My guess is these same people would be 100% okay with extending the age after they got there. After all, they got theirs.

CLEARLY the majority of pilots are built like that, so we need to take those kind of BMI exceptions as a frequent occurrence in airline population.

This.

An outlier is an outlier.


The "but, but, but.... MIKE TYSON and CAM NEWTON!" excuse is lame. If any airline pilot was built like that, they'd be getting paid a heck of a lot more to punch people in the head than they currently get for flying airplanes.

I know a whole lot of pilots who lift, especially ex military guys.

Most of them had to dilute their weightlifting with lots of cardio to stay on the winning side of military PT tests, but as civilians I know lots of pilots who are big with muscle.

Blood pressure does a pretty good job of this. If only we took blood pressure....

I wouldn't exactly call those guys healthy or "fit". Some of them maintain a balance and some of them go bat **** crazy trying to "build muscle". They can't run a couple miles, participate in things like rock-climbing or compete in ironmans, because they've focused so much on one aspect. There are medical problems associated with doing this, from the supplements and the disproportionate muscle bulk.

In any case, this is just like one of those yahoo articles where "plus sized models" with no tone or general fitness are featured, and then every fat lazy woman on the planet comes into the thread to defend them. Course the "difference" here is that we are mostly guys, but defending a sedentary lifestyle is a lost cause IMO. We weren't made to sit in cockpits for 10hrs a day. That doesn't mean we can't do that and still be healthy, but it takes a certain commitment. The commitment is lacking in many cases. Should it be regulated? I'm not sure, but it's funny to see pilot's complain that rest rules and fatigue are more of an issue and that they should be treated more fair in this respect. If that was really the case, wouldn't we have put our foot down years ago and refused to work until fair and safe work rules were imposed? I don't want the FAA coming in and regulating every aspect of aviation, but this would seem like one of those areas where we only have ourselves to blame?

Evan Stone or Ron Jeremy.... Who cares, they both get a lot more clam and clams than I do....

This.

Right now its easy to jump on the bandwagon that anyone with a BMI 40 or more is really fat, and needs to get in better shape, stop eating crap, etc. But what about when they lower that threshold as they have stated they intend to?

Also, its not like the BMI measurement is full of scientific credibility or anything. It kind of reminds me of the whole Air Force waist measurement PT test debacle. A lot of people who work out and are fit and muscular have BMI's in the overweight and even some in the obese ranges. Also, a lot of people with normal BMI's in poor health and fitness.

Even if they make the cut off at a BMI classified as 'overweight' that is going to force a lot of people who are otherwise healthy, and many gym-goers to pay for a really expensive test to prove they are fit to fly. I guess pilots better stay away from Crossfit and the weight room (at least until they upgrade to captain and can afford the test :D)

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!

I'm sorry but I must be confused. I didn't realize as regional airline pilots, we are fighting the war and need fit people. If you weigh 280lbs, fine. Who cares. So you say there are health implications? I have a friend who, at age 18 and in the best shape of his life had a stroke. Another friend whose dad, a marathoner died of a heart attack at work. Just because you don't like the way someone looks or eats, if they fall within the regulations with respect to blood pressure, diabetes, and what ever else, they are healthy. Looking for reasons to make pilots skinny is ridiculous.