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Anyone familiar with Japanese Medicals?

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coogebeachhotel

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Posts
651
Anyone had an expereince with the medicals for JALways or NCA?
 
jergar999 said:
Body Mass Index. The higher the number the fatter you are.

Not really true. The BMI is a slightly screwed up indication of health/fitness/fatness.

A 5'11" person at 180 lbs has a BMI of about 25, not fat. Now take an NFL running back who is 5'10", 195 lbs (mostly muscle mass) has a BMI over 27.

Does that make him fat?
 
Where a NFL guy it's most muscle? I've seen the majority of super Fat guys who think they are strong and muscle.
 
bombinha said:
Where a NFL guy it's most muscle? I've seen the majority of super Fat guys who think they are strong and muscle.

I'm talking the NFL type like Terrel Owens or others that can actually run and have strength and mobility. Muscle is more dense than fat and weighs more. Go to a BMI calculator, if anybody has a high amount of muscle mass on their body and/or they are short in stature, it can skew the BMI number above what is considered "healthy".

The JCAB base their numbers on a typical person from Japan and use that as the standard. That's fine if you are Japanese since they are all mostly healthy. It doesn't quite work for westerners as our is different.
 
Weight/height charts do not accurately indicate BMI - for this you'll need a set of medical calipers to "pinch" the fat on your body.
 
I did the medical about 2 years ago. I passed everything but in the end decided the job was not right for me and my family.

The medical is 2 days. First Class medical plus: Blood work, Chest X-Ray, EKG, pumonary function test, eye exam, stress test, EEG (brain wave), and a chat with a shrink. As mentioned above your BMI has to be within limits, I think less than 27. Also your BP has to be within limits. They do not like people that have normally low BP or resting heart rate.

I'm sure I've forgotten some part of the medical, but like I said it was 2 years ago.

md
 
My BMI is 27 and I am certainly NOT fat. The scale seems to think scrawney people are normal. Even at competition cycling shape I was at 25 BMI. CE
 
Amish RakeFight said:
Weight/height charts do not accurately indicate BMI - for this you'll need a set of medical calipers to "pinch" the fat on your body.

Actually BMI is just based on height and weight. It isn't a real indication of body fat content. You can be super lean and muscled, or super fat and dumpy, but for a given height and weight your BMI is the same.

The chart for BMI is midway down the page:

http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm
 
Had the JCAB medical last month.

Not a big deal, I showed up at 7am after fasting for 12 hours and:

1. Drew lots of blood
2. took a urine sample
3. had an hour interview with a psychologist and took the MMPI test
4. went to the sleep lab for sleep test and brain wave test
5. went back to the docs office for a physical
6. took many eye exams...some I've never had
7. sat in the hearing box to test the ears
8. ran on the tread mill for the stress test
9. took the grip test....make sure your right hand is stronger they won't except the results otherwise

That's about it...not unpleasant at all.

Got the job.
 
Average Japanese Male - 5'7" @ 150lbs. I think it was a Japanese who engineered the BMI test. AMA Journal 2005 suggested revamping BMI scale because 60% of americans could be considered as "dangerously" unhealthy. Given that heart disease is a leading killer in the US and hardly registers in Japan, interesting.

100-1/2
 
corky said:
4. went to the sleep lab for sleep test and brain wave test

9. took the grip test....make sure your right hand is stronger they won't except the results otherwise

People and their ridiculous medicals. What's with the grip test... suppose you're left handed and have a stronger grip with that left hand. Does this mean you're a crappy pilot. Better start wacking off with your right hand.

Suppose you talk in your sleep or suffer from night-time erectus-humongous... will you fly a plane full of Japanese into Mount Fuji?

In the old RAF days they used to fire a pistol 6 inches from a cadets ear... the guys who didn't flinch passed the test, the others were sent home. Makes great sense to me :erm:
 
100-1/2 said:
Average Japanese Male - 5'7" @ 150lbs. I think it was a Japanese who engineered the BMI test. AMA Journal 2005 suggested revamping BMI scale because 60% of americans could be considered as "dangerously" unhealthy. Given that heart disease is a leading killer in the US and hardly registers in Japan, interesting.

Oddly enough Japan has significatly higher rates of stomach cancer than the US. Something to do with all the pickled food they eat.
 
AS to the whole low resting heart rate and grip strength: With the Japanese officials, it's not what's healthy or unhealthy, but rather do you fit within the acceptable guidelines.

On another note, does anyone know if the JCAB will accept LASIK? I'm thinking not, but thought I would ask.
 
Carl_Spackler said:
AS to the whole low resting heart rate and grip strength: With the Japanese officials, it's not what's healthy or unhealthy, but rather do you fit within the acceptable guidelines.

On another note, does anyone know if the JCAB will accept LASIK? I'm thinking not, but thought I would ask.

I don't think they do but check the HACS website Q & As. I believe the definitive answer is there.

Considering how fussy they are in all the rest, I would think that LASIK surgery is a deal-breaker.
 
BTW, in Japan it's pronounced Me-ri-cal.

CE
 
if anyone is trying for the JCAB medical you might want to consider talking with a lot of reverse breathing during the process, the Japanese do it. They may accept you as one of their own.
 
Nolife said:
In the old RAF days they used to fire a pistol 6 inches from a cadets ear... the guys who didn't flinch passed the test, the others were sent home. Makes great sense to me :erm:

Seems you'd want the ones who flinched; the rest would be shot dead! :laugh:

Seriously, though: Was that the same war where the British brass sent the troops in wave after wave in front of the German machine guns? ;)

C
 
I've taken the JCAB medical in LAX and HNL. The HNL clinic is a lot better, in my opinion. The Nurse is the Doc's wife and the Medical Assistants there are a lot brighter thean the ones in LA, who could care less if you pass or fail your medical. The MA's in LA are typical California girls who sit and gossip while you are trying to do your medical, which is only required for your livelyhood.

The JCAB medical, in itself, isn't so bad. It's the JAL requirements on top that are so astronomical. Yes, they like right-handers over leftys. The eye peripheral vision test is a pain. You may not miss any light flashes. Don't run for a week before you give a urine sample, as it will show traces of blood in the urine if you do. Don't have any abnormally high cholesterol.

Good luck.
 

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