Amputee

XLR8 · Post by **XLR8** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:25 pm

Does anyone know of an above knee amputee that is currently flying, or that was recently ( in the past few years )?

Yoyoma · Post by **Yoyoma** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:34 am

I watched a TV show once with a DC-8 pilot (1 or 2 legs, not sure) and then a bunch of private pilots showing the gear and stuff they use to push the rudders. Someone here will probably remember that Documentary.

wha happen · Post by **wha happen** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:44 am

there was an american parajumper that had his legs severed about a decade ago. i beleive that he was the first amputee to fly an aircraft. you can probably google this and get his name and information. hope it helps.

Jaffe · Post by **Jaffe** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:05 pm

I assume you are only concerned with Canada?

I know of one. If you want to talk to him directly, PM me.

Cheers.

XLR8 · Post by **XLR8** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 6:53 pm

Jaffe:
Sent you a PM a while ago. Did you get it ?
XLR8

grimey · Post by **grimey** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:27 pm

Not recent at all, but still worth remembering:

http://members.chello.be/kurt.weygantt/ ... sbader.htm

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:34 am

My old dad was in 242 squadron, Hurricanes, in the B. of B. after he got shot down in France from ground fire (flak). Went on to Spitfires.

Imagine flying about and being shot at. Still boggles me.

Springbok · Post by **Springbok** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:12 am

wha happen wrote:there was an american parajumper that had his legs severed about a decade ago. i beleive that he was the first amputee to fly an aircraft. you can probably google this and get his name and information. hope it helps.

His name is Dave Barr. He fought with the Rhodesians pre-independance and later came over to serve with 44 Parachute Brigade in South Africa. Shortly after joining us, he stepped on a soviet made cheese mine which blew off both legs.

After his recovery, Dave put a lot of his energy into skydiving for pleasure. It was a classic to see him pitch up at the drop zone with his "walking" legs. These were standard prosthetic limbs shaped like real legs and feet. When he was getting kitted up for a skydive, Dave would remove these legs and strap on his jumping legs. These were pirate like peg legs which offered the least resistance which bombing down at terminal velocity. He could not land on these legs so to solve that, he strapped a large cushion to his ass!

So, it was always a sight to behold watching Dave waddle over to the aircraft on his peg legs with a cushion on his butt. His "walking" legs would be propped up near his gear with a sign reading "gone skydiving".

One year during a competition, he lost one of his peg legs on exit from a Pilatus Porter @ 10 500 agl. We got the local newspaper and radio stations involved in the search for Daves "leg". The next day, it was returned by a women who had admitted to throwing it away.

Dave also joined our ex-paratrooper organisation (LAARSA, see my www) and was instrumental in raising money for cancer kids, orphans and other kids organisations that needed help. LAARSA actually supports an entire kids hospice with all its externally required revenue. Dave then embarked on a solo around the world trip on his Harley to raise money for our LAARSA kids. He (and his legs) had a website at the time (about 10 years ago). If anybody is interested in the rest of Daves story, PM me and I will follow up with LAARSA to determine his whereabouts and other details. I have no info on his flying experiences but knowing Dave, nothing was unachievable for him.

As for flying without legs, I have a friend in South Africa by the name of Andre Goosen who is paralized from the waist down. He is a cousin to the well known SA golfer, Retief Goosen. He flies a Bantam J22 ultralight. Rudder controls are re-positioned in the form of a handle which he operates with his left hand. Right hand is on the stick. I tried it once, it is quite a challenge at first. The right seat has normal controls for instruction purposes as we taught a number of paraplegics to fly.

The only time Andre needed help was to get in and out of the aircraft. It has a small snug cockpit and was a little awkward for him without the use of his legs. Andre always jokingly said that he was one of the few pilots in SA legally licenced and allowed to fly when "legless"

XLR8 · Post by **XLR8** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 10:22 am

Thnks for all of the info guys, but I'm really looking for and above knee amputee that flies here in Canada commrcialy.
thanks
XLR8

2R · Post by 2R » Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:50 am

There was a guy from pitt meadows /langley used to fly a cherokee with hand rudders conversion,Medical standards in CYVR may be able to pass a message to him for you. sorry i can't remember the callsign i was so impressed with his ability to get in and out of the aircraft into his wheelchair that i never looked at the airplane call sign.The guy was having fun flying all over the place.