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U.S. to screen obese pilots, controllers for sleep apnea

Overweight U.S. pilots and air traffic controllers will soon need to be screened for sleep apnea, a condition that can cause daytime sleepiness and potentially jeopardize passenger safety, according to a new federal policy.

The Federal Aviation Administration's chief medical officer told physicians in a recent memo that they will shortly be required to calculate the body mass index (BMI) of pilots and controllers and send those with a BMI of 40 or more to be evaluated by a sleep specialist.

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