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  #71  
Old 11-20-2013, 10:55 AM
TThurston TThurston is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Orem, UT
Posts: 213
Wink Obese people driving cars

I'm so glad this issue was raised. I often drive my automobile on the interstate surrounded by other cars. I'm sure many of them are obese. Now that I'm aware that the obese drivers are likely to fall asleep and crash into me, I guess I'll just have avoid driving whenever there might be an obese driver out there in another car.
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  #72  
Old 11-20-2013, 11:43 AM
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az_gila az_gila is offline
 
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Exclamation

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike S View Post
Sounds like this all may be coming from DOT??
And we pilots are good test subjects with regular standard examinations.

It's someone science project - or PhD paper....
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  #73  
Old 11-20-2013, 01:19 PM
Mountain Time Mountain Time is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Puget Sound
Posts: 71
Default Money....

I find it interesting that all of a sudden, over the last few years, the health expenditure industry has determined that a large percentage of the adult population suffers from a debilitating medical condition, greatly increasing the risks of heart attack, strokes, etc etc., and that this must be addressed by sleep studies (expensive, often not covered by insurance, and- so far as I know - relying on criteria that may not be agreed upon within the medical profession or properly vetted from an epidemiological standpoint) and expensive equipment that the alleged sufferers must use for the rest of their lives.

Just for the morbidly obese? Nope - though they get to be the initial targets, since they are used to being criticized and told they have lots of health problems (often correctly). But of course, we are then told that skinny people have lots of this problem too, so they need to be "evaluated."

We may have a higher percentage of significantly overweight people than in the past, but the idea that there has been a widespread, deadly medical condition present in our adult population for as long as there has been snoring? And that people are now falling asleep in their chairs during the day because of it?

I don't doubt that some people suffer from OSA and benefit greatly from treatment. But I don't buy the idea that it is a widespread condition that warrants this level of attention, or that it creates a significant hazard to others, in any context. I think the explosion in sleep apnea screening, diagnosis, treatment, etc. is simply a question of a health expenditure industry that sees BIG profits from classifying a big chunk of the population as sick, and then selling them equipment and followup care for the rest of their lives.
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  #74  
Old 11-20-2013, 02:00 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Location: SC
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Default

One of my college roommates made left seat flying biz jets when we were about 28. He was thin as a rail, was very careful about what he ate, ran marathons, and kept very active. His BMI index would have been down about 2, he was that thin.

Then, the week before a big marathon he was out on his last run before the big event and he felt some chest pains. Two stints later he is out of a career and unemployed.

By the FAA standards presented even today he would pass his first class medical. As it turns out, his body is incapable of removing cholesterol so today he survives on a diet of shrubbery and doesn't fly.

What next, will we all have to submit our DNA for evaluation for something that "might" happen?

For those of you who don't think this impacts you, yes it does. If the FAA reduces the pilot population, like they are talking about, then all these nice shiny toys we are building or have built will drop in value. Then they will all be boxed up and sent overseas or to South America because they will be able to buy them for pennies on the dollar.
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  #75  
Old 11-20-2013, 05:24 PM
jclark jclark is offline
 
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Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 804
Default EAA looking at this as well ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR View Post
AOPA is already on it.
And so is EAA ...

http://eaa.org/news/2013/2013-11-20_...g-proposal.asp


James
(Just back from my first EAA Board Meeting. Good stuff happening.)
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  #76  
Old 11-20-2013, 05:58 PM
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Snowflake Snowflake is offline
 
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Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR View Post
If the FAA reduces the pilot population, like they are talking about, then all these nice shiny toys we are building or have built will drop in value. Then they will all be boxed up and sent overseas or to South America because they will be able to buy them for pennies on the dollar.
I predict a surge in backcountry flying by aircraft with no registration marks and on-board home-made radar jamming devices.
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  #77  
Old 11-20-2013, 05:58 PM
John Owen John Owen is offline
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Liberty, MO
Posts: 252
Default

CB,

You beat me to it. That was the reference and the news release for what we are doing on the EAA aeromedical council. I think that we have some traction.

Doc Owen
RV-8
  #78  
Old 11-20-2013, 07:07 PM
BobTurner BobTurner is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Livermore, CA
Posts: 6,797
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowflake View Post
I predict a surge in backcountry flying by aircraft with no registration marks and on-board home-made radar jamming devices.
Why backcountry? No registration? I think you would be shocked at the number of people at any given time who are flying illegally. Some simply forgot it was time to renew, some forgot they were 40 at their last medical, some know they have disqualifying conditions, some know they won't pass if they're honest so they lie, some just don't renew but keep flying.

My point is that all the rules in the world don't matter if there's no enforcement, and in fact there is very little. If pilots perceive this new rule as ridiculous some will just ignore the rules altogether.
  #79  
Old 11-22-2013, 08:48 AM
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walkman walkman is offline
 
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Location: Atlanta
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by N15JB View Post
Many of the previous posts make valid points about what appears to be a precipitous and perhaps overreaching policy. On the other hand, a male of average height with a BMI of 40 is approximately 100 lbs. overweight; morbidly obese. Most will have obstructive sleep apnea, and many will also be hypertensive and diabetic. If that describes you, I understand that you want to continue to fly, whether or not it is prudent. Would you want to be a passenger of such a pilot?

Several posters have commented on the shortcomings of the BMI. It is actually a reasonably good screening tool, even though it does not distinguish between an increase in fat versus muscle. The occasional power lifter or body builder packing an extra 50-100 lbs. of muscle is at nearly as much health risk as an individual carrying an equivalent amount of fat. The extra pounds put added stress on heart and lungs, either way. Very few people in this country with a BMI of 40 are not obese.

Flame suit on!

Jim Berry
RV-10
Its a nonesense measurement and is useless for the purpose for which it is being proposed.

I'm at exactly the same BMI now as I was 3 years ago, roughly 28. I have less than 14% body fat now (shooting for single digits), and have put on almost 15 lbs of muscle in those three years. It does not take into account anything to do with actual health, but purports to measure exactly that.
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  #80  
Old 11-22-2013, 08:58 AM
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walkman walkman is offline
 
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Location: Atlanta
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR View Post
If the FAA reduces the pilot population, like they are talking about, then all these nice shiny toys we are building or have built will drop in value. Then they will all be boxed up and sent overseas or to South America because they will be able to buy them for pennies on the dollar.
I'm thinking I'll probably retire there anywhere :-) It almost certainly won't be in the US!
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