The experts verified that, although the pilots had to undergo periodic medical examinations, in practice all the medical controls turned out to be a mere formality.
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In the United States, a scandal breaks out that affects thousands of civil and commercial aviation pilots. According to the Washington Post, authorities have begun testing some 5,000 pilots suspected of falsifying medical reports. It is feared that they have withheld information about the presence of mental disorders and other diseases that could end his career as a pilot.
Nearly all of the suspected pilots have military experience under their belts, and some of them receive veterans’ disability benefits. However, they kept quiet about the latter fact (often on the advice of paramedics during a pre-flight inspection), and this, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), may prevent them from properly managing the ship.
The experts verified that, although the pilots had to undergo periodic medical examinations, in practice all the medical controls turned out to be a mere formality. In many ways, they were carried out with the expectation of honesty from the pilot. But in fact, it turned out that many underestimated the number of his illnesses and health problems in order to continue to fly, but during checks in other departments they exaggerated his ailments in order to receive more disability payments.
Made from hiding information about health and benefits, researchers discovered in documents from two years ago. Now about 4.8 thousand pilots have been tested (this is almost 7% of the 70 thousand pilots included in the International Association of Pilots of the USA and Canada). Of these, 600 people have a civil aviation pilot license. Most of the rest have a commercial license that allows them to fly on a contract basis, partnering with cargo, corporate or travel companies.
Only 60 people on this list of many thousands caused the most serious concerns among the inspectors. These pilots “pose a clear threat to aviation safety,” said Matthew Lehner, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. They were ordered to stop the emergency flights and wait for the check to be completed.
Since 2018, at least 10 pilots have been prosecuted for hiding benefits for disability and health problems. Two pilots were noticed when planes sustained damage from them.
However, this is not the first time a major FAA investigation has taken place. Similar controls were carried out in 2019. In March this year, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association petitioned the Office to declare an amnesty for pilots who were the victims of checks. It has been observed that pilots sometimes inadvertently make mistakes in medical certificates, which contain general questions that are difficult to understand.
