profession started looking then more closely at the screening and how he had managed
to keep flying. The cadet with him died even though he survived the collision.
But that risk is one of the wider population, as I understand it, not from a screened set of the
population. I have a medical every year, two ECGs per year (one of which must be a “Stress
ECG”) and the RAF has a full record of my medical history. Indeed, yesterday I had an AAA
(Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm) screening to check for imperfections in the wall of the aorta. So the
risk must be low(ish), but them’s the rules . . .
Cheers
Chris
On 29 Jan 19, at 22:27, Jim Nichols <jhnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Chris, can you still fly with your glamorous students? Or, do students not
count as co-pilots?
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 1/29/2019 3:35 PM, ChrisB wrote:
Hmm, I’m retiring from my 3-day a week job at the Centre of Aviation Medicine in July, but I
can’t see my mileage going down much. I’ll still fly for the RAF, although being over 65 then
I’ll never fly solo again.
I still can’t envisage complete retirement, but there’ll be more time for
photography.
Chris
C M I Barker | Gamlingay
On 28 Jan 2019, at 23:44, Chris Trask <christrask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
That's pretty low mileage. When I was working I was putting about 15,000
miles a year on a vehicle. Since I've been retired it's down to about 5,000.
Chris, I'm not going out in the cold to check, but, IIRC, it's around
75,000.
My 12 year old Volvo has less than 12,000, and it gets most of my
current driving. The Lead Mechanic at the dealership said I needed to
drive it more, to keep the sensors clean. Few Volvo owners know that
their 5-speed automatic can be manually shifted. I've found that
cruising around town manually in 3rd will result in better mileage and
cleaner sensors than occur in Auto and 4th. Of course, highway driving
is in Auto and 5th.
Chris
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro
- Hunter S. Thompson
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