BMI of >> 40
- Thread starter My Flight Surgeon
- Start date
Seggy
Well-Known Member
Aaaaahhhhhhh, he used performance enhancing drugs. Are you saying pilots should do that to get in shape?
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
No juicing 8 hours prior to flight.
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
I did get some information from the ALPA Aeromedical guy yesterday but he didn't mention that there is a bill out there on the subject.
Frederick, MD – The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) on Thursday expressed its support for a U.S. House of Representatives bill that would require the FAA to go through the rulemaking process before implementing new policies regarding sleep disorders.
The bill was created in response to a surprise FAA policy change that would require pilots with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 to be tested for obstructive sleep apnea by a board-certified sleep specialist. Pilots diagnosed with the disorder would have to be treated before being allowed to fly. Over time, the policy would expand to include testing for pilots with lower BMIs.
“We are grateful to our friends in Congress who stepped forward to offer this legislation,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “The policy change is arbitrary and capricious and doesn’t make sense given the data.”
A detailed review of a decade’s worth of fatal general aviation accidents found no cases in which sleep apnea was a causal or contributing factor, but AOPA estimates the expanded testing policy could cost pilots between $99 million and $347 million in medical fees alone. The policy would also have added significantly to the 55,000-case backlog of special issuance medicals awaiting FAA attention.
The measure is sponsored by Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-New Jersey), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee; Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington), Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee; Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri), co-chair of the House General Aviation Caucus; Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois); Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Indiana); Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina); and Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pennsylvania). All are members of the House General Aviation Caucus.
Frederick, MD – The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) on Thursday expressed its support for a U.S. House of Representatives bill that would require the FAA to go through the rulemaking process before implementing new policies regarding sleep disorders.
The bill was created in response to a surprise FAA policy change that would require pilots with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 to be tested for obstructive sleep apnea by a board-certified sleep specialist. Pilots diagnosed with the disorder would have to be treated before being allowed to fly. Over time, the policy would expand to include testing for pilots with lower BMIs.
“We are grateful to our friends in Congress who stepped forward to offer this legislation,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “The policy change is arbitrary and capricious and doesn’t make sense given the data.”
A detailed review of a decade’s worth of fatal general aviation accidents found no cases in which sleep apnea was a causal or contributing factor, but AOPA estimates the expanded testing policy could cost pilots between $99 million and $347 million in medical fees alone. The policy would also have added significantly to the 55,000-case backlog of special issuance medicals awaiting FAA attention.
The measure is sponsored by Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-New Jersey), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee; Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington), Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee; Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri), co-chair of the House General Aviation Caucus; Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois); Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Indiana); Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina); and Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pennsylvania). All are members of the House General Aviation Caucus.
exneophyte
Well-Known Member
Holy crap, there's already 55,000 special issuances waiting to be processed. That's a lot!
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
Seggy said:
I doubt it. Based on the voicemail I got last night, sounds like there isn't much info to give. They're working the issue, but it's playing catchup, because the FAA didn't bother to give any industry stakeholders advance notice, let alone request input.
Seggy
Well-Known Member
Dugie8
Well-Known Member
That's not a good thing.
pete2800
'Member?
Dexter
Hop off there, Blonde Ambition Tour
I think the high BMI numbers would be a bit easier on the bigger fellow's egos than seeing their actual body fat percentage. 5'10 175 isn't exactly skin and bones. In some places in this world that's considered normal. I see no issues with the BMI scenario as many foreign carriers already have a 30 BMI limit in place. You'll also find a lot of studies that show instead of strict diet, exercise, etc. the easiest way to be "healthy" and have good vital signs is to, simply, be smaller than you currently are.
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Seggy
Well-Known Member
Statement from ALPA about this...
November 22, 2013
FAA’S POLICY STATEMENT ON SLEEP APNEA: UPDATE
Yesterday’s FastRead (November 21, 2013) notified the membership that ALPA was aware of the FAA’s new policy on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and that we were engaging the FAA and industry on this matter. ALPA has maintained a steady dialogue with FAA and industry stakeholders. As a result of our follow up with the FAA’s leadership, we were informed today that the proposed policy statement on OSA is just that and no more; no decision has been made by the FAA to implement the OSA policy statement. ALPA has requested that the FAA send out a bulletin to their Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) as soon as possible to affirm the fact that no policy change has taken place. We continue to collaborate with FAA and other industry stakeholders who share our concerns with the OSA statement.
Despite the FAA’s stance, it has come to ALPA’s attention that some AMEs may be proceeding with new body mass-related sleep apnea screening protocols and may proactively seek to determine whether a pilot suffers from OSA as part of a medical certification exam.
Any ALPA member who is told that they must have a mandatory sleep apnea assessment in accordance with the FAA’s policy statement should report it to ALPA’s Aeromedical Office at 1-866-237-6633.
To learn about OSA, its effects, treatments and more, visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website. ALPA will provide additional information about the status of our OSA efforts as it becomes available.
November 22, 2013
FAA’S POLICY STATEMENT ON SLEEP APNEA: UPDATE
Yesterday’s FastRead (November 21, 2013) notified the membership that ALPA was aware of the FAA’s new policy on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and that we were engaging the FAA and industry on this matter. ALPA has maintained a steady dialogue with FAA and industry stakeholders. As a result of our follow up with the FAA’s leadership, we were informed today that the proposed policy statement on OSA is just that and no more; no decision has been made by the FAA to implement the OSA policy statement. ALPA has requested that the FAA send out a bulletin to their Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) as soon as possible to affirm the fact that no policy change has taken place. We continue to collaborate with FAA and other industry stakeholders who share our concerns with the OSA statement.
Despite the FAA’s stance, it has come to ALPA’s attention that some AMEs may be proceeding with new body mass-related sleep apnea screening protocols and may proactively seek to determine whether a pilot suffers from OSA as part of a medical certification exam.
Any ALPA member who is told that they must have a mandatory sleep apnea assessment in accordance with the FAA’s policy statement should report it to ALPA’s Aeromedical Office at 1-866-237-6633.
To learn about OSA, its effects, treatments and more, visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website. ALPA will provide additional information about the status of our OSA efforts as it becomes available.
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
Want to bet?
Sure is nice when the Council gets a voicemail saying we don't have any information and were caught completely by surprise, only to see this email go out to the general membership just 18 hours later without the Council getting any updates in between.
I think I may buy der fuhrer an Emirates airplane model for Christmas. I can't think of anything else that would be a bigger FU.
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
Who sent this out? I spoke to I thought he said was the National MEC Aeromedical guy, but I could be wrong. Not exactly what he told me.
Seggy
Well-Known Member
ALPA sent this out. They have a FastRead System which is basically a blast email chain for things like this. You will probably added to that list shortly I am sure.
You may have spoken to John Taylor, who in fact is the National Aeromedical Chair and a XJT Pilot. There was a big conference call today with the ALPA Pilot Assistance Committee (I am the Vice Chair of the Pilot Assistance Committee) which encompasses the Aeromedical Committee (with four other Committees), a ton of staff members in the know, and the ALPA Aeromedical Service. John Taylor couldn't make the call, but there are a lot of moving pieces with this and false information out there so don't fault him if he said something different yesterday as there are conflicting aspects of what the FAA has and hasn't put out. John does fantastic work.
Today, we were briefed on exactly what is going on with this proposed policy and then the above FastRead was sent out.
You may have spoken to John Taylor, who in fact is the National Aeromedical Chair and a XJT Pilot. There was a big conference call today with the ALPA Pilot Assistance Committee (I am the Vice Chair of the Pilot Assistance Committee) which encompasses the Aeromedical Committee (with four other Committees), a ton of staff members in the know, and the ALPA Aeromedical Service. John Taylor couldn't make the call, but there are a lot of moving pieces with this and false information out there so don't fault him if he said something different yesterday as there are conflicting aspects of what the FAA has and hasn't put out. John does fantastic work.
Today, we were briefed on exactly what is going on with this proposed policy and then the above FastRead was sent out.