Originally Posted by
dr dre
This isn’t a case of outdated or onerous aviation medical requirements. It’s a case of potential welfare fraud, pilots who were drawing a disability pension from the US military for mental or physical health issues, some of them claiming 100% disability, but those issues were not disclosed in an aviation medical.
It’s double dipping, and downplaying of the severity of the issues to one authority whilst exaggerating them to another for personal gain.
If they are genuinely disabled then they should receive compensation and treatment for their condition. However this must also be disclosed to the regulator and may affect their ability to hold a medical.
Seriously how can one claim a disability pension but also hold an unrestricted aviation medical? A disability pension is there to support those who are genuinely unable to work, not those who are actively working as commercial pilots. This isn’t just a simple mistake or error, this seems to be deliberate welfare fraud. They are stealing from the taxpayer.
How the VA calculates (via a points system) a disability payments percentage I won't get into here, but I think
your instinct that someone is gaming the system is on the right track.
Which, all said and done, leaves the headline to be wide of the mark.