Can you solve this equation?
Declining weather
+
Excessive stress
+
Being cooped up in a room all day
-
Adequate sleep
=
If you said a bunch of sick pilots, you’re right! ‘Tis the season to get a nasty cold here at UPT.
So what is a student-pilot to do when he or she is hit with illness? Previously, I thought that getting sick was forbidden or something – I mean, who has time in their jam-packed schedule to add in a virus? After C spent the weekend feeling worse and worse, he was told to report to the flight doctor on Monday morning. There, after waiting two hours to see the doctor (yep, that tells you how rampant this stuff is), he was told he had a virus (a.k.a Nasty cold) and was declared DNIF – duties not to include flying. Fortunately, he was able to go back to attend classes, but he’s not allowed to fly until he is cleared by the flight doctor. He is starting to feel better already, but it is definitely not a good idea to fly with a cold – head congestion and altitude just don’t mix. The good news? The weather has been so terrible this week there hasn’t been a lot of flying going on anyway!
