Did As is an obstacle in obtaining a pilot's license?

Post Reply New Topic

Did Asperger syndrome is an obstacle in obtaining a pilot's license?

I'm new here, and I don't know if my answer will be helpful, but here goes. We've recently found out that my 4-year-old son is on the spectrum, and the more research we do, the more apparent it becomes that my husband has mild Asperger's. He got his pilot's license, even though he has social difficulties and sensory integration issues. I think his aspergian qualities helped him in this, as he has incredible attention to detail and obsessive knowledge of anything aviation-related. He got the highest score in the history of his school on his flight test. He stopped flying several years ago and now works as a graphic designer, but he is planning on going back for his commercial license in a couple years when the airline industry recovers a bit from its current slump. Good luck!

I'm a pilot. If anything, my traits help with flying because of the Jeopardy-like memory and the extreme attention to detail. Nothing happens in the cockpit without me noticing.

The answer to your question depends on the severity I suppose. Someone with extreme anxiety, fear of new situations, failure to cope with unexpected, etc... would probably be a poor pilot.

There are no rules regarding AS as such. One simply needs to put in the 40 hours of flight time, solo, plan a cross-country, pass a physical, pass a written test, and finally pass the flight test. If one can do that one can get a license. No one will ask about AS.

Maybe it might be a problem, in the UK an aspie needs 'case by case' clearance to drive anything larger than a car. The UK CAA have used the truck driving medical rules to create the PPL (private pilot license) medical rules.

_________________
Health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity I am not a jigsaw, I am a free man !

Diagnosed under the DSM5 rules with autism spectrum disorder, under DSM4 psychologist said would have been AS (299.80) but I suspect that I am somewhere between 299.80 and 299.00 (Autism) under DSM4.

It depends on the person.

I was wondering this myself as I just took a plane flight, something I'd not done in several years because airport security has taken so much fun out of it, and planes are always crowded these days. I remembered my old desire to be a pilot.

I'm a terrible driver, though. I hadn't driven a car in six months and I was worse than ever. After a day or two, I improved. It didn't help that the rental car agent was extremely and openly disapproving of my choice to carry only liability insurance (it was about 1/3 of the price of full coverage) and I was thinking obsessively about my poor driving skills.

Then we were driving behind a car with a pilot bumper sticker, and my roommate and I started talking about it. The conclusion was reached that since I operate a car with no difficulty and my largest problem seems to be dealing with traffic and other drivers on the road, I'd be okay. I wouldn't want to be a commercial pilot, however. That's too much pressure.

Not an issue in Canada unless the candidate presents symptoms that would result in failing the medical. (Medical requirements are different for RPP, private, commercial and Air Transport licenses, but essentially the same principle applies).

Part of my job is dealing with aircraft parts. I pay very close attention to the detail. Which is why I question the ADD part. Like Dilbert said the the traits form AS would help us because we want ever thing to be right and we pay extreme attention to the details of what we are doing.

But would I make a good pilot no I'm not very good at flying. It's any over load to me. The only way I can fly is if I take something ahead of time.

I've been looking into getting my pilots license as well. I know it's going to take time, but it's something I'm dying to do.

My cousin used to work as a pilot for a big commercial airline (SAS Braathens), and one of his colleagues had AS

I'm a commercial pilot and I haven't had any problem, but I guess it depends on the person.

Well, if you are a good at operating motor vehicles (I had a good driving record with no accidents on me), then I guess give it a shot. For me, I am good a focusing on things and I like to learn things visually. But my problem is, I don't learn with verbal commands, but more visually speaking. So, you have to evaluate if you can hold down certain jobs. For example: can you handle the stress levels of being a pilot, can you operate the machinery, do you think you can be able to multi task. For me, I feel like, I have gotten over many AS related issues, but I still have trouble dealing with stressful situations and following multi-step directions (hence the reason why the Math requirement at my Community College has prevented me from transferring out to begin with).

For me, I like low stress jobs and I am considering to work in the Educational Fields, Helping Others-oriented Fields and or, Creative Fields. Those are the 3 options which I have on my radar.

I got my PPL a few years ago and am looking to start my instrument rating. It mostly boils down to whether you can safely fly the plane. It took me quite a while to get my license (though a lot was based on not being able to practice frequently enough and having to change instructors several times, and it took a while to get the hang of landings), but I passed the checkride on the first try (I remember "almost" failing because I accidentally put the flaps in too soon when entering slow flight, but the examiner appreciated the fact that I caught myself and told him that I made a mistake)

All that aside, I don't know anyone who follows the pre-flight checklists as closely and thoroughly as I do for a small Cessna or Cherokee.

I tried soaring, two flights, in grad school, but ran into these problems, and stopped -
- no transportation to the air field except lean on a friend or bike it.
- lack of money
- concern about what if I got a stomach cramp or something while up there.

I found the book everybody was reading (Joy of Soaring???) in the library and spent hours reading up on it.

In hindsight I think it was a mistake, the flights were $6 each, the instructors where basically doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, the $ just covered expenses.

I think at times you might have to pretend, "What if I didn't know I had Asperger's, what would I do?"

i am considering getting a pilots license for fun. i think how your AS manifests for you would be more relevant to the actual diagnosis.

As Dilbert said in this tread, attention to detail and great memory is very useful. (for motorbike and car too)