Flying Tip of the Week: Flying with a Cold

Cold and flu season is upon us and many of you may be suffering with severe coughing or sneezing both day and night. Winter is also the time of year that presents the least times available for flying, with cruddy weather conditions being the norm. But if you get one of those rare, CAVU days, don't get tempted to go out and fly when you aren't feeling well.

You may think "oh it's just a cold," but flying when you are tired or unwell is never a good idea. You will not be able to stay on top of all of the tasks at hand, particularly if you are not getting enough sleep as a result of nasty cold symptoms. Also, many common cold medications make you drowsy and would be as bad to fly on as alcohol.

So wrap yourself in a blanket and brew yourself a cup of lemon tea with honey. And if you really want to fly, get on your computer and turn on Microsoft's Flight Simulator. It will keep you somewhat current and you'll get the flying kick without putting yourself or anyone else at risk.