Explaining a Leave of Absence
 

I was out on medical leave for 7 months while dealing with the FAA and the paperwork nightmare involved with medical certification. How do I reflect that time off on an application? Is that considered a period of unemployment? Or would that be more like an extended sick call? I was paid for part (not all) of the time off.

I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill, but I don't want an interviewer to feel deceived when he/she sees a 7-month gap in my logbook.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Medical leave is a leave of absence. If you were still on the seniority list and had full return rights, you were employed, but on extended leave. Personally, I would list the employment on my resume/application without any sort of gap.

If during the interview the question of the gap comes up, simply explain why you weren't flying. An interviewer isn't going to feel deceived. (At least they shouldn't).

Many other folks are faced with similar situations (FMLA, Mil Leave, Medical Leave, etc).

Yeah, I agree if you were still on the seniority list and would have otherwise been flying the line (ie not furloughed).