I have always enjoyed aviation. It started in grade 6 where there was an at lunch program to build balsa wood model. They did fly with a wind up propeller and a rubber band. I still remember the smell of the dope as we covered the model with tissue paper. That moved to R/C both fixed wing and rotary wing. There was no introductory kit…went right to a Super Chipmunk flaps and retractable gear.
The intent was to get my private license after high school, but that is all it was…intent. There was a number of excuses that got in the way, college, jobs, family, money. Pick…they were just excuses for not following a dream. It is interesting that when you ignore something long enough it gets locked away, it is never gone, it lingers, but not top of mind. Twenty five years later I met someone, who also became my business coach, who shared a passion for anything that would get our feet off the ground.
He knocked the lock off the box that dream was stored and it became top of mind once again. In the past few months I have been getting ready to get flying. And by get ready I mean get rid of the fear and thoughts holding me back. One is from the outside, the aviation world is not very inviting, or at least seems that way. Another was health, would I even pass a medical. My concern would be diabetes, not that I know I would be denied for that or not but I am not a small guy and weight may have played a factor in the diagnosis. So before I even sign up for ground school, time to get a medical.
I picked someone from the Transport Canada Civil Aviation Medical Examiners List – http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/came-meac/l.aspx?lang=eng It was someone along a route I take to the office. Nothing more, nothing less. In hind sight I should have asked more questions, but I did manage to get in, to the person booking my appointment, that it was my first appointment and exam.
I showed up to the appointment early, filled out a few forms and waited. I watched quite an interesting person leave the office kind of angry, and then he returns, with cash. He hands it over to the receptionist and is clearly upset that he needed to pay cash for something. He then says something quite sarcastic and bordering on offensive and leaves.
I finish filling out a form and then head to the washroom to fill up a cup. Back to the waiting room, to wait; hey it is a Doctor’s office. The Doctor brings me to his office and we start the exam. He is an English gentleman, possible an English Lord. He walks me through the exam and even imparts some classic dry English humor. Hearing, sight, and EKG tests are administered over the next hour or so; Even a test to listen to the femoral artery to listen for a constriction. Apparently you can hear that sort of thing, who knew?
I am now done and need to pay for my exam…cash only. Like the other guy who was there I head over the cash machine and head back. I was less upset as I should have asked about methods of payment before I got there.
In the end the Doctor didn’t indicate any possible issues and the diabetes test came back negative, so I am proceeding to the next step and continuing on one other. I have already purchased From the Ground Up (I think I got it from VIPPilot) and am about half way through it, and will continue to read it over the next two weeks. The next step is to book introductory flights at the two local flights schools near me.
If you have anything you would like to share about your introduction to flying or your first medical please leave a comment.
Cheers!