Fatties dodged a bullet...for now...
#51
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Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 10,061
This could burden the GA population in a big way. I'm assuming the guidelines apply to all classes of medicals??
I knew a guy a couple years ago. Local private pilot, owned a 172 and had been flying for years. He wasn't skinny by any means, but your typical 45 year old American, I guess. OKC deferred his medical pending a sleep apnea study. The test was over $4000. He just said f** it and sold his plane.
My guess is that a lot of recreational type flyers would do the same if faced with the same situation. Another expense that will put GA out of reach.
I knew a guy a couple years ago. Local private pilot, owned a 172 and had been flying for years. He wasn't skinny by any means, but your typical 45 year old American, I guess. OKC deferred his medical pending a sleep apnea study. The test was over $4000. He just said f** it and sold his plane.
My guess is that a lot of recreational type flyers would do the same if faced with the same situation. Another expense that will put GA out of reach.
#52
Why is it the burden of the pilot to prove he is healthy? If a government entity needs a physical done, said entity should be required to foot the bill. A friend of mine had to spend $1000s of dollars in psychiatrist bills to prove to the FAA he was no crazy because of an erroneous failed drug test 15 years prior. How is that fair?
I'm sure you wouldn't say a thing if a loved one was involved in an incident/accident involving an airliner and the PIC had a known mental disability that had been diagnosed and ignored.
#54
Why is it the burden of the pilot to prove he is healthy? If a government entity needs a physical done, said entity should be required to foot the bill. A friend of mine had to spend $1000s of dollars in psychiatrist bills to prove to the FAA he was no crazy because of an erroneous failed drug test 15 years prior. How is that fair?
#55
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Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: Reclined
Posts: 2,168
We need more sequestering.
#56
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Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: Captain
Posts: 173
I can't speak for GA, but with commercial airline pilots, don't we have at least 2 pilots for a reason? Just in case something happens to one, you have the other? You can't always know when somebody is going to check out just from a BMI rating. Another reason FO's are so underpaid, if something happens to the captain...the FO becomes the PIC doesn't he/she?
#57
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Joined APC: May 2009
Position: Square root of the variance and average of the variation
Posts: 1,602
5'8" and 230lbs....I guess the fact that I'm 47 years old says I'm a fatty...but the 1500lb leg press, 405lbs free squat, 405lbs bench press, and 60 minutes of cardio helps keep that waistline in check...but if the FAA says I'm too fat to fly...Long term disability here I come...wahoo!
Seriously though when I was in the Air Force in 1988 (as a Firefighter not a pilot) my max allowable weight was increased twice by waiver via a true body fat check. Allowable at the time was 188 I believe. Starved myself to meet the requirement at first which was unhealthy. Eventually got a medical waiver because of my size and build. Would you rather have the Crash Fire Rescue guy that has got the guns to lift your disabled self out of the burning cockpit (kind of like a 1 rep max) or the guy that can run 26.2 with a BMI of 12 and can't bench 180#?
Side note - I did do the 26.2 at 221lbs in the Marine Corp Marathon in 2007. In took me 5hr and 45 min. I still prefer the 1 rep max leg press to egress the aircraft followed by a 30 second sprint to clear the fire zone.
#58
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Joined APC: May 2009
Position: Square root of the variance and average of the variation
Posts: 1,602
I did have an OSA test last year (voluntarily) because my wife was concerned that I was not breathing for periods of time at night. I also never seemed to feel rested. The whole thing (wired up at a sleep center and being observed on camera all night) was a $40 co pay. Have no idea what the insurance company paid. Results indicated negative.
#59
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Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 10,061
Because flying is a privilege, in addition to what's been said already. They don't hand out pilot certificates to everyone that has a birth certificate either, you have to "prove" you meet the standards and are competent. You should see how many thousands of dollars this costs! Not fair at all!
What will you do when the FAA comes to you and says that since X% of people over the age of 50 are more prone to arthritis? They say you risk not being able to control the aircraft so we need to have you send a copy of a MRI of every joint to the FAA once a year. There is no way your medical coverage would not cover that. Where does it stop? Family history? Can they make you pay for at CAT scan because your dad had a brain tumor? This isn't about meeting the health portion of the medical. This is about radical moves that could potentially cost pilots THOUSANDS of dollars. All for what? Because there is a 2% chance that fatigue caused by OSA at the end of a long day might be one of 40 contributing factors to an accident?
#60
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Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 480
While you have a point, (and a hilarious one at that) bodybuilding is not the same as being some fat lazy woman.
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