Do U.S. airlines have their own medical examination for airline pilots?

N918KT

N918KT

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Out of hearing about the Germanwings crash, I have a question pop into my head regarding airline pilot medicals. Do airlines in the U.S. have their own medical examination for airline pilots like some other foreign airlines do? If so, would airline pilots have to pass the FAA first class medical and also the airline's medical exam?
 
We used to have an in house medical department at United. We wer required to get a company physical every year. In addition to the first class medicals . That went away many years ago. Only FAA required now.
 
Latest reports now saying Lufthansa / Germanwings knew about the co-pilots mental illness issues. A "deep depressive episode" caused a disruption with his original training with the company.
 
N918KT said:
Out of hearing about the Germanwings crash, I have a question pop into my head regarding airline pilot medicals. Do airlines in the U.S. have their own medical examination for airline pilots like some other foreign airlines do? If so, would airline pilots have to pass the FAA first class medical and also the airline's medical exam?
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I went through 2 "Astronaut" physicals with my airline (foreign) as well as a CAA physical. :eek:
 
My supplemental 121 carrier doesn't do it, just the FAA medical as required
 
rocketflyer84 said:
Latest reports now saying Lufthansa / Germanwings knew about the co-pilots mental illness issues. A "deep depressive episode" caused a disruption with his original training with the company.
Click to expand...

So, are you (we) saying that a person cannot be cured of such things? Should they never be issued a medical?
 
I am pretty sure we are expected to know and expect everything and keep anything bad from happening to any one at any time.
 
My airline gives us the option of doing a company medical with a first class BUT they get all the results. Only our managers are required to do this. I pay for my own two physicals and the company cannot get those results.

My company has a very good relationship with the pilot group. They hate us and we know it so all communications are addressed as such. 27 years and not one line Captain has crossed over to the dark side. You must give up your seniority number.

PS the company physical Doc was a pediatrician with an AME
 
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Greg Bockelman said:
So, are you (we) saying that a person cannot be cured of such things? Should they never be issued a medical?
Click to expand...

What's new is this completely reverses what Lufthansa claimed. It now appears that Lufthansa forgot, or completely ignored, the report by the FO of his severe depression.

From the NY Times today:

Lufthansa said a search of its records found an email showing that the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, had informed it of his condition as he was seeking to rejoin its training program after a monthslong absence.

Lufthansa’s statement on Tuesday came five days after its chief executive, Carsten Spohr, a former pilot, said Mr. Lubitz had been deemed by the airline to be “100 percent flightworthy without any limitations.”
Mr. Spohr said last week that candidates for flight school were chosen not only on the basis of their technical ability but also their psychological fitness. He said that Lufthansa’s screening process was considered state of the art “and we’re very proud of it.”
 
usually the unions are pretty slick at limiting company medical information/attention AFTER one is hired or off probabtion..so some will do a pre-employment physical/phsych eval and of course the mandatory pee pee test
 
Suddenly, Lufthansa and its insurers are looking at a much greater liability. Lufthansa knew about the FO's condition.

No longer can they claim as they did five days ago that they had the best system and nobody could have foreseen a suicide:

“We have no indication what could have led the co-pilot to commit this terrible act,” Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s chief executive, said at a news conference. “Such an isolated act can never be completely ruled out. The best system in the world can’t stop it.”
 
When United had the big repair center at SFO, my uncle was one of their in-house M.D.'s He did all the physicals for the pilots, flight attendants, and even the employees that worked there.... ex Navy Flight Surgeon...

Again, this was years ago, things may have changed...
 
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