winsor68 Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 I finally have my Ra-Aus Pax certificate... and in September I will have the opportunity to take my Father flying... It was always his wish to teach us to fly... but due to life getting in the way it never was... It took me until I was 42 to become the first of his two sons to gain his wings... That is my dad on the right... he would have been in his twenties then... he was a GFA CFI for many, many years and flew this Mucha at a few Nationals. The problem is that Dad has been gravely ill for the last 2 years... I will not go in to the grizzly details except to say that I didn't know you could live after having your stomach removed so that he is still with us is a miracle in my opinion... He doesn't have any energy and has bouts of dizziness and has been prone to collapsing in the last 8 months since his operation and is in pretty rough shape. Sadly it was always his dream to retire to a life of aviation... He did do some flying after retirement but never got back into it... I guess you can't recapture your youth. That's Dad trying out an old favorite from the front seat a few years ago... My question is.... and I hope you have followed me this far with my ramblings... What are your thoughts on taking someone with serious health issues flying? My family is saying that he may be a bit past it... and are concerned that he may collapse in the air... what would you do? Should I sneak my Dad out when he is here and take him flying? 2
Bryon Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 Dreams are meant to be fulfilled It is not the quantity, but the quality of life that matters Windsor, do what your heart tells you to do or what your dad wants
Powerin Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 I'm with Bryon Win. Consider though.....if the worst did happen in flight, could you live with yourself? Would your family forgive you? If the answer is yes then go for it. It would be a great privilege to take a seasoned aviator up for what might be one of his last flights. I'm sure it would give him great joy and pride to make that flight with his son.
winsor68 Posted July 16, 2011 Author Posted July 16, 2011 I have just over 40 hours in my log book. I was thinking more of the safety aspect of a medical emergency in flight in a light sport aircraft. The Sav has a center stick and 4 point harness... It requires some extra thought from a passenger brief situation...
Bandit12 Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 It is his call - if he wants to go, you have been tested and found competent to fly passengers. Don't overthink the consequences or family side of things. After all, it could happen next time you are driving him to church too..... I hope that when I am unable to fly myself, at least one of my boys will take me up when I am at least still capable of climbing in by myself. Go for it, take a few photos and share another family memory with your dad. Nothing matters more than family.
coljones Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 Check with the GP and your father. If all else fails movie film one of your trips and play it for him. my mother went skydiving at age 80 (spending the kids inheritance) and I don't think anyone would have been able to stop her - the only people she prewarned were a couple of her grandkids. Her pride in blinsiding her daughter was palpable. Best wishes to your father!!
Bandit12 Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 And in all honesty, if he is securely strapped in, most medical emergencies would probably have little effect of interferring with the controls.
Bryon Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 W68, you take that risk with every pax, why should it be any different with your Dad
facthunter Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 Winsor it's an opportunity for you and your father. You are legal to do it. He won't be around forever. Make the most of it. Nev
farri Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 I finally have my Ra-Aus Pax certificate... and in September I will have the opportunity to take my Father flying... It was always his wish to teach us to fly....My question is.... and I hope you have followed me this far with my ramblings... What are your thoughts on taking someone with serious health issues flying? My family is saying that he may be a bit past it... and are concerned that he may collapse in the air... what would you do? Should I sneak my Dad out when he is here and take him flying? Winsoar, It`s difficult to answer your question without knowing the facts about your fathers health, but I can say this! My father dreamed of flying when he was a kid, in Italy! War put an end to his dreams! Wasn`t untill I took up flying that he got to experience flight! He is now 87 and will still come up in the Drifter with me. Dad and I had to help my mother into the aircraft because she wasn`t strong enough to get in by herself but wanted one more flight! That was 2 years ago at 87 years of age! She can hardly walk anymore and I`m glad that I took her up that one more time! My very first passenger was my mother inlaw, who helped me sew the skins for my Chinook! She had never flown before and was 75 at the time! She is no longer with us!! Years ago I took an 84 year old lady friend of my parents up in the Chinook! Until the day she passed away, she told everyone who would listen, how she had been flying in this beautifull butterfly! I`ve got plenty more examples and I hope I`ve made my point! If your Dad wants to do it, don`t let the opportunity pass! There may never be another!!! Frank.
old man emu Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 Winsoar, The biggest risk you run is from your dad's heart bursting with pride at the accomplishments of one of his children. How would you feel if he passed over between now and the day of the flight and both of you did not have your wish fulfilled? Do it, and carry the memory of it for the rest of both your lives. Old Man Emu
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 Windsor, I have flown many 'older' folk over the years, and without exception it was a quality experience for them all. It's really up to your father wether he wans to go or not, certainly not something you could force him into that's for sure. It's between father and son, and you shouldn't let family interference get in the way of what most probabily would be a very enjoyable experience for all in the end. People with health concerns tend to have good and bad days, just grab him on a good day and do it. One of my Aunties lived well over twenty years with a plastic stomach. She finally passed a few years back two months short of 100 years, but nobody ever expected her to get beyond 90!! . Good luck with your pop, the Savannah should be well suited to the flight, and hell he may even want to have a fly again !..............................................Maj... ps: love both photos of your dad, they both say 'Going flying !' . You'll no doubt cherish those when he's gone.
djpacro Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 If you dad gets the opportunity then he will decide whether he is up to it or not. I hope that some-one offers me a ride if/when I get to that stage.
storchy neil Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 I finally have my Ra-Aus Pax certificate... and in September I will have the opportunity to take my Father flying... It was always his wish to teach us to fly... but due to life getting in the way it never was... It took me until I was 42 to become the first of his two sons to gain his wings... That is my dad on the right... he would have been in his twenties then... he was a GFA CFI for many, many years and flew this Mucha at a few Nationals. The problem is that Dad has been gravely ill for the last 2 years... I will not go in to the grizzly details except to say that I didn't know you could live after having your stomach removed so that he is still with us is a miracle in my opinion... He doesn't have any energy and has bouts of dizziness and has been prone to collapsing in the last 8 months since his operation and is in pretty rough shape. Sadly it was always his dream to retire to a life of aviation... He did do some flying after retirement but never got back into it... I guess you can't recapture your youth. That's Dad trying out an old favorite from the front seat a few years ago... My question is.... and I hope you have followed me this far with my ramblings... What are your thoughts on taking someone with serious health issues flying? My family is saying that he may be a bit past it... and are concerned that he may collapse in the air... what would you do? Should I sneak my Dad out when he is here and take him flying?
storchy neil Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 my mother who is ninty wanted to go in my plane for her nineth birthday but icould not take as an imbersile did not repaire it properly so looks like it will be for her 91st neil
.Evan. Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 ...As long as your Dad wants to go up then take him! It is his decision and nobody else's......Going with "your boots on", doing something you absolutely love doing, has a lot to recommend it over rusting away in a nursing home.... I agree with Don. I'm very much looking forward to flying with my Dad. It's something that I've wanted to do since I understood what an aeroplane was and the fact that he could fly them.
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