FAA regulations require only Part 121 airline captains to hold a Class I medical certificate, which must be renewed every six months. However, most airlines want even their most junior applicants to have a first-class medical certificate.
In your quest to know as much as possible about your health status, as well as to remain certified even if doing so requires an FAA waiver, you need a knowledgeable doctor with a reputation for helping overcome problems rather than for hiding them or for flunking the pilots. The doctor you consult should be, of course, an aviation medical examiner (AME).
Finding an AME
The FAA has designated certain doctors as AMEs. Of this group, only those who are designated "Senior AMEs" can give Class I medical exams.
Local FAA flight services offices have a directory of AMEs, coded to show which doctors are senior AMEs. For each physician, the directory lists name, address, phone number, and specialty. You might ask someone in your FAA flight services office for the name of a senior AME with a reputation for fair, honest, helpful conduct.
You also might try calling one or two of the airlines with domiciles or corporate offices closest to your home and asking for the name of a senior AME used by their pilots.
County medical societies and hospital physician referral services often can tell you which local physicians specialize in aviation medicine.
ALPA's Aero medical Office can help a member find an FAA examiner with excellent medical qualifications, concern for pilots, and a clear understanding of his or her authority, according to Captain Dick Stone, ALPA executive chairman for aero medical resources and a Delta pilot.
Giving Yourself a Physical Edge
By Richard p. Reinhart, M.D.
A pilot needs to follow a practical regimen going into a physical examination, whether the exam is for FAA Class I certification or for an airline's pre-employment screening.
Although the FAA does not require anyone but a Part 121 airline captain to hold a first-class medical certificate, virtually all airlines (some spurred by their insurance carriers) require first and second officers to pass a Class I medical at least once a year. This policy severely limits career opportunities for pilots who cannot pass a Class I medical exam. Air-fines want pilots who can move into the left seat They want to determine whether or not you are currently a safe and predictably pro-ductive pilot The airline wants to know if you have a medical problem (of which you may be unaware) mat could compromise flight safety or future FAA certification.
It also wants to ensure that you will remain a safe and productive pilot during the term of your employment and that you will be able to continue working to age 60. What the company is looking for is an individual who does not show a significant risk of developing problems in the next 10 to 20 years.
In other words, pre-employment criteria at most airlines are higher than FAA Class I medical standards. Some airlines do not even hire smokers, preferring to avoid possible problems down the road.
Other health-related causes of rejection by airlines include:
- Not knowing your true health. Feeling OK
can yield a false sense of your medical status. The only way you can know your true status is to have a good physical comparable to that which you can expect to undergo at a company.
- No documentation of "abnormals" A doctor's statement simply alleging that your condition is no problem and that the company is overreacting will not satisfy company requirements.
If you know you have an abnormality, you must undergo advance testing and document the results.
- Poor control of risk factors. If you are a smoker or chew tobacco, are overweight, are not following an adequate diet, or are avoiding an exercise program, these are situations that you are failing to control. These failures are an indication to a company of your poor judgment and lack of motivation. A company is not interested in anybody who takes health so lightly.
- Cramming for the physical. "Crash" diet or exercise programs begun just a few days before the examination can cause problems. For example, a crash diet can affect your blood pressure, EKG, or urine dipstick tests. You know what you have to do to present yourself in excellent health and condition. If you have not been doing these things, however, or have too recently begun doing them, it will be far better to abstain from crash programs and go as you are to the exam.
- Presenting yourself tired, dehydrated and fatigued. We are talking common sense. For instance, a pilot with eyestrain from studying all night for a check ride may not be able to see 20/20. Fatigue (or even a cold) can raise blood pressure. Review the various causes of fatigue, which in elude lack of sleep, poor nutrition, excessive coffee, previous alcohol intake, too much noise, and so on. Then act accordingly.
- Most important, not taking the physical seriously. This is an indication of a poor attitude; the company does not want pilots who are not taking good care of themselves. An example of behavior that might suggest a cavalier attitude: coming straight from a long, noisy flight to undergo your physical exam. A pilot who does not wear ear plugs on the flight or fails to leave enough time between the flight and the exam may not pass the audiogram test.
Focus on your overall health, well-being, and longevity. This sensible behavior will help you not only with an upcoming physical exam, but also with continuing to get Class IFAA certification.
