CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 8 Issue 1 - 38

CHIEF'S CORNER
WHILE NOT EVERY MEDICAL SITUATION CAN BE AS EASILY RESOLVED OR WORKED AROUND AS JOYCE'S, WE CAN
HELP OUR STUDENTS GAIN A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR MEDICAL SITUATION ENTAILS AND PROVIDE
PROPER GUIDANCE TO MEET FAA REQUIREMENTS.

fall out of an airplane in flight and survive
the landing, only to run back and do it again.
Once I got back to college, it was all too easy
to fall back into the routine of an undergrad
existing on late night pizza and appropriate
legal adult beverages. Even the early morning
PT sessions with ROTC didn't keep it all off,
and I found myself working to keep below the
weight limit for having to take the dreaded
tape test.

desk jobs and an aversion to getting back in
to the routine of exercising meant that when
it came time to go to the Boy Scout jamboree
in 2013, I had to lose a bunch of weight to be
allowed to go. Again, after coming home from
that mountain-top (literally) experience, the
exercise and diet waned and what came off,
quickly came back with a vengeance. Now I
must take it off again and keep it off this time.
I want to fly that Extra!

As a full-time CFI, I lived the dream life of
being so busy that lunch was a Snickers bar
and a can of Coke from the FBO's vending
machine or maybe a quick run to a nearby
fast-food place. On days that the schedule was
empty, lunch came from the airport café-the
requisite fried and greasy food. Again, not a
healthy way to exist, no offense to the short
order cook behind the counter! A series of

What do we teach our students about
fitness for flight? Sure there's the chapter
on Aeromedical Factors in the FAA's Pilot's
Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge that
describes a whole host of factors affecting
performance in flight, such as hypoxia, spatial
disorientation, optical illusions, motion
sickness, fatigue, stress, and vision in flight.
Beyond making sure that they don't put us

in a dangerous weight and balance situation,
do we address physical fitness? Should we?
It is a very personal and sometimes touchy
topic, and we certainly don't want to run off
business. But do we have a responsibility as
a CFI to encourage our students and clients
to do better when it comes to their personal
fitness? I think so, but without being obsessive
or demeaning in any way. We can bring it up
during the preflight checklist (such as PAVE)
or personal minimums discussions.
We can also assist our students by discussing
health issues when they start flight training
and look to get their first medical certificate. I
had a student with whom I had to have a pretty
serious discussion about her medical condition
and ability to actually earn a pilot certificate.
Joyce-a lovely lady, a grandmother, and a
widow-had been curious about learning to fly

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 8 Issue 1