Skyranger777

Ok this could actually be for any class but I have never gotten anything but a Class 1.
I have gone to about 4 different AME's in my career. Each one I go to seems to do the medical a little differently. The present one I just went to 2 days ago does the old turn your head and cough test! That is the first time that have ever happened to me ever for a flight physical. I have talked to a buddy that had a finger shoved up his a$$ for a class 2 medical! WTF is going on with this. On the other hand I know of guys who go in and its nothing more than a quick eye exam, BP test, and "how are you feeling?".

I guess my question is, why are these exams not exactly the same no matter what AME you go to? The FARs are quite clear on what is supposed to be checked, why is it up to the AME to go by his own guidelines and rules? I know this is just not a local thing bc I have talked to all sorts of pilots who have all kinds of different variations, some really lengthy exams (up to 1.5 hours) and some that are no more than a simple handshake and a BP test.

I know someone may respond by saying that a short exam is usually giving to guys that have gone to the same doctor for many years. But that shouldn't matter. The variations in these exams are way to great.

LAfrequentflyer

nothing more than a quick eye exam, BP test, and "how are you feeling?".


Thats the Doc you want to visit...The others are just playing games with your balls.

-LAFF

Skyranger777

thats what I'm thinking

vagabond

Does anybody know how an AME conducts an exam for a female? We don't quite have the same anatomy.

The doctor (not an AME) my husband goes to is set in his ways - first thing he does is reach for the family jewels. Happens everytime. He really likes Bob and The Twins.

POPA

I asked a female friend of mine that question once. She said, "Grab your boobs and sneeze." Don't know if she's telling the truth, but it's funny.

vagabond

Sneeze, not squeeze, right? Wonder what happens to those with nothing to grab?

KZ1000Shaft

The "turn your head and cough" test isn't really a fealing up of twig and berries, it is a search for a hernia. The inguinal canal (that thing your balls decended through just before you were born) is a common place for a hernia to occur. The coughing bit increases abdominal pressure which will make the hernia more pronounced and as for the turn your head bit, well the doc just doesnt want to get coughed in his face. While the spermatic cord does travel though the inguinal canal, women do indeed have an inguinal canal as well. The main difference being the round ligiment of the uterus travels though it instead of the spermatic cord for obvious reasons.

flyboeingjets

I just received my first class 1 about 2 months ago and it was a breeze. I went to a doctor around the atl airport. It took me 3 hours to get my class 1. Two hours and 55 minutes of that was waiting. I did an eye test, blood pressure, and a urine test and that was it.

RedeyeAV8r

Sound like you did 2 tests too many............you need another AME

flyboeingjets

Hey im all for an ame who doesn't do the grab and stab. That was what I expected being my first time. The wait is what killed me. I think I read every aviation magazine he had in there. I wonder if it was a patience test to see if you can handle the wait?haha