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AOPA Fed Up With Medical Reform Delays


gbigs

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The AOPA apparently thinks it's going to bully the FAA and NTSB into letting pilots 'self-assess' their fitness to fly.  Anyone taking bets on this one?

 

http://www.flyingmag.com/news/aopa-fed-medical-reform-delays?cmpid=enews011515&spPodID=030&spMailingID=21980358&spUserID=NDcyODMyMzM0MjUS1&spJobID=481784240&spReportId=NDgxNzg0MjQwS0

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Pilots have already had to 'self-assess' their fitness to fly before every flight. This isn't anything new. The FAA doesn't need to LET pilots self-assess, they already do, or should be. Not sure why the NTSB would have any jurisdiction over this.

 

All pilots, whatever the level of their certificate or medical, should self-assess their fitness for flight, and many use this from the AIM:-

 

. PERSONAL CHECKLIST. I'm physically and mentally safe to fly; not being impaired by:

Illness

Medication

 

Stress

Alcohol

Fatigue

Emotion

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Pilots have already had to 'self-assess' their fitness to fly before every flight. This isn't anything new. The FAA doesn't need to LET pilots self-assess, they already do, or should be. Not sure why the NTSB would have any jurisdiction over this.

 

All pilots, whatever the level of their certificate or medical, should self-assess their fitness for flight, and many use this from the AIM:-

 

. PERSONAL CHECKLIST. I'm physically and mentally safe to fly; not being impaired by:

Illness

Medication

 

Stress

Alcohol

Fatigue

Emotion

 

Not quite.  Pilots self-assess whether they are tired or are affected by drugs or alcohol. They DO NOT self-asses a medical condition that would cause them to flunk a medical exam given by an AME.  And that's the point in the end.

 

If the FAA changes the rule and allows pilots to self-assess their general medical fitness to fly, then there is no reason to have ANY medical exam at ANY level.

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Not quite.  Pilots self-assess whether they are tired or are affected by drugs or alcohol. They DO NOT self-asses a medical condition that would cause them to flunk a medical exam given by an AME.  And that's the point in the end.

 

If the FAA changes the rule and allows pilots to self-assess their general medical fitness to fly, then there is no reason to have ANY medical exam at ANY level.

 

  I don't know whether you're being deliberately obtuse or whether you simply don't get it?

 

Pilots self-assess their fitness to fly to include illness.  Any medical exam is a snap-shot of their medical condition THAT day at THAT moment. If  YOU have a 3rd class medical it's that same snap-shot on THAT day and you wouldn't have had one for 2 years prior and won't be required to have another for a further 2 years. So YOU take a 3rd Class medical on one day in 4 years and imply that YOU are somehow not required to self-assess you're own medical condition prior to each flight?

  You imply that pilot's would 'self-diagnosing' all or any possible medical condition prior to every flight. If that were true why doesn't the FAA require a medical before every flight? Why does the FAA allow YOU to take one basic medical once in a 4 year period?

  How do we know that YOU wouldn't , as you say, 'flunk' a medical  with a medical condition a few hours after you take your medical?  How do we know that YOU don't have a medically disqualifying condition right now? Do we take your word for it that you self-assess yourself or do you not bother?

 

You just wrote:-" If the FAA changes the the rule and allows pilots to self assess their general medical fitness to fly" well they already do. 

 

 

. PERSONAL CHECKLIST. I'm physically and mentally safe to fly; not being impaired by:

Illness

Medication

 Stress

Alcohol

Fatigue

Emotion

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Not quite.  Pilots self-assess whether they are tired or are affected by drugs or alcohol. They DO NOT self-asses a medical condition that would cause them to flunk a medical exam given by an AME.  And that's the point in the end.

 

If the FAA changes the rule and allows pilots to self-assess their general medical fitness to fly, then there is no reason to have ANY medical exam at ANY level.

 

Reading the crap you post is a total waste of time.

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Not quite.  Pilots self-assess whether they are tired or are affected by drugs or alcohol. They DO NOT self-asses a medical condition that would cause them to flunk a medical exam given by an AME.  And that's the point in the end.

 

If the FAA changes the rule and allows pilots to self-assess their general medical fitness to fly, then there is no reason to have ANY medical exam at ANY level.

Maybe you should take a look at CFR 61.53.

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IMSAFE is NOT a self assess for a broad medical history or AME check...

 That's right…never said it was. it's a personal self assessment that each pilot does, or should do, prior to getting into an airplane to fly. At every certificate and medical level. As I've said numerous times and to which seem unable to get your head around. As I said before, and which you conveniently ignored, what do YOU do prior to each flight? Do you consider whether you're physically and mentally prepared to fly your plane? This is what's in the AIM and this is what's intended. NOT asking a pilot to diagnose himself instead of a physician. IF the pilot feels he HAS a significant condition which would void his medical then he's required to ground himself and seek further medical guidance.

 

Again:-

 

. PERSONAL CHECKLIST. I'm physically and mentally safe to fly; not being impaired by:

Illness

Medication

 Stress

Alcohol

Fatigue

Emotion

 Your right it's not a broad medical history but that's what your personal physician can review with you if you feel you have an issue.

 

You're right it's not an AME 'check'…that's why you go to an AME to provide a recent medical history and have them give you an aviation oriented flight physical when you need your medical renewed.

 

 You seem fixated on self-assessment being a pilot assessing serious medical conditions and deciding themselves whether they would or would not pass an FAA medical. That's not what self-assessing means in this context.

 

As someone posted above have a good read of CFR 61.53.

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If the FAA changes the rule and allows pilots to self-assess their general medical fitness to fly, then there is no reason to have ANY medical exam at ANY level.

 

Finally we agree.  ALL pilots are required to self-assess their general fitness for flight, before every flight.

 

And there is no real need for medicals, they don't do much for safety.  Think about it -- medical incapacitation accounts for something like 0.2% of accidents, and since 2005 there has not been a *single* medical incapacitation incident/accident of a Sport Pilot or other pilot flying under SP privileges.  If medicals were so vital, surely we'd see some spectacular incidents of pilots going to their fiery demise if they don't have them...right?

 

And for the ops where medicals might have merit, namely commercial carrier ops, they are conducted exclusively with multiple pilots on board.  In fact, a Captain with a CLASS 1 medical recently expired in flight from a MI and his First Officer continued the flight.  How did his 'rigorous' medical add to the safety of that flight?

 

Let the carriers and operators decide what medical qualifications to demand of their pilots, since they have all the liability anyway.

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Finally we agree.  ALL pilots are required to self-assess their general fitness for flight, before every flight.

 

And there is no real need for medicals, they don't do much for safety.  Think about it -- medical incapacitation accounts for something like 0.2% of accidents, and since 2005 there has not been a *single* medical incapacitation incident/accident of a Sport Pilot or other pilot flying under SP privileges.  If medicals were so vital, surely we'd see some spectacular incidents of pilots going to their fiery demise if they don't have them...right?

 

And for the ops where medicals might have merit, namely commercial carrier ops, they are conducted exclusively with multiple pilots on board.  In fact, a Captain with a CLASS 1 medical recently expired in flight from a MI and his First Officer continued the flight.  How did his 'rigorous' medical add to the safety of that flight?

 

Let the carriers and operators decide what medical qualifications to demand of their pilots, since they have all the liability anyway.

 

You are not clever enough to spin it.... IMSAFE is NOT the same as an AME exam.  And since you have never gotten an AME exam you may want to read on.

 

General testing:

Eye Muscle, Rod, Depth and Color Tests

Urine Testing for Albumin and Glucose

Height and Weight Tests

Electrocardiographic Exam

Audiometric Exam

 

AMEs are looking for:

Coronary heart disease including Angina pectoris or Mycardial issues

Cardiac valve replacements

Heart replacement or Permanent pacemakers

Diabetes mellitus requiring insulin or other hypoglycemic medication

Brain tumors, epilepsy or neurological disorders

Personality disorders requiring medication

Psychosis

Bipolar and other personality disorders

History or current prognosis of cancer

Loss of bladder control

History of or current substance abuse

 

Here is the full FAA AME guide, pay close attention to Page 188, disqualifying medical conditions: 

 

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/media/guide.pdf

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"IMSAFE is NOT the same as an AME exam. "

 

The only person who says this is,..YOU!  And you're wrong.

 

You refuse to read the actual regs like CFR 61.53 and CFR 61.23.  

 

I think you're just being deliberately thick and obtuse and frankly I'm leaving it to you to try and figure out. Good luck.

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100 Ham, so you don't have to go look it up.

 

§61.53 Prohibition on operations during medical deficiency.

 

(a) Operations that require a medical certificate. Except as provided for in paragraph ( B) of this section, no person who holds a medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter may act as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember, while that person:

 

(1) Knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would make the person unable to meet the requirements for the medical certificate necessary for the pilot operation; or

 

(2) Is taking medication or receiving other treatment for a medical condition that results in the person being unable to meet the requirements for the medical certificate necessary for the pilot operation.

 

This puts it on the pilot who holds a medical certificate to determine for every flight that they are OK to make that flight.

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  I don't know whether you're being deliberately obtuse or whether you simply don't get it?

 

Pilots self-assess their fitness to fly to include illness.  Any medical exam is a snap-shot of their medical condition THAT day at THAT moment. If  YOU have a 3rd class medical it's that same snap-shot on THAT day and you wouldn't have had one for 2 years prior and won't be required to have another for a further 2 years. So YOU take a 3rd Class medical on one day in 4 years and imply that YOU are somehow not required to self-assess you're own medical condition prior to each flight?

  You imply that pilot's would 'self-diagnosing' all or any possible medical condition prior to every flight. If that were true why doesn't the FAA require a medical before every flight? Why does the FAA allow YOU to take one basic medical once in a 4 year period?

  How do we know that YOU wouldn't , as you say, 'flunk' a medical  with a medical condition a few hours after you take your medical?  How do we know that YOU don't have a medically disqualifying condition right now? Do we take your word for it that you self-assess yourself or do you not bother?

 

You just wrote:-" If the FAA changes the the rule and allows pilots to self assess their general medical fitness to fly" well they already do. 

 

 

. PERSONAL CHECKLIST. I'm physically and mentally safe to fly; not being impaired by:

Illness

Medication

 Stress

Alcohol

Fatigue

Emotion

To your point, you can get Cancer and die in between your 2 year medical exam.

 

Cheers

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