Return to flying gradually, starting with activities like driving to test endurance, concentration, and situational awareness before stepping into the cockpit, always consulting medical professionals.
Conduct initial flights with a flight instructor (CFI) in an unfamiliar aircraft to objectively evaluate basic flying skills, airmanship, and mental acuity, using the opportunity to refresh knowledge of POHs and checklists.
Be vigilant for subtle post-surgery impacts, such as reduced physical strength, a temporary decline in skill finesse (especially under high-workload conditions), and the potential for severe, unnoticed exhaustion, requiring dedicated practice and conservative flight planning with built-in rest options.
When you’re starting to feel human again after major surgery, what’s a good plan for getting safely back into the cockpit?
I had a total knee replacement. Generally, it is regarded as the most brutal surgery out there, and here’s what I did. (Note: Your mileage will almost certainly vary, so make your decisions in concert with appropriate medical personnel.)
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Ed Wischmeyer has been flying 50 years with time logged in 200 makes and models of aircraft. His current airplane is an RV-9A, flown all over the US. Professional research at SRI International, Boeing, and Gulfstream included low level windshear, unstable approaches, runway incursions, and hybrid GPS/ILS approaches. Recent research indicated broad scope pilot training and psychology as more effective for overall GA accident reduction than AOA devices. He has an MIT Ph.D. and ATP/CFII, but sometimes reminisces about X-C with just a compass and a sectional chart. He received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award in 2024.
