Medical fails may climb

[crxpilot]

This is wrong on many levels. It needs to be stopped before it is started. The sleep study alone costs big bucks!

 

[Crash Pad]

Will you guys please get to the comedy of this:

1. Guys on the overnight cutting wait like wrestlers. Running up and down the hotel hallway in trash bags and sweat shirts.

2. Interview: tell me about a time you exercised. Tell me about a time you walked away from a crew drinking and eating wings.

3. The obvious FA windfall

4. How about the BMI and retirement numbers at Delta/United etc.

 

[rumpletumbler]

Will Stephanie Abrams be allowed to continue masquerading as a woman under the new rules?

 

[Freebrd]

Man she has some big ums!

 

[Whine Lover]

"Don't you have disability coverage in your contract? Pull my medical for all I care. I'll be more than happy to collect 2/3 income for doing absolutely nothing."

Quite the cavalier attitude...You will be paid NOTHING Sir.

Sleep Apnea is NOT a disability under any LTD contract.

You will not be disabled and will not qualify for your Insurance/LTD.

You WILL have lost your FAA Medical and unless you have specific Insurance for that you will find yourself without income until you are re-qualified by the FAA Aeromedical Office in OKC.

Ready for THAT financially ?

I was, but it still SUCKED.

Been there, done it.

YKW

 

[PCL_128]

Wrong. Our disability language is loss-of-license language. Anything that causes you to lose your medical certificate qualifies.

 

[Ty Webb]

Wrong. Our disability language is loss-of-license language. Anything that causes you to lose your medical certificate qualifies.

Yup. And previous to the Loss of License coverage, sleep apnea was definitely covered, as it rendered you unable to hold a medical certificate, and therefore unable to perform your job. We had a few guys who had to go on medical leave and go through the process, which is very lengthy and intrusive. They were covered, though.

Ty

 

[Jetjockey]

All LTD plans are not created equally Whine Lover. Don't relate the weak language ATA had to all airlines. I know CAL/UAL and SWA have pretty good programs.


When companies who pay disabilty benefits start forking over cash.....they find a way to get pilots back to work. There are pilots who come back after far more serious medical issues. This just creates more work and expense for all involved. Will this expensive burden make aviation safer?

I agree with a previous poster who said it hits the GA flyer much harder. Most GA flyers will not go through the hassle. The big issue I have is the unwarranted intrusion and expense for a problem that dwarfs in comparison to real safety of flight issues. This is a completely misguided policy by the FAA Medical Chief. Pilots self certify on medical issues all the time. Should we screen pilots for every known medical issue? We are flying airplanes in a multi-crew environment.......we are not going into space.

It will be interesting to see the reaction of trade unions and associations like AOPA. I have a feeling this policy meets resistance.

 

[waveflyer]

2 out of 3 CAL pilots that died in flight were. The one that was under 60 was before the rule changed. Does being dead meet your criteria?

Bird-

I'll type slowly for you-

IT
DOES
NOT
MATTER

it wasn't an artificial construct to protect career progression
It's an artificial construct to keep big brother out of ridiculous medical standards

The two are very much linked
I'm sure you'll say they aren't and you'd be wrong

I also strongly oppose the bmi standards of what is healthy-
I'm 6'4"
Do the math-
40 is reasonable

The doc though is pushing for sleep apnea to be a major part of the physical
Historically, and culturally- pilots haven't been good about sleep-
Part of our "toughness" is flying at all hours

That is on us-

My blood pressure was never high- but did drop 10 points on the high number 135-> 125 just bc SWA doesn't reverse our sleep schedule
I fly PMs and feel great

 

[Jetjockey]

An interesting note. There was an attempt to have commercial truck drivers tested for sleep apnea (OSA). It went through normal policy making and it was shot down in congress.

The unilateral imposition of rules by one person is what is most disturbing about this entire issue.