Underweight Private Pilots?

A

Anonymous

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Hey all, I'm a twentysomething woman going for a Class 3 medical. My BMI is very low (16.0), but I'm completely healthy otherwise. Would this still give an examiner pause? Answers seem to be all over the board on this issue. Thanks!
 
Can you reach the rudder pedals? Can you see over the glare shield with a booster cushion? You’re good to go.
 
When I flew gliders we had a 16 year old girl who had to lug about 30lbs of lead bags to reach the minimum weigh for the solo glider (the twins had a fixture to install lead disks in the nose).
I spent my life 'underweight' until I moved to the US.... If you are in fact healthy otherwise, the low BMI should not be an issue.
 
I am not an AME or medical expert of any nature but I would think as long as your low weight wasn’t due to anorexia or bulimia that you will be fine. If it is caused by one of those or another emotional or psychological disorder, then you will likely face a challenge in getting a medical.

I wish you well.
 
murphey said:
Can you reach the rudder pedals? Can you see over the glare shield with a booster cushion? You’re good to go.
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A friend who is 5' 0," 105 pounds, has a custom sewn two part cushion. It looks like an old army parachute where you sit on the reserve. Neat item, and she can fit into anything ever made.
 
BMI is not an issue. If is was there would be a lot of fat pilots denied medicals.
 
Lachlan said:
Is this a serious question?
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I know some of these questions seem out there once you obtain your medical, but there is a lot of misinformation out there that turns the medical into a very scary process.

If you walk down the street and ask any 5 people wearing glasses if they could be a pilot, at least one will tell you that they can't because of their glasses. Pop culture has made getting a medical seem like an insurmountable task, and the FAA has done everything in their power to make the process clear as mud.
 
MarkH said:
I know some of these questions seem out there once you obtain your medical, but there is a lot of misinformation out there that turns the medical into a very scary process.

If you walk down the street and ask any 5 people wearing glasses if they could be a pilot, at least one will tell you that they can't because of their glasses. Pop culture has made getting a medical seem like an insurmountable task, and the FAA has done everything in their power to make the process clear as mud.
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That one person would likely be correct, or uncorrected adequately, as it were. ;)
 
Half Fast said:
Obvious troll. There’s no such thing as an underweight pilot.
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And the “twentysomething woman” part is complete troll bait. Low BMI is not restricted to any gender, now matter how you identify it. It was tossed out there as chum. Trolly troll post.
 
Clip4 said:
BMI is not an issue. If is was there would be a lot of fat pilots denied medicals.
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It pretty much came to that, or almost to that, for a while, with the "High BMI must mean Sleep Apnea, therefore prove to us you don't have it" situation 5 or so years ago.
 
Lachlan said:
And the “twentysomething woman” part is complete troll bait. Low BMI is not restricted to any gender, now matter how you identify it. It was tossed out there as chum. Trolly troll post.
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I dare you to post the "this thread is useless without pics" smilie.
 
Lachlan said:
And the “twentysomething woman” part is complete troll bait. Low BMI is not restricted to any gender, now matter how you identify it. It was tossed out there as chum. Trolly troll post.
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May or may not. Gender and age do have an impact on what is considered a healthy BMI.

Tim
 
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