What causes a lost medical?

[CKlimko]

Hi, I am just curious what can make a pilot loose his or her medical? It's probably a very vague question... but could a pilot loose a medical for not having a fingure? Or is loosing a medical caused by something more extreme, like a disease, and so forth?

Thanks for any feedback,

 

[FN FAL]

could a pilot loose a medical for not having a fingure?

Depends on where your lose your fingure. I know there is a guy that flys for us with a prosthetic arm.

Kind of makes you scared to shake hands with him, cause then you know what hand he wipes his whale hole with.

 

[chperplt]

Hi, I am just curious what can make a pilot loose his or her medical

My guess is when a pilot misplaces his or her medical, it is then lost... Just a guess though.

 

[CKlimko]

Ahh, now it makes perfect sense.

But seriously though... what things can effect a pilot not being "qualified" to have a medical?

 

[Timebuilder]

The simple answer, assuming that he has a medical in the first place, is when a "debilitating medical condition" occurs. Under 61.53 (if I recall) the pilot must not exercise the privileges of his pilot certificate for any operation that requires a curent medical.

There is an entire section of 14 CFR that describes the requirements for various classes of medical.

Some simple no-no's are depression, drug treatment for depression, use of illegal drugs, heart problems that do not fit the guidelines set forth, hypertension that is outside the limits, some eye/vision problems, and a bunch of other maladys.

Check the regs, or if a member of AOPA, call and speak to the person who handles medical inquiries and explore this further.

 

[Timebuilder]

...or, he might just leave it in his trousers and it goes through the wash.

 

[Northern Lights]

There are many ways to lose a medical, although that doesn't mean it's the end of the world.

When I went in for my first medical at age 19, I was told I did not qualify because I was color blind. The AME basically told me to find another line of work.

I would not accept that answer, and pursued my options.

After taking a special light gun signal test with a FAA examiner, I was able to get my third class med, with some restrictions. I kept pursuing my ratings, and eventually they let me have a second class. Finally in 2001, my waiver included all classes of medicals, which freed me to look beyond flight instructing.

I remember seeing somthing on the Discovery channel about a deaf pilot... I'm sure that he had sseveral restrictions, but at least he was flying.

There's a guy who I think is still at Mesaba, who has a prostetic leg. As I recall His leg was crushed while marshalling in a 757 many years ago.

 

[Northern Lights]

Oh yeah,

And I did lose my medical once and had to cancel a flight. I went through the process of getting the fax from OKC so I could still fly. Later that day I found my certificate crumpled up at the bottom of my wallet.

Since then I take better care of my certificates

 

[kevdog]

Admitting to alcoholism is a sure way to lose your medical.

 

[kevdog]

Part 67 has some information about medicals.