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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that over 5,000 pilots who were licensed to fly in the United States were investigated on August 27 for allegedly fabricating medical records to conceal their health issues that could render them unfit to fly.
According to The Washington Post, these pilots are military veterans who claimed to the government that they were fit to fly. However, they did not mention that they had disclosed their health concerns to other officials and were getting disability benefits.
When this news came to light, netizens were taken by surprise and headed to Twitter to react to the same.
Netizens react as FAA investigates pilots who concealed health issues
The FAA is currently investigating nearly 5,000 pilots who allegedly manipulated their medical records and concealed medical issues that could jeopardize their ability to fly safely.
According to FAA spokesman Matthew Lehner, the organization has closed almost half of the cases and ordered approximately 60 pilots who "posed a clear danger to aviation safety" to cease flying while their records were being examined.
The Washington Post reported that while some veterans hid their health concerns from the FAA in order to keep their flying privileges, they exaggerated the severity of their health issues to Veteran Affairs (VA) in the USA to increase their disability benefits.
The investigation has exposed long-standing inadequacies in the FAA's medical system for screening pilots.
Physicians who conduct the health exams mentioned to The Washington Post that while pilots are required to pass regular government-contracted health screenings, the exams are sometimes ineffective. Hence, the FAA relies on aviators to report concerns that would otherwise be difficult to detect, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Jerome Limoge, an aviation medical examiner in Colorado Springs, who performs physical exams on pilots, told the New York Post:
“There are people out there who I think are trying to play both sides of the game. They’re being encouraged by the VA to claim everything. Some of it is almost stolen valor.”
As soon as the news went viral, netizens expressed concern and took to the comments section of Meet Jess' Twitter post to react to the same. They mentioned that unreported health conditions could pose serious risks to aviation safety and called the situation "terrifying."
More about the Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the United States' main air transportation agency that regulates all areas of civil aviation within the country. The FAA is responsible for a wide range of tasks, including directing air traffic in and around the country, ensuring airport safety and inspections, and maintaining standards for airport construction, design, and operation.
Moreover, they also regulate satellite and navigation technology and assist in public safety during space launches.
