With a prosthetic arm, will you still have most of your motor skills back after dilligent practice? enough to?

Question

be a pilot?? I know you will never get back your sensory skills?

will the lack of sensory skills affect your co-ordiation? is perfect co ordination, imperative to be a pilot??

Answer 1

i know a pilot who only has one arm and OWNS his own beech craft bonanza. anything is possible man...keep your head up

Answer 2

I have a friend who's an ATP with no left arm below the elbow. If you can prove to the feds that you can do the job you'll recieve a special issuance medical certificate. He has a first class. Call an AME.

Answer 3

Hi Irish -

I don't know why this should stop you. People drive cars that way, and cars are more dangerous than aircraft. I suspect you may have difficulty getting hired as a commercial pilot (ADDED: although John above knows someone who did - so why not?), and I don't think they'll take you in the military, but I think a private pilot ticket is certainly possible, and likely if you are highly motivated. The secret to smooth flying is not in the control yoke, it's in the trim. You may be able to get an electric trim that you could easily control - then you would hardly need to use the yoke at all. I say keep going.

Answer 4

I can tell you this much:

The drummer of Def Leopard has one arm. So there you have it.

If piloting fails you, and it often does, then feel free to become a drummer of an over rated 80's band.

Answer 5

I am very sorry you have lost your dream.  I pray that you will have Peace.

I know there are pilots who fly for fun with partial mobility and bodily losses; frankly I can't tell you about arm losses.  I suggest you call the FAA Flight Surgeon's office in Oklahoma City.  You can get the phone number from the FAA's web site.  They can advise you what is possible.

Another thing you can do is research the field of prosthetics development.  There are researchers working on the "Luke Skywalker arm," but they can tell you how far along they are and what capabilities they can give a person.  You might find a scientist who would be interested in using you for research purposes and seeing if piloting is possible.

Best of luck, and the greatest of peace and patience.

Answer 6

it would be problematic i'm afraid.