Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

We have a new member of our club who is deaf. His first day at the field was yesterday, and prior to his appearance, we had our monthly meeting and he was discussed in relation to safety concerns. It was pointed out the several of us, me included, have hearing loss and have dificulty hearing call outs for landing, takeoff, etc. The general discussion came up on how to handle this. While he is at the extreeme, and he is mute in adation, several of us have the problem.

I am requesting that any of you who fly at club fields who have deaf members relate how you handle the interaction on the flight line. I have though of having a small air horn at each pilots station to signal that pilots signals, IE one blast for taking off, two for landing, and a series for dead stick and emegerencys. Of course, if you are the pilot in trouble, you won't have time to grab the air horn, and the total deaf couldn't hear it anyway, so this has turned out to be a bad idea. I've also though of a strobe lite with a foot pedal to activate. This may work as it would be a visual and if the lights were placed at each end of the fligh line, your peripheral vision should pick them up. This may be a possible answer. I would like some other ideas though. What is interesting is the guy flys a pattern ship and is a very good pilot. We just don't know how his deafness was handled where he flew before.

Thanks for any help here.

Don

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

You might just ask him, who would know better than him...............

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

If he has a spotter that can hear the problem is solved.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

That would be my suggestion. A spotter whenever he is in the air. A simple touch to the elbow for him, a simple signal to the spotter from him. I think it's great that he's joined, and hope your club welcomes him accordingly!

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Exactly. We have a couple members who don't hear so good. They just fly with a spotter. All it takes is communication between the spotter and the other guy. The spotter is the mouth and ears for the flyer. No big deal.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

it's good practice to always fly with a spotter whether you have hearing loss or not. -but do as i say, not as i do! [:@]

i feel more comfortable when i use a spotter.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Spotter, I usually yellit out and keep an eye on things for whoever I' am standing with. I think there is more of a problem with guys not calling it out at all or assuming everyone can hear you.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Exactly!
He may even tell you that he fly’s without a spotter. I think you will be surprised how in tune he is, to what other people are doing while he’s flying. He probably knows your plane is deadstick before you do. The rest of you will need to be more conscious of your actions while he is flying, just like you need to be facing him so he can see your mouth when you’re talking, if he reads lips. For instance if you need to walk on to the field, stand at the edge runway and wait for his signal that he recognizes your presence and doesn’t need to land. When landing, set up with the universal down wind, base then final, he’ll recognize that you’re landing long before you turn the base leg. Keep it simple, no need to get complicated.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

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RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

First, I would like to thank everyon for their input. My orginal question though was asking for those who had actual experience flying with deaf flyers to share that experience.

Don

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Billygoat is spot-on.

We have such an individual ay our club, and he's a very good pilot who can tune an engine better than most of our so-called experts. It's amazing!

He is very in tune to his surroundings, his flying and those also flying.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

I had a deaf machinist working for me for several years. He had no problems operating in his own world and was an outstanding auto mechanic.;)

Took me a while to learn ASL tho.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Thanks for the input guys. Ed, I watcher our guy fly on Saturday. He is a good pilot and flys a pattern plane,around 40- or 60 size. He is a little rough on landing, in part to not being able to tell what the engine is doing. He gets it down and it is still running for taxi back to the starting line though.

Vicman, I had a neighbor years back when I was on my apprentiship who was a tool and die machienest. He ran a mill if I remember correctly. He was missing an arm at the elbow. He was still an avid dear hunter and I keept trying to get him to modify a bow so we could go bow and arrow hunting. These guys amaze me in that they treat the handicap like a sore mussle, and just keep going.

My biggest concern is putting a cap on some of the guys before they make him feel uncomfortable. One has already suggested that we limit him to the buddy box which is just absurd.

Don

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

No cap other than a spotter (optional) would be needed. A no whiner rule would be more effective it sounds like.:D

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Got that right.
Don

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Interesting. I'm deaf myself and would love to be an pilot some day sometimes. My biggest concern is tuning the engine but that's not the point of this thread. I'd say that ASK him what he would like to do, it's only fair. You said he was an excellent pilot, if he is then there should not be any issues. I do like the idea of a spotter with him if there's anybody around available/willing to do that.. If he's alone, I don't see a problem with that.. Like is aid before, just ask him :) I'd much rather someone to ask me for ideas, about my past than rather setting up rules and stuff JUST FOR ME before asking me for my feedback, that's just silly.

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

Thank you for you comments. I need to set down and have a long talk with him about this. You comments are well taken.

By the way, for what it's worth, few of the guys with normal hearing can tune an engine "by ear". I have gotten to the point that I know my engine and I can tell what it's doing, but to tune it, I use a tachometer every time.

I think the biggest handicap would be not being able to judge the engines performance in the air. I know I have trouble with that with my partial heariing loss.

Thanks again for your information.

Don

RE: Deaf and Hard of Hearing pilots.
 

I was lucky. The 15 year old young man I buddy boxed had his dad with him. He stood in front of us and would sign to JJ what he needed to know. This worked pretty well for a student as the plane was always over his dads head. JJ was lost a year after that so I don't know how it would have worked when he soloed. Sorry if this dosn't help you but it helps me to talk about him.:(:(

David