View Single Post
Old 12-28-2017, 08:36 AM
  #10  
rickair7777
Prime Minister/Moderator
 
rickair7777's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,100
Default

Originally Posted by sherpster View Post
https://www.oprm.va.gov/privacy/cma.aspx

Rick,

Have you heard of even 1 case where the FAA knew something that was in a veterans va records? Just one. Could they get that information if they had a court order? Sure. Do they pull from VA records for every medical? No.

Honestly is the best policy because it is the people closest to you that will turn you in, not some phantom computer scan at the FAA.

If I am wrong then show me an example, just 1.
As I said, it is known and public knowledge that the FAA has accessed a limited sample of federal social security disability records and cross-referenced them to pilot medical apps. This was not targeted at a pilot based on any sort of suspicion, it was dragnet. A number of pilots went to prison. My understanding is that this was a "trial run" of bigger things to come in the future.

I know of no cases where VA records have been accessed. I suspect the FAA does not want to go there, and appear to be picking on war-time vets... no good publicity or politics would come of that.

But times change, they might do it in the future. Can they do it without your consent? I suspect they can, because it's all federal records, and the FAA can make a case that they have a need to review medical records of pilots.

But whether they can do it unilaterally is beside the point... they can easily get your consent. The medical form has changed at least a couple times recently, and not for the better. All they need to do is add language to the effect that by signing this form you athorize the FAA to access your records from other federal agencies? Don't like it? Afraid of what they'll find? No worries, don't sign the 8500 form.

The main thing to be concerned about is the fact that your federal records never go away. And there's no guarantee that they won't be accessed at some point in the future. You probably don't want that hanging over your head. I assume there's a statute of limitations for criminal charges, but the FAA can shred all your pilot certs any time they want.

There's already a checkbox for disability benefits (that came about after the aforementioned dragnet).

Last edited by rickair7777; 12-28-2017 at 08:46 AM.
rickair7777 is offline