Medical Applications

(Placed this in Safety due to non-RV-specific nature and medical content)

From AOPA, a story of what can happen if you lie on your medical application:

PILOT SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR LYING ON MEDICAL APPLICATION
Ronald Crews was sentenced on March 20 to 16 months in federal
prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty
in 2007 to four counts of making false statements to a federal
agency, according to the District of Massachusetts U.S.
Attorney's Office. Crews had lied to the FAA about his diabetes
and dependence on insulin injections. The charges resulted from
an investigation into a February 2002 incident in which a
passenger, who happened to be a student pilot, landed the Cessna
402 Crews was flying for an air taxi flight after he suffered a
diabetic seizure. "While this type of incident is extremely rare,
it is a strong warning to all pilots," said Andy Cebula, AOPA
executive vice president of government affairs.

Its sad how much this really happens out there. And I can understand the feelings that are behind these poor decisions. If someone told me I couldn't fly. I don't know what I would do.

STORY TIME :

When I was in college, there was a kid who lived down the hall from me in the dorms. He was in ROTC and was looking for pilot slot someday down the road. Well one day he walked out of his room with a black-eye. We asked what happened and he told us that he was jumped by a local frat. At first we bought it and since he didn't have a roommate at the time, we had no real choice. Well this happened again several months later and this time he did have a roommate and the roommate spilled the beans that he had seizures in the shower a few times. Well, this guy bailed on college soon there after and went home to got to school in his home town.

Fast forward 5yrs and I am at USAF pilot training in Enid,OK. Its my first day on base and I am looking to in-process and get ready. Thats when I see this guys sitting the casual office. That evening it hits me, and I remember everything that happened at college. Now as an officer and a human I am put into a tight spot. I am going to have to tell someone about him and his problems. The next day I am primed and I am going to tell someone. As I walk in I am stopped by a classmate of mine who begins to tell me that someone else, his roommate there had already told someone about his problem and that he is being kicked out of the Air Force. They even took his drivers license away.

How he made it through the medical screening, I have not idea