First Class Medical required by FO's to fly to ICAO destinations

[luckytohaveajob]

ICAO countries now require US First Officers to have a 1st class medical to operate a trip.

All you age 65 pushers have repeatedly said the medical standards are going to stay the same if an age change occurs are smoking crack!

ICAO standards are going to bend you over every chance they get and ask you to cough. Start coughing you old geezers. And anyone marginally passing today is history if a change happens.

 

[michael707767]

ICAO countries now require US First Officers to have a 1st class medical to operate a trip.

interesting, cause I am hearing the FAA is considering making a first class physical good for 12 months.

 

[luckytohaveajob]

interesting, cause I am hearing the FAA is considering making a first class physical good for 12 months.

Yea, with mandatory blood work ups, stress EKG's, and comparative trend testing looking for progressive declines just like ICAO countries now require which the FAA does not currently require, ie. An Astronaut physical

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Yea, with mandatory blood work ups, stress EKG's, and comparative trend testing looking for progressive declines just like ICAO countries now require which the FAA does not currently require, ie. An Astronaut physical

Not really...from what the FAA has stated, the medical standards for a Class 1 physical for those over age 60, will stay as they are now.

My information comes from an FAA doc.

 

[michael707767]

Yea, with mandatory blood work ups, stress EKG's, and comparative trend testing looking for progressive declines just like ICAO countries now require which the FAA does not currently require, ie. An Astronaut physical

not gonna happen. The same reason the age is being raised to 65 is the reason that the physical will stay the same. There are not enough pilots in the US, and raising the age is a way to increase the supply. Changing the medical standards would have an even bigger negative impact on pilot supply. Add to that, to change the medical standards now would mean admitting that they were not tight enough in the past. You really think the FAA would do that?

 

[ironspud]

Not really...from what the FAA has stated, the medical standards for a Class 1 physical for those over age 60, will stay as they are now.

My information comes from an FAA doc.

My doc says the same, and that eyesight test criteria may be eased as well. (specifically medium range vision). No change in current EKG testing is proposed - matter of fact, most front line doc's oppose the current (modem) system in favor of simply going back to a paper readout. They can evaluate better than FAA OKC staffers and everyone knows it.

 

[brownie]

not gonna happen. The same reason the age is being raised to 65 is the reason that the physical will stay the same. There are not enough pilots in the US, and raising the age is a way to increase the supply. Changing the medical standards would have an even bigger negative impact on pilot supply. Add to that, to change the medical standards now would mean admitting that they were not tight enough in the past. You really think the FAA would do that?

Are u f..kin kidding me, not enough pilots in us. sir what we have is surplus of qualified pilots but unfortunatly they will stay on the street for another 5 yrs thanks to our greedy geezers and spineless faa for caving to it.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Are u f..kin kidding me, not enough pilots in us. sir what we have is surplus of qualified pilots but unfortunatly they will stay on the street for another 5 yrs thanks to our greedy geezers and spineless faa for caving to it.

...and maybe some spineless pilots who knowing that the ICAO age was going to change....did nothing?

Tejas

 

[brownie]

pilots never have a say in anything let alone this one
Our federal gov should have never agreed and since when we ever f..kin care what icao does.

 

[Flopgut]

CAL MEC is reporting a CDG flight as delayed due to this ruling.

You know, it's too bad some of the CRAP can't reach those SWA slackjaws first and screw up their operation!

 

[geshields]

At CAL, all F/O's (regardless of aircraft assigned) are going to be required to keep up a first class medical going forward. Meaning that it cannot be a first which has lapsed to a second. Medical exam every 6 months now...

 

[geshields]

ICAO countries now require US First Officers to have a 1st class medical to operate a trip.

All you age 65 pushers have repeatedly said the medical standards are going to stay the same if an age change occurs are smoking crack!

ICAO standards are going to bend you over every chance they get and ask you to cough. Start coughing you old geezers. And anyone marginally passing today is history if a change happens.

ICAO countries have had this requirement for quite a while. ICAO countries have been giving us waivers to fly on a second class medical. France just recently decided it was time to start enforcing this rule.

 

[400ADude]

Yea, with mandatory blood work ups, stress EKG's, and comparative trend testing looking for progressive declines just like ICAO countries now require which the FAA does not currently require, ie. An Astronaut physical

I welcome these checks. It really is about time we require a more in depth physical with your class 1. At the very least it will motivate and give some folks a bit of preventative medicine.

 

[GogglesPisano]

At World all FO's have Class 1 medicals every 6 months (paid for by the Company.) I thought every pilot who could operate as a Relief officer had to have one already.

 

[Golden Falcon]

The USA is an ICAO founding member state the FAA licence is an ICAO licence..The JAA is either in the process, or proposing one-year first class medicals, our regulatory authority here has already mentioned this...most non-US countries model their regs after the JAR's..after a fashion..

 

[filejw]

I think i would check on that blood work thing too. Think its just with the first exam not every year and they have gone to 12 months in some countries.

 

[Golden Falcon]

Initial medicals are much different than annual renewals..

 

[KCPilot]

not gonna happen. The same reason the age is being raised to 65 is the reason that the physical will stay the same. There are not enough pilots in the US, and raising the age is a way to increase the supply. Changing the medical standards would have an even bigger negative impact on pilot supply. Add to that, to change the medical standards now would mean admitting that they were not tight enough in the past. You really think the FAA would do that?

There are pilots, they just don't want to work for cheap wages.

 

[luckytohaveajob]

ya right as I said you are on crack

So Tejas-Jet, Ironspud, and Michael707 all say medical standards are staying the same or decreasing because pilots are such healthy specimens of humanity.

So then how come last week a 121 pilot only needed a 2nd class medical to fly but this week we all need a 1st class medical? ie. No EKG last week but required this week

If you think for one minute medical standards are staying the same or decreasing because a few out-of-the-know AME's says so you are mistaken.

Medical standards are increasing as they just did last week.

Say no to age 65 and keep things the same as this weeks newest change. Otherwise, the politicians will have their fingers up your butts in more ways than you ever thought possible.

 

[luckytohaveajob]

Pilot shortage

Michael707 is worried about a pilot shortage. Pilot shortages are not possible. The hiring standards just get reduced as needed to fill the vacancies. If a 250 hour wonder is all that available, a 250 hour wonder gets the job. Its happened many times in the past and will happen again.

Age 65 is not a pilot shortage issue in America, maybe in India or China but certainly not America. With over 5000+ ALPA pilots on furlough who are all qualified to fly any captain position the geezers are trying to keep for another five years, I just don't understand your pilot shortage issue.