Investing in your health ensures you can continue flying, but it also pays other dividends, such as lower insurance premiums and a longer, pain-free life.
Medical
Does a medical marijuana card trump an aviation certificate?
Basically — and I’m paraphrasing here for the benefit of those who think they can spot a loophole — if you work in aviation you will be drug tested. That means you have to make a decision: Do you want to party like it’s 1999 or do you want to work in aviation?
Pilots now able to track medical applications in real-time
“If you can track where your ridesharing car is or the status of a company delivering your package, pilots should be able to see online the real-time status of their application,” said Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup. “We will continue to explore how we can be more transparent with the aviation community.”
Video: How many Gs can you take?
A new video looks into why it’s important for general aviation pilots to understand their tolerance to G forces, including what factors could lead to G-force induced loss of consciousness.
What medications are OK for pilots?
Your doctor wants to prescribe a new medication for you. But you’re not sure if it’s OK to use and still fly safely. Here’s a list from the FAA Federal Air Surgeon on common medications that are OK to use and ones that aren’t (think anything that makes you sleepy).
Tips to speed up the medical process
In the inaugural episode of the Pilot Minute on the FAA’s YouTube channel, Federal Air Surgeon Susan Northrup, MD, MPH provides some tips you can use to streamline the medical certification process.
66,000 GA pilots flying under BasicMed
“We are experiencing the best safety numbers in years, even while the skies are busier than ever. The data clearly show that BasicMed has been an undeniable success,” said AOPA President Mark Baker.
On the path to a less frustrating medical
Increased overtime, additional personnel, and the ability to track your medical through the FAA special issuance process are just some of the actions taken by the new federal air surgeon to make the medical process less frustrating for pilots.
How will having COVID-19 affect your next medical?
If you are fully recovered and weren’t admitted to the Intensive Care Unit while you were sick, all should go smoothly at your next visit to the AME. That changes if you did spend some time in the ICU or have ongoing symptoms from the virus.