Who is Robyn Deykes?
Robin Deykes is an american pilot who is deaf. In 1995 the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a new set of rules
that could have grounded her. The rules stated that all pilots
flying in the U.S. must speak and understand spoken english. Robin,
who is deaf, said, "They might as well have said NO DEAF PILOTS
ALLOWED." She then tracked down John Lynch at the FAA who had been
involved in developing the new rules. She told him that the rules
would prevent her and other deaf and hearing impaired pilots from
flying. Then John Lynch stated that the proposed rules were really
the result of a misunderstanding. He had thought that most deaf
people could speak and read lips. Robin's efforts helped convince
the FAA to change its rules. The rules now state that pilots who
are deaf or hearing impaired can continue to fly into airports
where no radio contact is required.