Originally Posted by
GlobalNav
Disagree, but I understand most on this forum would agree.
What needs to be updated is the breadth, depth and integrity of aviation medical examinations. The system as it is is too loose and ineffective.
Of course, FAA pilot regulation is made by those who sympathize more with pilots than with public safety. Another case of a system of delegated authority with ineffective oversight.
I’m personally insulted as a Senior FAA AME by your comments.
You realize that this ‘Investigation’ was simply cross-referencing the database of military veterans who were claiming disability benefits, mostly for PTSD, which the Veterans Administration pushed them to claim, with the FAA 8500-8 database which asks (not verbatim) “Are you disabled?”
A “disabled” veteran who wants to be a pilot can’t simply say “I don’t want my $400/month disability benefit anymore, because I’m a gainfully employed individual without psychiatric issues now that I’m back from the sand pit”…
But go ahead, blame the FAA, (and explicitly accuse all of us AME’s who sure as heck aren’t doing this on the government tit, of a lack of integrity)
We do our (basically voluntary) jobs to the highest standards, and to the best of our abilities….