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10 Cockpit Exercises

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Extended physical stagnation, particularly during long flights, can restrict blood flow and lead to clots.
  • Pilots can perform a series of eight specific seated exercises to promote circulation and prevent these issues.
  • These exercises, such as ankle circles, foot pumps, neck rolls, and knee lifts, require temporary disengagement from flight controls and should only be done with autopilot engaged or a copilot present.
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Extended physical stagnation is not good for your body. It restricts blood flow and can lead to clots. Fortunately, you can take action and create circulation in your body, even while flying on long cross-country flights when you can’t get up and walk around. The following exercises can easily be performed while you’re seated, but they require you to take your feet off the rudder pedals and your hands off the yoke, so make sure you have an autopilot or a copilot who can keep the airplane under control while you get your blood flowing.

1. Ankle circles
Pull your feet off the rudder pedals and make 10 circles with your toes in each direction. Repeat five times.

Pia Bergqvist

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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