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.

 

[Flightjock30]

What I never understood is that the medical application form that asks about your medical history is based on an honesty policy. The Aeromedical Examiners do not follow up with the information you report via your medical records. I know a guy who was bipolar manic depressive and who did not state that on the application. Sure enough he got a 2nd class medical. Thats kind of creepy!

 

[kevdog]

...here's my money.

aviation related certificates are too often just a money transition.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Poor spelling may also lead to losing a medical. I saw this in the FAR's somewhere, but just can't put my "fingure" on exactly where it is. I must be "loosing" my mind.

 

[FN FAL]

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

Speaking of alcohol...don't you just hate it when you get up in the morning, fire up the computer and go through some of the posts you wrote, 3/4's of the way down a bottle of Bacardi.

It's like, "Dude, what's mine say?"

 

[TonyC]

Poor spelling may also lead to losing a medical. I saw this in the FAR's somewhere, but just can't put my "fingure" on exactly where it is. I must be "loosing" my mind.

Tighten up, Francis.