Medical Issues of Technical Crew Members

The pilot operates in a highly complex environment, particularly in single pilot operations. Contemporary commercial airline practice and the tenets of air law attribute to the pilot of an aircraft absolute responsibility for the safe operation of his aircraft. This responsibility can be carried out only if the pilot is not negligent or if he enjoys basic health as required by applicable regulations. The Airline Pilots Association International (ALPA) has a code of ethics for airline pilots which 

The Airaaft Owucts and Pilots Associatitm, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to general aviation, with a membership ofmore than 412,000 pilots, was incorporated on May 15,1939. From the start, AOPA has fought to keep gentnal aviation fun, safe, and affordable. AOPA records that growth in the early years was slow, but by mid-1995, membership in AOPA had reached about 335,000. http //www.aopa.org/info/history.html. 

Statement of Phil Boyer, President, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Before the Transportation Inifastmctme Subcommittee on Aviation, U/S. House of Representatives concerning Falsified Pilot Medical Certificates, http //www.aopa.org/whatsnew/regulatory/operation-safe-pilothtml. 

In April 2010, the FAA announced the possibility of a special medical certificate being issued to pilots who are under medication for mild to moderate depression, so that they could be exempt fi om conditions that prohibit them from all flying duties. This measure is consistent with the findings of a 12 year study conducted by a team of aviation medicine specialists in Australia which was released in 2007 which said that taking the drugs does not increase the risk of accidents, while banning them could increase risks by encouraging depressed pilots not to seek 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in its opinion on the draft revised regulation, drew the attention of the Commission to the diversity of medical practices and regulations in the various member Sates of the EU and exhorted the Commission to consider Regulations of ICAO as the common basis for such a revision. 

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