Medical fails may climb

[Fly4$]

What bothers me more than all this is half the time on the flight control check before take-off, the yoke is blocked by the other guy's belly (this is on the 737). I think you should pass your medical if that is the case. (I think it happens about 25% of my flights, estimating conservatively)

 

[Flopgut]

I recently had to wear the mask for 5 or so minutes for a simulated rapid depressurization during a sim event. We were made aware it would be coming and given a chance to clean out the mask before hand. Even so the air in the system was disgusting and I spent the next 10 days getting over cough and chest congestion. It would be nice if the FAS would step in on issues like that equally.

 

[rumpletumbler]

I would venture that nobody passes a sleep study.

 

[Bringupthebird]

I would venture that nobody passes a sleep study.

Here's some details
http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/Medical/Medical-Certification-and-Conditions/Sleep-Disorders/Sleep-Apnea-Evaluation-Specifications.aspx

Of course no one will pass. They need to justify the testing and will do whatever is necessary to validate their assumptions.

And on the remote chance that you do pass, if your BMI is within the required testing range, you'll have to test again every 6 months until you do fail.

When your freedoms are treated like monopoly money, no one will mind giving them away.

 

[Bringupthebird]

What bothers me more than all this is half the time on the flight control check before take-off, the yoke is blocked by the other guy's belly (this is on the 737). I think you should pass your medical if that is the case. (I think it happens about 25% of my flights, estimating conservatively)

So you fly with short pilots, eh?

 

[Flopgut]

When your freedoms are treated like monopoly money, no one will mind giving them away.

Age 60 was as free as we were ever going to be. Think of how many pilots finished at the airline and went on to fly another 20 years. Freedom takes responsibility, ours was to abide by 60, and a minority of us weren't up to it.

 

[Bringupthebird]

You can retire whenever you wish, but once they clamp the CPAP machine on, it's there for the rest of your career.

There is a distinct difference between being forced to take a test for a condition for which you have no symptoms and which jeopardizes your entire career, and being granted the freedom to fly an additional 5 years if you so choose.

Sorry Flop, Age 60 is a Apples-to-Watermelons comparison.

 

[Bringupthebird]

It is not too much of a stretch of the imagination for the government to monitor compliance with treatment for pre-existing conditions as a pre-requisite for future government health care coverage. Cheating on the CPAP could cost you dearly, even if it's not the least bit effective.

 

[Flopgut]

There is a distinct difference between being forced to take a test for a condition for which you have no symptoms and which jeopardizes your entire career, and being granted the freedom to fly an additional 5 years if you so choose.

Sorry Flop, Age 60 is a Apples-to-Watermelons comparison.

Much is "granted", much is expected. I don't agree with this OSA witch hunt either, but it's the first of many things pilots like you have brought down on us. I'm sure you'll never understand the big picture, just try not to screw up anything else please.

 

[Ex737Driver]

What bothers me more than all this is half the time on the flight control check before take-off, the yoke is blocked by the other guy's belly (this is on the 737). I think you should pass your medical if that is the case. (I think it happens about 25% of my flights, estimating conservatively)

You're forgetting to hollar, "suck it in" before you do the check. Now if we could just get the bald bastards to put a hat on and get the sleazy ones to not show everyone their BOG girlfriend pics we might be making some headway.

 

[waveflyer]

"Bog"?

 

[Smarta$$]

OK. I did the math correctly . Instead of over $313 thousand per student, I got $313.33 per student. Would that make a difference on your opinion of your fellow voters?

Probably not. Ideology trumps math.

 

[Ex737Driver]

"Bog"?

Bogata

 

[Smarta$$]

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.

Bravo Dude! Bravo!

 

[densoo]

What bothers me more than all this is half the time on the flight control check before take-off, the yoke is blocked by the other guy's belly (this is on the 737). I think you should pass your medical if that is the case. (I think it happens about 25% of my flights, estimating conservatively)

FO used to to the flight control check. When CA called for the After Start I promptly did the check. On probation with a horizontally enhanced captain. Yoke hits him. Critiqued me after flight to warn him when I'm going to pull the yoke. I'm going to pull the yoke when you call for the checklist--see the connection?

 

[Dan Roman]

FO used to to the flight control check. When CA called for the After Start I promptly did the check. On probation with a horizontally enhanced captain. Yoke hits him. Critiqued me after flight to warn him when I'm going to pull the yoke. I'm going to pull the yoke when you call for the checklist--see the connection?

Do you do everything in a rote way? . You were new, but as you gain experience most realize that it is good CRM and good situational awareness to have the courtesy to think about the other pilot and how your actions may effect your fellow pilot rather than just blindly do what the checklist calls for without thinking whether or not it is a good time or place to do so.

 

[Flopgut]

Do you do everything in a rote way? . You were new, but as you gain experience most realize that it is good CRM and good situational awareness to have the courtesy to think about the other pilot and how your actions may effect your fellow pilot rather than just blindly do what the checklist calls for without thinking whether or not it is a good time or place to do so.

Replace "control check" with "raise retirement age", then reconsider your words.

You guys can talk the talk, can't walk the walk.

 

[densoo]

Do you do everything in a rote way? . You were new, but as you gain experience most realize that it is good CRM and good situational awareness to have the courtesy to think about the other pilot and how your actions may effect your fellow pilot rather than just blindly do what the checklist calls for without thinking whether or not it is a good time or place to do so.

If he didn't know the flight control check was in the checklist he was calling for then I really don't what I could do for him. It wasn't the first time. And yes, I run checklist in a rote way, as they're written, by SOP.

 

[Ty Webb]

Do you do everything in a rote way? . You were new, but as you gain experience most realize that it is good CRM and good situational awareness to have the courtesy to think about the other pilot and how your actions may effect your fellow pilot rather than just blindly do what the checklist calls for without thinking whether or not it is a good time or place to do so.

Yep. It's funny how some guys are completely clueless about this . . . . I could be on the phone with MOC and they just start reciting the departure brief . . . . and at a point of departure where you really want to have both guys paying attention to the DP, or getting the clearance over the radio at some foreign location, when you're not even in the cockpit.

Indoc 101- If you are getting the clearance over the radio, ask the other pilot if he'd like to listen in, especially at any place where they end your clearance with, "Vaya con Dios, Citroos". :laugh:

 

[Bringupthebird]

I wonder if Harvey Watt will be ready for the onslaught? And everyone here thinks that their insurance will pay for it, but if you need a referral from a Primary Care Physician, they may not give it without some symptoms of sleep apnea. Then you'll be on the hook for the hundreds or thousands of dollars in testing expense.

If the FAA can get away with bypassing the rulemaking process, how secure do you think other FAA policies such as ASAP, union participation in accident investigation and perhaps the longstanding policy of not punishing pilots involved in accidents with jail time?

 

[densoo]

I wonder if Harvey Watt will be ready for the onslaught? And everyone here thinks that their insurance will pay for it, but if you need a referral from a Primary Care Physician, they may not give it without some symptoms of sleep apnea. Then you'll be on the hook for the hundreds or thousands of dollars in testing expense.

If the FAA can get away with bypassing the rulemaking process, how secure do you think other FAA policies such as ASAP, union participation in accident investigation and perhaps the longstanding policy of not punishing pilots involved in accidents with jail time?

When the NTSB report on the Bronx train crash shows the driver was a graveyard shift worker who had recently gone to the day shift and that sleep adjustment and fatigue were factors, watch the FAA fast track this program with public and political support.

 

[LJ45]

When the NTSB report on the Bronx train crash shows the driver was a graveyard shift worker who had recently gone to the day shift and that sleep adjustment and fatigue were factors, watch the FAA fast track this program with public and political support.

No the real problem was one person in the cockpit (or whatever they call it on a train) with no automatic backup system.

Really? With all the safety systems we have...we can't monitor the train speed vs. location and have an automatic brake system if the driver doesn't apply the brakes when they should.

 

[scoreboardII]

When the NTSB report on the Bronx train crash shows the driver was a graveyard shift worker who had recently gone to the day shift and that sleep adjustment and fatigue were factors, watch the FAA fast track this program with public and political support.

With the requisite higher taxes on the riders. Of airlines.

 

[densoo]

No the real problem was one person in the cockpit (or whatever they call it on a train) with no automatic backup system.

Really? With all the safety systems we have...we can't monitor the train speed vs. location and have an automatic brake system if the driver doesn't apply the brakes when they should.

You mean like Asiana 214? Yes, I know, big difference. But will the public know or care?

 

[Bringupthebird]

When the NTSB report on the Bronx train crash shows the driver was a graveyard shift worker who had recently gone to the day shift and that sleep adjustment and fatigue were factors, watch the FAA fast track this program with public and political support.

That doesn't matter. What matters is what does he look like. If he's overweight it's a forgone conclusion that he must be a snoring, stupid, ticking insurance time bomb. There is no other conclusion, right?

And not only should we be protected from this menace to society, but they make a significant negative impact on the aesthetics of society. We can justify our prejudice on any level we want.

Would President Obama have said the Trayvon Martin could have been his son if Trayvon was 5'9" and weighed 300lbs?

 

[waveflyer]

Wow, BruptheBird

Going off the rails there man-
Esp when you supported the age change

All of us said this increased scrutiny would happen
Now you want to blame Obama?

Go fish man

 

[Bringupthebird]

Not sure how you spun a commentary on the FAA's Guilty Until Proven Innocent grab of authority and how a person's weight is now a socially acceptable bigotry into "blaming Obama".

If the FAA wants to go through the NPRM process and pass a new reg that says the max weight for a class 1 physical is 200 lbs, then let them try and do it. To disregard the public input to something that affects ALL pilots (not just those with a mandatory retirement age) and withhold a medical until certain pilots pass a very subjective screening for a condition that has not contributed to any accidents is IMHO wrong.

If you lie about any condition on your medical application, your medical is denied or revoked. If the FAA feels that the majority of AMEs are unethical and are issuing medicals to unqualified pilots, then they should deal with that.

Tying this to the raising of the retirement age is a straw man.

Explain how you feel Age 65 is related to FAA Aeromedical overreach and why you think that had the retirement age remained at 60, they would have been kept at bay.

 

[inline]

Wow, BruptheBird

Going off the rails there man-
Esp when you supported the age change

All of us said this increased scrutiny would happen
Now you want to blame Obama?

Go fish man

You and your ilk have been blaming George W. Bush for everything the last 13 years, talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[waveflyer]

You and your ilk have been blaming George W. Bush for everything the last 13 years, talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

No
Bush was responsible for what he was responsible for

This medical overreach now that we have an extended retirement age

AINT A F^CKING COINCIDENCE

 

[scoreboardII]

Harvey Watts laughing all the way to the bank. They don't have to pay because all they have to say is "your fat, you didn't lose weight, its a self imposed condition, no paycheck for you!" Plus, they'll look back at your medicals/Dr visits to see what your BMI was at date of starting the LOL payments, further proving it was an existing condition.

And SWAPA is already fighting for a few dudes who on the advice of Doctors, did not do something HW wanted, and HW is denying their payments. So it is already happening.

Has anyone heard on peep from any insurer on this? No, they were consulted before its announcement and already know they are safe, in fact better than safe, they can deny more claims while raking in premiums.

Wake up folks!