Medical Question: Dyslexia

[slapstick]

I have a new student who recently told me that he is dyslexic. I would never have known this without his telling me...seems to have no effect on his abilities. He is a medical doctor. Will he get hung up when trying to get his medical?

Thanks in advance anyone!

 

[Goffer]

We have a student with dyslexia and a speech impediment. He was grounded for quite some time due his difficulties with radio communications. After being grounded for a month working on how to clearly and correctly speak on the radios, his instructor did a couple of flights with him and then sent him on his way to Tucson Int'l. As I understand it, Tucson denied operation within their airspace. It took tracon a while to understand what his intentions were because of the speech impediment, and he also couldn't get the squawk correct... (Tracon, "14K squawk 2563" student "squawk 3652") after that, Tucson suggested that he go to a near by airport... "Ryan".

So there may not be a problem getting the medical, this kid did. But there may be other problems to deal with later in training.

 

[slapstick]

Thanks. I haven't noticed anything unusual yet, but I'll talk to an AME...

 

[empenage]

There are different levels of dyslexia and different ways of dealing with it. Your student may have a better "scan" than people who are not dyslexic. If he is aware he is dyslexic then he may already have ways in place to cope with it. He should have no trouble getting his medical if you didnt notice it.

Dont worry....5 out of 3 people have dyslexia...

 

[Goffer]

"5 out of 3" HA!

 

[desert pilot]

Many people have dyslexia and speech problems,Richard Branson owner of Virgin Atlantic was mentioned as dyslexic(donno if its true) and he is considered a great pilot!

 

[Cmdr Taggart]

Being a dyslexic pilot and flight instructor myself, I know that it is not an issue. I have a 1st class medical, no restrictions. Dyslexia can run in many different forms. My father for example had speech issues, I have spelling issues, my sister had reading issues. By the way dyslexia is hereditary. Dyslexia can be overcome; it just takes time and work. As an instructor you may have to find a different way to present the information and a different way for the student to practice skills. Some dyslexics will have problems with sensorial overload. For example “Squak 0341, descended to 3500, turn right to 300 and contact approach on 127.3, good day” This would overload most students, and many pilots alike, but a dyslexic may have more problems with all this information be presented at once.
As for dealing with dyslexia Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Leonardo da Vinci, Nelson Rockefeller, Charles Schwab, General George Patton, Winston Churchill, Woodrow Wilson all seemed to do well being dyslexic.