fly with friend with med history?

It has a great parachute!!! Your good!!

 

I'm a pilot, not a doctor!

It sounds like you need a medical opinion, not an aviation opinion.

 

If he has a valid medical certificate, then the risk is low. Some older pilots fly without a medical or insurance. It's not impolite to ask your friend if he has a valid medical.

 

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On a serious note, just have the conversation. If nothing else, he can show you how to use the radio and to keep the plane level.

 

Don't. Why push it. I'm a pilot, I have had an aneurysm that was caught early enough. They don't mess around when they burst and you can't predict when or how it will effect the pilot. Not smart for him to be flying, anyway. Last month I got ganged up on with A-Fib, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary problems all at once. Now my driving privileges are extremely limited and rightly so when something can happen at the worst time and some people can be endangered.

 

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/passenger-lands-plane-after-pilot-passes-out-in-west-palm-beach/2757794/

Remember this story from last year? Guy was flying in a plane, pilot passed out due to a medical emergency. He got lucky because the air traffic controller was a very experienced pilot trainer and helped him land the plane. Oh yeah, the pilot passed out because of an aneurism.

 

What happens if it is on take off or short final? Too low for the chute or the controller isn't a trainer?

 

Say your prayers I guess?

 

If he has a valid medical certificate and his flight surgeon is aware of his condition, then I wouldn't worry about it. If that's not the case, then don't go. In all seriousness, if you are concerned that is perfectly reasonable to ask. If he hedges, or says something like "well, I have the piece of paper..." then don't go.

 

Go take a 30min introductory flight at the local flight school. You'll learn enough that if worst case happened you could get the plane on the ground and walk away. Don't tell your friend. Go have a nice flight with your friend and let him 'teach' you all about flying a small plane.

 

Is this so urgent that you have take some rudimentary flight training to take a ride with a sick friend? Okay, what ever stretches your glide.

 

I didn’t read where the friend was sick. He has a medical condition that the doctors are aware of.

Seriously, it is not that hard to fly a light GA aircraft. The only real danger is stalling. 30min demo flight would ease any apprehension about taking a flight with a friend.

 

This is really good advice, especially if you are not comfortable asking him about his medical certificate-- which I appreciate can be awkward.

 

Do this and tell them you’re going to be flying in a Cirrus. There’s an informal pinch hitter program that teaches non flying folks up front how to deploy the CAPS (parachute) and a few other survival things.