Al wrote:

> I guess you knew this was coming - - - - A good type 

> club would have this info, especially since the 'coupe 

> is the aeroplane of choice for those folks needing a 

> wheelchair and there have been so many examples 

> of such.

 

You are right that we should have acquired and been ready to distribute the
STC for the side door for those many Coupe pilots with leg problems but
normal arm strength.

 

Kim is special.  He's the first, I think, quadriplegic ever to get a license
to fly.  Similarly, Jessica is the first no arms person to get a license.

 

Because of this, Kim needs a powered chair rather than a light weight travel
chair that most paraplegics can use.  He's a pioneer.

 

Ideally, it'd be nice to have an effective mechanism to lift him out of his
regular chair and into the cockpit - a mechanism he could take with him on
trips and easily deploy.  I think he was working on that with the high wing
Jabiru J230.  It's a shame that didn't work out.

 

It'd also be nice to come up with an alternate control mechanism for armless
guys who don't have the lean body and fantastic flexibility Jessica has.
There's no way I could have used my legs like she does in a small Coupe
cockpit even at my leanest, back in 5th grade.  But, there's lots of room
under the instrument panel where alternate controls could be mounted.

 

Let's all think ahead to see if ways can be found for even more physically
challenged pilots.

 

Serious answers come first.  Jokes come second.

 

Ed

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