He was fitted with prosthetic "tin legs" and set about trying to live a normal life, despite the doubts of others. He learned to walk again and to drive a specially adapted car. He persevered with cricket (using a runner) but soon realised that he would never again excel at this sport. Later he took up tennis, squash and golf - which he became good at. However, his real passion was to fly with the RAF again. Some seven months after the accident, he had the opportunity to test his flying skills, thanks to a friend who owned a two-seater Avro 504. Bader proved that he could control an aircraft in flight but the RAF medical board were not so easily convinced and refused to pass him fit for flying, because the "King's Regulations" did not allow for a pilot without legs. He was discharged from the RAF in 1933, on the grounds of ill health.