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MEDICAL The Genome Connection Part 2.

By James Lobet, Ganagobie's Designer, SAA No. sp 1709

CAN YOU PASS YOUR NEXT MEDICAL?

This article has been printed in November 1982 in Plane & Pilot Magazine,  note this
was 23 years ago and since a lot of progress and flexibility have been done  overseas.

	You are smiling as you walk out of your AME's office. You passed your aviation medical
examiner's exam, and you knew you have a problem but he didn’t catch it.
	Some 30-90 days after you get a registered letter from the FAA's medical review
department in Oklahoma city. It says, “After careful review of your past medical history, it has
been decided you do not meet the minimum standard for a third class medical” (PPL).

	Shocked, you phone your AME and ask what happened. The piece of paper in your hand
as you walked out of the ÂME’s office is now worthless and you are grounded.

	This situation was quite common a few years ago, (before 1982), but the general climate
has changed - not a full 180. but at least a steep 90-degree turn. Things are looking up for the
pilot,airline or private, who have a specific and a treatable medical problem. In fact things have
never been BETTER, “provided the medical deficiency or disease has been determined that
such action (issuance of medical certificate) DOES NOT COMPROMISE air safety”.

	According to a recent report from the FAA’s Office of Aviation Medicine at the CIVIL
AEROMEDICAL INSTITUTE in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma authored by Charles F Booze, Jr,
“as of January 1,1980, an unprecedented 827,592 active airmen in 1982 were medically
certified. Medical certification criteria have changed dramatically in favor of airmen during
recent years as a result of the EVOLUTION of AVIATION MEDICINE and INCREASED
EFFORTS in the AREA of AEROMEDICAL RESEARCH. During recent years, for example,
standards have been relaxed with respect to contact lens use and medication allowed for the
control of hypertension.”

	What happen after you take an FAA medical? One of two things: The doctor can issue you
a medical certificate (which may be revocked within 90 days) or he makes no decision and just
forwards all documents and information to Oklahoma City where a computer program digests it
all. Federal Aviation Regulations, Part 67, specify that a medical certificate will be denied if an
applicant has an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of the following conditions:

* a personality disorder that is severe enough to have repeatedly manifested
itself by other acts.
* a psychosis
* alcoholism
* drug dependence
* epilepsy
* disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation of the
cause
* myocardial infarction (heart attack)
* angina pectoris or other evidence of coronary disease
* diabetes mellitus, requiring insulin or other hypoglycemic drug for control

	But states Booze in his official report. “Certification is possible despite existence of one of
the above disqualifying medical conditions if exemption from the regulations is granted after
extensive medical review by FAA and consultant specialists. Three primary considerations in
such exemption cases are history, prognosis and potential risk of sudden incapacitation. It is
appropriate to note, however, that airmen with disqualifying conditions are issued medical