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11-18-2013, 02:49 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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BMI & OSA: New Hurdles To Jump Thru For Medical Certification
Since I fit the profile of the profiling that is about to start by the FAA's aeromedical group, check out this news:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news...s220978-1.html
Notice that the new policy has no limiter. Might as well have said that all pilots will be required to be tested and treated for OSA!
"Once we have appropriately dealt with every airman examinee
who has a BMI of 40 or greater, we will gradually expand the
testing pool by going to lower BMI measurements until we
have identified and assured treatment for every airman with
OSA."
To identify and assure treatment for every airman with OSA means that all pilots will eventually have to be evaluated. There are millions of people out there with normal BMI's that have OSA. Ask most any sleep doctor and they will tell you that OSA is a risk factor for obesity not the other way around.
Where do they get these people?
Starting soon at a AME near you, have a BMI higher than 40 (soon to be lowered per the policy letter)? Well guess what, you just earned a trip to the sleep doctor for a bunch of time consuming and expensive test!
Here is a BMI calculator for those that may be interested:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/...MI/bmicalc.htm
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11-18-2013, 03:24 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Meridian ID, Aspen CO, Okemos MI
Posts: 2,645
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Unbelievable. I am amazed everyday with more regulations and ways they think they can "fix" anything. Cradle to grave protecting me from myself.
__________________
rockwoodrv9a
Williamston MI
O-320 D2A
Awaiting DAR Inspection
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11-18-2013, 03:33 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Omaha, NE (KMLE)
Posts: 2,247
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I'm even more amazed that medical professionals give ANY credibility to BMI.
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Dale
Omaha, NE
RV-12 # 222 N980KM "Screamin' Canary" (bought flying)
Fisher Celebrity (under construction)
Previous RV-7 project (sold)
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11-18-2013, 03:41 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NorCal
Posts: 565
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FYI, OSA = Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
If you have OSA it can be serious, and I've heard stories of people who had it, got it treated, and experienced an astonishing new vitality from the better sleep they were enjoying.
However the treatment is an obnoxious breathing mask thing with attendant gizmotronic box which provides a slightly elevated pressure to your mouth and nose, preventing the apnea and thus the constant stop/start breathing which is so harmful. I went into a store that provides these gadgets and everyone was obese...seems a fundamentally better treatment would be a serious plan to lose weight.
__________________
Ralph Finch
RV-9A QB-SA
Davis, CA
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11-18-2013, 03:54 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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So it sounds like those that "all sleep apnea victims" will have to pay for their AME and a sleep specialist.
Then he wants to go after anyone with an extra 20 to 30 pounds on them. Hasn't he looked at the average age of pilots today? Almost everyone over 30 years old has an extra 20 to 30 pounds on them.
It sounds like they are not going to regulate us out of the air but do it via our medicals.
Once they find out all the pilots have dropped their 3rd class medicals and switched to LSA what are they going to do?
This it total BS!
Sounds to me like they aren't going to drop the 3rd class medical.
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
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11-18-2013, 04:01 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buggsy2
I went into a store that provides these gadgets and everyone was obese...seems a fundamentally better treatment would be a serious plan to lose weight.
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Most sleep doctors will tell you that while this will help some, on average it won't cure OSA. Obviously everyone is different and there are always exceptions. Those with mild OSA this may help. Those with moderate to severe it will not on average.
Like most things there are tons of incorrect assumptions and just plain wrong information floating around.
My sleep Dr. that has almost 30 years treating sleep disorders and many other highly regarded professionals in the field claim that OSA is a major risk factor for developing obesity related issues and that most people that have it are born with it.
OSA is like heart disease, it does not care if you are obese or not. (OSA is also a huge risk factor for developing heart disease, seems like a trend here)
Last edited by Brantel : 11-18-2013 at 04:54 PM.
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11-18-2013, 04:04 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Orange County CA
Posts: 646
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BMI Woes
My company requires blood work for our health insurance plan. You have to pass three out of four values to get the lowest rate (Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol, BMI). I nailed them all, except BMI. I am way to high.
In the last year I have dropped 40 pounds and my BMI has dropped from 35 down to 30. That's still to high for my company insurance plan. If this FAA medical requirement goes through, it may be to high for them as well.
I am tired of other people telling me I am fat. I choose my lifestyle. It's my choice to loose the weight or not. Period.
__________________
_____________
Peter McCoy
RV9A N35PM S/N:91335
First Flight: April 2013
Hobbs: 400 hours after Oshkosh 2017
www.myrv9.com
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11-18-2013, 04:08 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR
This it total BS!
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You got that right!
I am not against people getting checked for OSA if they have a reason to believe they have it, I am against this type of rule making that profiles certain individuals without just cause and I am also against new rules that have no limits.
This is the first rule that targets pilots that are overweight. Where is this going to lead?
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11-18-2013, 04:28 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Federal Way, Wa
Posts: 264
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BMI of 40
According to the calculator, for someone 6ft 2in, that equates to a weight of 315lbs. Ideal weight for the same height is around 180 - 210. So this is more about 100 pounds overweight not 20 to 30 lbs. There are many other issues to be worried about at that weight. Something other than OSA will make the medical tough to keep. There already was a requirement to test for OSA if your neck size was greater than 18 inches.
I do not say this lightly. In 6 months I dopped 100 lbs this year through just controlling my consumption and working out . Talk about improved vitality! And the aircraft has gained 100 lbs of useful load without any mods. The human body is amazing on how it can correct itself if treated properly.
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Brice
RV-9A 90897 FLYING
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11-18-2013, 04:30 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 2,182
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brantel
This is the first rule that targets pilots that are overweight. Where is this going to lead?
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Only skeletons will be allowed to fly?
__________________
Neal Howard
Airplaneless once again...
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