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Back in the air (almost)

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
After almost two years, I'm going to be able to fly again.

My long battle with vertigo seems to be over. My short battle with the FAA is too. I got the letter yesterday. Pretty nerve-wracking opening a letter which might say, "sorry, your flying days are over," or might say "here's your medical."

I got a lot of moral support during the last (almost) two years. Folks wrote to tell me about their own experiences, and how to proceed with this disqualifying condition, in the eyes of the FAA.

I recall fondly when the guys from Trio Avionics were making their way through the chow line at the 2006 RV BBQ at Oshkosh, and Jerry inquired about the Meniere's and Sid, a former Navy flight surgeon, leaned over and said, "it'll go away." I kept uttering those words while the world kept spinning. Good thing.

I still don't dare to do any aerobatics (not an issue since I'm years away from finishing the RV), but it'll be good to get airborne again.

Now I've got to find a CFI and knock some rust off.
 
Congrats Bob! Now get yourself back in the sky before it's too cold to fly!

mcb
 
Congratulations Bob - Best news I've heard in a long time!

Go knock the rust off, and watch out for the Shoreview Towers.....
 
Congrats Bob! Now get yourself back in the sky before it's too cold to fly!

mcb

One of the reasons I've been concerned building my canopy, and all the precautions I need to take temperature-wise, is I LOVE to fly in the cold weather. Heck, even that rusty old Warrior I rent flies like a rocket when it's 10 degrees out. Not sure I want to subject the canopy to that.

The other reason, I love flying in cold weather, of course, is Minnesota becomes the Land of 10,000 Emergency Runways.

But I wish I'd spent more of the last 2 years with MS Flight simulator.

I'm going to be so far behind the airplane for a few hours that I might as well be a banner being towed. (g)
 
Like Riding a bicycle

Congrats Bob,
I stepped out of the cockpit in May of 2004 after I retired and decided that I had flown enough. 2 years later I decided that was the WRONG answer and got back into it. It was like I had never stopped.
You'll be comfortable before you know it.
 
Great news, Bob! For the last couple of years I have been marveling at your commitment and determination in building a plane that you might never have been able to fly. Again, great to hear that won't happen!
 
Congratulations

Congratulations, Bob! I admire you for your "stick-to-it-iveness." (That is a word, isn't it?) Flying your RV-7A will be worth all the anxiety and frustration of dealing with the FAA.
All the best,
Don
 
This is great! Congrats! I had a flying buddy go through something similar, and when he finally got off the ground again, it was pretty amazing.

Mike
 
Congrats Bob!

Awesome news...if you find yourself in oregon look me up if you want to get upside down..:)

Frank
 
Congratulations, Bob! I can only imagine what it would be like to be grounded for that period of time. I was out of action for three months once, and I had very serious withdrawal symptoms...

Welcome back to the cockpit!
 
Wonderful News!

Ditto from this part of the world. Glad you can get back into the cockpit. I'll light up a nice Cuban in your honor this weekend.
 
Congratulations Bob - must have been with mixed emotions you opened that letter! Now go fly. I had an episode many years ago - was flying an aerobatic contest in unlimited and had dramatic true vertigo when pushing over for a downward outside loop. Stopped with a pull in the first quarter and the vertigo disappeared. Perhaps unwisely I tried two more times (since I really wanted to finish the flight) with the same result. Pos G cured everything and landing was uneventful. Best dx I could get was a loose and displaced otolith in the inner ear. Everything resolved in 3 or 4 months and neg G hasn't been a problem since. Bill
 
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