What has happened up to now...

My relation towards aviation has been very intense and special all my life. During my childhood I read all sort of literature related to aviation. And whenever I was again confined to my bed because of a new fracture my aviation magazines were my constant companions. 

After some time I had to acknowledge that it would be impossible to fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot, because I have osteogenisis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). Nevertheless my passion towards aviation has accompanied me all my life. In 2000 I left Mexico, the country where I was born, to start a new life in Germany with my wife Veronica and my daughter Frida.

In order to get some exercise I made a tour in the surroundings of my home at the end of 2010. There I passed next to the airfield located in the little town where I live. I started a conversation with one of the members of the flight club. He told me he knew about some pilots in Germany who also used a wheelchair. He also told me that he had heard that an organization of handicapped pilots existed in Germany. 

I immediately started to search for this organization and finally was able to locate one of its members. He told me that the biggest obstacle for somebody with an handicapped was the so called “medical”. The medical is handed out by a flight surgeon in order to certify that the person is physically and mentally able to fly an airplane. I was especially interested in flying a glider. First of all because I consider it a fascinating form of flying, and also because it is easier to get into the cockpit when you use a wheelchair. This person who also used a wheelchair recommended a flight surgeon who he thought would be ideal for my case.

Sadly this doctor gave me a negative response when he found out that I had OI. He told me very clearly that he would not give me the medical certification. You can imagine how I felt after I got this news. I was being confronted with the fact that all handicapped pilots had some sort of paraplegia and that my case was very different. Still I decided to continue to pursue my dream, although I knew it would not be easy to find a flight surgeon who would certify me.

My next step was to try to contact as many people as possible who could be helpful. With the help of Ute Wallentin (president of the European OI association) I was able to contact another person with OI in the USA who had gotten the medical certification. This person had not gotten the pilot license for personal reasons, still it was a big motivational boost for my aspirations. Although the medical requirements are less strict in the USA then in Europe it helped me to continue on my quest.

After some time I got an Email in response to all those I had written in the past. It was a flight surgeon who told me that I should contact Dr. Quast in Stuttgart. He is the head of the Aeromedical Center located there and a specialist for difficult cases. 

The first appointment I had with Dr. Quast was very positive. Still he told me that he would need a certification that I was physically able to operate a glider. For this I did a test flight and different tests in gliders with a certified instructor. I was happy to get the certification as I was totally able to control and operate the glider. After I had gotten this I went back to the Aeromedical Center and underwent a long series of examinations. My nervous system, my reflexes and my organs were checked. At the end of this I was extremely happy when Dr. Quast told me that he would give me the medical certification to fly gliders. The only restriction was that the glider had to be adapted in a way that I could control the tail rudder and the speed brakes with my hands. 

After all those years of dreaming I had now surmounted the biggest obstacle in my quest to become a pilot. Now I am in the middle of the theoretical training and hopefully my practical training will start in the summer of 2011. It is still a long way to get the license, but I am confident that soon I might be telling you about my first solo flight and then my successful results in all the examinations that are awaiting me.   
Most importantly I want to enjoy the journey towards my goal.