FAA Looking at VA Records (Indictments!)
11-04-2018, 04:42 PM
#161
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: Baja Vermont
Posts: 5,172
These members screwed themselves, I’m not compromising my integrity to shield them from their own folly. I was the Board President for an FEB where the pilot officer before the board had a history of failures and very nearly put a plane in sea killing all on board. Would you expect me just let a poor performance continue? If an officer told you, as their commander, to pound sand and refused to maintain medical and flight qualifications, should just roll over and let it pass?
Some posters here seem to think all military officers are either integrity challenged or pricks for holding subordinates to account. Well, which is it? To tell the truth, there are a spectrum of officers and pilots just like anywhere.
GF
Some posters here seem to think all military officers are either integrity challenged or pricks for holding subordinates to account. Well, which is it? To tell the truth, there are a spectrum of officers and pilots just like anywhere.
GF
11-05-2018, 07:00 PM
#162
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,003
One of the things which has consistently impressed me the most in military leadership is the ability to have the integrity to take a standard seriously and to hold it. If the military were a plant, integrity would be the cell walls that give it structure and strength. Take that away, and there's nothing.
Honor counts for something.
It counts for everything.
Without a counterbalance it has no meaning. One who has honor needs no penalty to oppose, but one who lacks it most definitely needs the other side of the coin, and failure to apply it obliterates the meaning. Lip service is mindless and without meaning. Accountability gives meaning. Those who have honor and integrity understand this all too well and rise to the occasion. Those who lack the honor and integrity to do what they ought tend to whine that they've been "screwed."
Such comments say more about the speaker than the person holding them accountable.
Honor counts for something.
It counts for everything.
Without a counterbalance it has no meaning. One who has honor needs no penalty to oppose, but one who lacks it most definitely needs the other side of the coin, and failure to apply it obliterates the meaning. Lip service is mindless and without meaning. Accountability gives meaning. Those who have honor and integrity understand this all too well and rise to the occasion. Those who lack the honor and integrity to do what they ought tend to whine that they've been "screwed."
Such comments say more about the speaker than the person holding them accountable.
08-27-2023, 08:27 AM
#164
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,948
Originally Posted by cdub
5,000 pilots suspected of hiding major health issues. Most are still flying.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...s-va-benefits/
I hate the framing too- “he didn’t know there needed to be an explanation for checking yes on disability payments”. As if there aren’t questions that ask if you have the specific conditions he’s receiving disability for.
also dude is kind of an idiot since sleep apnea is by far one of the easiest special issuances and usually is issuable by your AME at your medical with follow up paperwork sent to the feds.
08-27-2023, 09:21 AM
#166
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,948
Originally Posted by cdub
What is the procedure for the sleep apnea issue?
08-27-2023, 09:23 AM
#167
Prime Minister/Moderator
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,224
Here we go again, 5,000 ex-mil under investigation for discrepancies between FAA and VA records...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...s-va-benefits/
Might be time to lawyer up if this applies to you, may be able to defuse the situation with pre-emptive disclosure of past omissions.
Also, you could still be in jeopardy even if retired with a lapsed medical, for however long the statute of limitations runs.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...s-va-benefits/
Might be time to lawyer up if this applies to you, may be able to defuse the situation with pre-emptive disclosure of past omissions.
Also, you could still be in jeopardy even if retired with a lapsed medical, for however long the statute of limitations runs.
08-27-2023, 10:33 AM
#168
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2022
Position: 787 FO
Posts: 542
Originally Posted by cdub
“The FAA has known for two decades that tens of thousands of pilots are probably flying with serious undisclosed medical conditions, based on past investigations and audits, and experts who have testified before Congress.”
“Joseph LoRusso, a Colorado-based aviation-law attorney whose firm has fielded “hundreds” of queries from military veterans under FAA scrutiny since July 2022, said it is an open secret that “probably greater than 85 percent of pilots are lying on their medical forms” because they don’t want to flag conditions that might drag out approval or renewal of their licenses.”
"The FAA has known about flaws in its medical screening process since 2005, when inspectors general at the Transportation Department and the Social Security Administration — in an investigation dubbed Operation Safe Pilot — uncovered a scam that had run undetected for years.
About 3,200 pilots in northern California were collecting Social Security disability benefits, claiming they were too sick to work, but reporting to the FAA that they were medically fit to fly. Many worked as commercial pilots even though, under the law, those receiving disability compensation from Social Security can only work limited hours.
The U.S. attorney’s office in San Francisco prosecuted 45 of the most serious cases for fraud and related charges, winning convictions or guilty pleas in all of them. Officials said they could have prosecuted hundreds of additional pilots, but the cases would have clogged the justice system."
“The exams run short, often less than an hour, and the vast majority of exams are approved. The aviation medical examiner’s goal is to get pilots in the air and keep them there, physicians said.”
08-27-2023, 11:43 AM
#169
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,349
Originally Posted by jerryleber
Looks like the word is getting out about the FAA 'Medical'. Pandora's box?
“The FAA has known for two decades that tens of thousands of pilots are probably flying with serious undisclosed medical conditions, based on past investigations and audits, and experts who have testified before Congress.”
“Joseph LoRusso, a Colorado-based aviation-law attorney whose firm has fielded “hundreds” of queries from military veterans under FAA scrutiny since July 2022, said it is an open secret that “probably greater than 85 percent of pilots are lying on their medical forms” because they don’t want to flag conditions that might drag out approval or renewal of their licenses.”
"The FAA has known about flaws in its medical screening process since 2005, when inspectors general at the Transportation Department and the Social Security Administration — in an investigation dubbed Operation Safe Pilot — uncovered a scam that had run undetected for years.
About 3,200 pilots in northern California were collecting Social Security disability benefits, claiming they were too sick to work, but reporting to the FAA that they were medically fit to fly. Many worked as commercial pilots even though, under the law, those receiving disability compensation from Social Security can only work limited hours.
The U.S. attorney’s office in San Francisco prosecuted 45 of the most serious cases for fraud and related charges, winning convictions or guilty pleas in all of them. Officials said they could have prosecuted hundreds of additional pilots, but the cases would have clogged the justice system."
“The exams run short, often less than an hour, and the vast majority of exams are approved. The aviation medical examiner’s goal is to get pilots in the air and keep them there, physicians said.”
“The FAA has known for two decades that tens of thousands of pilots are probably flying with serious undisclosed medical conditions, based on past investigations and audits, and experts who have testified before Congress.”
“Joseph LoRusso, a Colorado-based aviation-law attorney whose firm has fielded “hundreds” of queries from military veterans under FAA scrutiny since July 2022, said it is an open secret that “probably greater than 85 percent of pilots are lying on their medical forms” because they don’t want to flag conditions that might drag out approval or renewal of their licenses.”
"The FAA has known about flaws in its medical screening process since 2005, when inspectors general at the Transportation Department and the Social Security Administration — in an investigation dubbed Operation Safe Pilot — uncovered a scam that had run undetected for years.
About 3,200 pilots in northern California were collecting Social Security disability benefits, claiming they were too sick to work, but reporting to the FAA that they were medically fit to fly. Many worked as commercial pilots even though, under the law, those receiving disability compensation from Social Security can only work limited hours.
The U.S. attorney’s office in San Francisco prosecuted 45 of the most serious cases for fraud and related charges, winning convictions or guilty pleas in all of them. Officials said they could have prosecuted hundreds of additional pilots, but the cases would have clogged the justice system."
“The exams run short, often less than an hour, and the vast majority of exams are approved. The aviation medical examiner’s goal is to get pilots in the air and keep them there, physicians said.”
08-27-2023, 12:03 PM
#170
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Position: Retired NJA & AA
Posts: 1,912
I did this link as a "gift" article so hopefully it's not behind a paywall. I'll do some bullet points in case it is. It's a long article:
https://wapo.st/44rvV0z
-Military Vets who told the FAA they're healthy enough to fly but failed to report they're collecting VA benefits for disabilities that could bar them from the cockpit.
-VA investigators discovered the inconsistencies 2 years ago but the FAA has kept many details secret from the public
-FAA investigated 4800 pilots, half the cases have been closed. 60 pilots who posed a "clear danger" were ordered to stop flying in an emergency basis while records are reviewed.
-600 of the pilots under investigation are licensed to fly for passenger airlines.
-FAA has allotted $3.6M to hire medical experts and other staff to reexamine certification records for 5000 pilots
-FAA and DOT have refused to comment
-at least 10 pilots have been prosecuted since 2018, 2 were prosecuted after they crashed aircraft.
-the FAA's probe has intensified in recent months
-AOPA is calling for an amnesty, ALPA did not respond to request for comment
-after resisting more than a decade transportation officials agreed to share pilot records with VA investigators
-Aviation Law Attorney Joseph LoRusso says "it's an open secret that probably 85% of pilots are lying on their medical form because they don't want to flag conditions that might drag out approval of their licenses.
https://wapo.st/44rvV0z
5,000 pilots suspected of hiding major health issues. Most are still flying.
-Military Vets who told the FAA they're healthy enough to fly but failed to report they're collecting VA benefits for disabilities that could bar them from the cockpit.
-VA investigators discovered the inconsistencies 2 years ago but the FAA has kept many details secret from the public
-FAA investigated 4800 pilots, half the cases have been closed. 60 pilots who posed a "clear danger" were ordered to stop flying in an emergency basis while records are reviewed.
-600 of the pilots under investigation are licensed to fly for passenger airlines.
-FAA has allotted $3.6M to hire medical experts and other staff to reexamine certification records for 5000 pilots
-FAA and DOT have refused to comment
-at least 10 pilots have been prosecuted since 2018, 2 were prosecuted after they crashed aircraft.
-the FAA's probe has intensified in recent months
-AOPA is calling for an amnesty, ALPA did not respond to request for comment
-after resisting more than a decade transportation officials agreed to share pilot records with VA investigators
-Aviation Law Attorney Joseph LoRusso says "it's an open secret that probably 85% of pilots are lying on their medical form because they don't want to flag conditions that might drag out approval of their licenses.
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