Medical certification of pilots with lower-extremity amputations.

More than 1.2 million Americans live with absence of a limb. Modern prosthetic limbs, talented prosthetists, and enthusiastic therapists enable many motivated individuals with absent limbs to pursue very active lifestyles. This article presents a case report of a first-class pilot who had experienced a traumatic above-knee amputation and includes a brief review of recent U.S. limb loss and amputation data, as well as aeromedical issues associated with amputation.