Medical fails may climb

[Jetjockey]

"But during the nearly two-hour webinar, Dr. Fred Tilton, who was joined by Dr. Mark Rosekind of the NTSB and Dr. Mark Ivey, a board-certified sleep specialist, characterized the sleep apnea screening requirements as a "process enhancement" rather than a policy change. As a result, Tilton said, the FAA does not need to, and won?t, go through the rulemaking process. He added that the policy will be implemented in early January when AMEs will receive formal guidance from the FAA."


And this is why doctors get sued at every turn. Arrogance abound. "Process enhancement"

 

[Mach 80]

"...cutting wait"? huh?

 

[waveflyer]

http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/3578

Takes 5 minutes to google your congressman and ask them to support HR 3578

Let you know when I've done it.

To be clear, I wouldn't mind some pressure to stay healthier and thinner- but to blindside so many so quickly is unfair in my view-

Unfortunately the American way is to take action AFTER a major health event- a diagnosis, heart attack, or loss of medical-

This will motivate many pilots to change for the better- BUT ...they ought to have the opportunity to make changes BEFORE BEING GROUNDED FOR NEW STANDARDS AND TESTING THAT PREVIOUSLY WOULD NOT HAVE GROUNDED THEM.

Btw- I've had many tell me that this isn't a problem and it's predicting issues that haven't happened yet. I do disagree. A) there was mesa's GO incident overfly in Hawaii, and the captain medical'd out immediately for diabetes and sleep apnea if I'm not mistaken. He was in poor health after flying those Mesa schedules for so long.
And b) fatigue is often a contributing factor and we need to change the sleep culture in aviation. Half of us at least, are not good at getting our 6-8 consistently. And that's a problem.

I do find it ironic that controllers can't get off their goofy, unsustainable, FAA provided schedules, that will lead to all kinds of sleep issues, and then shove this down our necks. But that's another thread

 

[waveflyer]

Done. Emailed congresswoman, and both senators.

Please do the same

1

Who's 2?

 

[crxpilot]

Done!

 

[tico]

Done as well......

 

[Bringupthebird]

My guess is that Tilton is looking to move up in government and is pushing this to prove to the DOT that they can jam it down the trucker's throats too.

If this is permitted to go through, there will be virtually no General Aviation as we know it. It will become just like Europe with gliders and ultralights and light sports dominating. Airlines will be forced to cancel thousands of flights for lack of crews waiting on approval from FAA Aeromedical once the BMI limit is lowered into the low 30's and high 20's.

A Million Pilot March on Washington?

 

[Jetjockey]

Bird.....I wouldn't get so worked up just yet. I'm betting the bill passes. Money is getting pumped into this issue to oppose the mandate without proper rule making process. This isn't about BMI over 40, 30, or testing all pilots. It's about preventing an appointed FAA medical chief from over reaching without giving all stakeholders a voice. Dr. Fred would have been great in 1930's Germany. 2013 United States.......not so much.

In my experience it hasn't worked out well to tell lawmakers and congress, "I don't care what your bill says, I'm moving forward".

 

[Jetjockey]

Further, the DOT already tried this with truck drivers. A bill was passed, similar to the bill working its way through the House now. (HR 3578). If the DOT wants to test truck drivers, it has to go through normal rule making policy.

One thing I have learned in 30 plus years. Safety is spelled, $afety. There is a cost with every safety mandate and rule change. The cost has to be justified and stake holders generally are allowed to contribute to said rules. Look how many accidents it took to change rest rules. All parties were allowed to make comment and input to proposed rule making. Not to mention Dr. Fred's crusade will further cost the already strained agency. Over 55,000 special issuance medicals on backlog. Extra costs for a problem that he admitted has never been attributed to any general aviation accidents. No accidents attributed in commercial aviation either, yet he eventually wants all pilots tested.

There has been discussion about age 65 and this change being tied to it. Bunk! Age change for millions of reasons. That being the millions of pension liability being dumped onto the PBGC. What better to avoid paying the huge dumped pensions of United and USAirways by deffering those payouts by 5 years. There was also the conundrum of being penalized for an early age 60 PBGC retirement, yet having to comply with the FAA mandated retirement age. Easy, change retirement age to 65. Again.....all about money.

Washington politics is rooted in the almighty dollar. If you want something changed, I garauntee someone has their hand out waiting for you to put cash in it.

 

[Bringupthebird]

USAPA was birthed due to folks not "getting too worked up". Obamacare passed because folks didn't "get too worked up". This country hands itself over to tyrants because too few people get "too worked up".

AOPA is being steamrolled and EAA is pulling a Neville Chamberlain appeasement run by trying to carve out private pilots from the testing and letting the rest of their members who are commercial pilots swing in the breeze.

As with everything else in Washington, this is becoming another partisan battle between (in this case) overpaid and underworked pilots and fat-cat owners of Cessna 140's, and those who want to see how easily they can grab power from those too lazy to defend it. I don't think flying is a right, I admit it is a privilege, however forcing people to undergo unnecessary testing because they are deemed guilty of lying on their medical application about having a certain disqualifying condition, is patently wrong.

 

[Flopgut]

and fat-cat owners of Cessna 140's.

Hilarious!

 

[Andrew_VT]

EAA is pulling a Neville Chamberlain appeasement run by trying to carve out private pilots from the testing and letting the rest of their members who are commercial pilots swing in the breeze.

Yes, the EAA has some members that are also commercial pilots but come on... seriously. Commercial pilots have their own organizations that are supposed to look out for their interests.

That reminds me of an AOPA meeting I went to years ago that was full of pissed off and vocal FAA flight service workers that were getting laid off. -Not AOPAs Problem-

 

[Bringupthebird]

Yes, the EAA has some members that are also commercial pilots but come on... seriously. Commercial pilots have their own organizations that are supposed to look out for their interests.

True, but they are the second largest aviation organization in the world. Take out the commercial pilot members and you have retirees, a few doctors and ultralight pilots and that's about it. Allowing any of this to pass will weaken GA to it's tipping point beyond which it may not be viable to refine AVGAS or operate GA support businesses. Of course, the FAA's budget would drop tremendously, which would help cushion the blow of the consequences of government deficit spending. A little.

 

[densoo]

"Late yesterday, the FAA announced that it would delay the release of guidance material to aviation medical examiners (AMEs) that, as of January 2014, would have directed them to test pilots with a body mass index of 40 or greater for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

According to the announcement, "The FAA will convene a meeting in mid-January of key industry stakeholders to address concerns over the implementation process and its impact on pilots. Any changes to the previously announced policy and a timeline for implementation will be determined following the meeting."

ALPA and other industry stakeholders criticized the proposed OSA policy, which was initially announced in a November 2013 bulletin, emphasizing that it had not undergone the customary formal rule-making process and that the agency had not sought public comment before acting."

 

[waveflyer]

Good news

In the meantime, all our fatty pilots should get to work on getting in shape. It might be coming in time. From what I hear, it'll happen eventually but pilots who've been letting themselves go only have about a year to get squared away.
AMMV