FAA medical will require sleep study for some, others to follow

[JustaNumber]

This is a concerted effort by the government to derail and bankrupt regional airlines.

Most overweight pilots I see are at the regionals. FAR117 and the 1500hr rule ensure there is no supply of pilots.

They will be successful.

What would be the purpose? To further destroy the U.S. economy, or the payoff for ALPA PAC contributions ?

 

[COOPERVANE]

You don't think they'll think something's up if you don't fall asleep?

I think the sleep studies they are talking about is exactly that. The kind of study were you not expected to sleep. They put you in a warm dark room with no TV or anything to do for four hours and you're expected to stay awake. This measures your level of apnea. I've been told it is A MISERABLE experience.

Prior to 1 -2 years ago the only kind of sleep study I had heard about was where you go to sleep and they test to see how often you have a "sleep disturbance" or Apnea symptoms.

I don't know why you would administer one test over another. But what do I know, I am only a nuclear engineer

 

[JimNtexas]

I have an SI for OSA. To be diagnosed I had to spend the night wired up like a muppet while they watched me on TV. Once diagnosed I had to spend another night to determine my CPAP calibration. Each study costs about $2K.

OSA is a real money-maker for the people in that business.

I was terrified that I might have to take a 'measure of wakefulness'/sensory deprivation test, but my AME says they don't require that of pilots.

My AME told me there is a simple and cheap take home test for OSA that only has four sensors. But the FAA doesn't want that because the pilot might give the device to his skinny friend.