Why do pilots need a medical

by "Andrew Sarangan" Nov 16, 2005 at 07:27 PM


The recent questions about medical certificate, paper trail, sport
pilot etc.. etc..got me thinking. What is the reasoning behind
requiring a medical for pilots? Why is a minor medical condition
disqualifying for flying a Cessna 172, when the same person can drive a
20,000 lb truck on public roads? Are there statistic to show that
medically unfit pilots are a greater danger to society compared to
other activities?

Completely inaccurate and untrue. In fact, medical testing requirements
are tougher for a CDL than for a PPL. Surely some pilots out there also
have CDLs. A link to reality:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...on/medical.htm

You are comparing apples to oranges. The majority of Cessna 172 pilots
are not flying for hire. I do not have a problem with for-hire pilots
needing a medical.

You can drive a heavy truck with a regular drivers license. You don't
need a medical or a CDL.

Drug and alcohol tests for pilots are fine too. There is clear evidence
that shows that driving/flying under the influence is dangerous to the
public. However, there is no overwhelming evidence that a pilot with a
blood pressure 20 points higher than normal is so much of a hazard
that they should be barred from flying.

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote

You can drive a heavy truck with a regular drivers license. You don't
need a medical or a CDL.

Define heavy truck. If it carries 16 passengers or more, or if it has a GVW
of more than 10,000 pounds, you better have a CDL. Certain other exemptions
do apply.
--
Jim in NC

What about Uhaul trucks?

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
oups.com...
What about Uhaul trucks?

Good question. I seem to remember 12,500 pounds as the weight limit from my
CDL training long ago, but when I looked it up (a little bit ago), I came up
with the 10,000 pound limit.

I don't recall any exception for U-hauls, so it would not surprise me if
U-haul does not give a sh*t about who is driving their trucks.
--
Jim in NC

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ups.com...
The recent questions about medical certificate, paper trail, sport
pilot etc.. etc..got me thinking. What is the reasoning behind
requiring a medical for pilots? Why is a minor medical condition
disqualifying for flying a Cessna 172, when the same person can drive a
20,000 lb truck on public roads? Are there statistic to show that
medically unfit pilots are a greater danger to society compared to
other activities?


There are a lot of people at the FAA who's job it is to "review" and reject
medicals. And those people have supervisors. And those people have managers,
etc. etc. etc.

Does it make sense now?

--
Geoff
the sea hawk at wow way d0t com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
Spell checking is left as an excercise for the reader.

Why is a minor medical condition disqualifying for flying a Cessna 172, when the same person can drive a
20,000 lb truck on public roads?

I have a friend who is grounded (permanently, apparently) because of a
heart attack, but makes his living as a locomotive engineer, hauling
mile-long freight trains full of all sorts of hazardous materials.

vince norris

Except trains have dead man controls.

"vincent p. norris" wrote in message
...
Why is a minor medical condition disqualifying for flying a Cessna
172, when the same person can drive a
20,000 lb truck on public roads?

I have a friend who is grounded (permanently, apparently) because of a
heart attack, but makes his living as a locomotive engineer, hauling
mile-long freight trains full of all sorts of hazardous materials.

vince norris