Originally Posted by
HotMamaPilot
Agreed; it would be best for everyone to get these tubbies some discipline, i.e. diet AND exercise.
Tubbies? Cute. Maybe we should get you to send a picture of yourself...I'd bet we could find some interesting comments to make about your body shape.
Maybe we should ensure that women on their menstrual cycle demonstrate the ability to control cramps, mood swings and the like. And at menopause, the ability to control hot flashes.
How about women who are genetically predisposed to large hips? Or big boobs? (they might block the controls, right?) Should they be required to have reduction surgery to a size to be determined by the Administrator?
Do you REALLY want to go down this road?
This "idea" is supposedly based on one or two incidents. I know a couple of guys with OSA. They had to do the testing (about $4,000 each which, depending on your insurance, you may have to pay out of pocket), then buy an "approved" CPAP (reads what the FAA wants to see and download), spent 60 days on it to determine proper settings, THEN submit for a review (who knows how long that takes) and then finally get a letter allowing them to apply for a special issueance.
Paid vacation? Think not.
But here's the kicker...
They can set whatever timeframe they want for an individual to be retested...3 months...6 months...annually. There are no guidelines. And since most insurance won't pay for more than one test...IF they pay...guess who gets to write the check? Or be denied their medical?
If the FAA wanted to do something really positive, they should consider a method where an AME can access and track a pilots data over the years and when you get a medical, be able to sit down, review any trends and then look at what changes the pilot may want to consider to help reverse anything that is trending in a bad way. While bloodwork isn't required, if you can see trending on HA1C, cholesterol and other things...those all make better sense to address than OSA the way this is being done.
And if we REALLY wanted to dream...address the real issue of diminished crew rest caused by short layovers (except for cargo pilots, who don't need proper rest...) and ensuring that crews have better options than fast food because of where the cheapest layover hotel is located...ah, perchance to dream...
The real fun will begin when airlines suddenly find a fair amount of their crews getting denied medicals and the flights start cancelling for lack of crews.