I don't disagree with you on anything you wrote, Doug.

The article states that *all* pilots will be subject to this testing. BMI
has nothing to do with it other than being the "camel's nose under the
tent". So I will be forced to undergo this testing, at my expense, in
order
to continue exercising my pilot 'privileges'.

Jay Phillips

-----Original Message-----
From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of R
Douglas Owen
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2013 6:45 AM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Sleep apnea

I have a comment regarding the recent FAA rule regarding sleep apnea.

I am a senior aviation medical examiner, a board certified family doc, and

a
IV-P turbine builder and pilot.

During the evaluation of patients with sleep apnea, I have encountered
people who have arousals (mini wake up episodes) as often as 30 to 60
times
per hour. This could mean that the average length of restful restorative
sleep amounts to one or two minutes at a time throughout the night. This
condition is generally associated with low oxygen levels in the body. As
aviators, we do know the ill effects of hypoxia on the body systems.
These
individuals typically awaken with marked fatigue; often feeling just as
tired when they wake up as when they went to bed.

Morbid obesity [BMI (body mass index - a mathematical ratio of weight vs
height)  > 40 - not just those of us who need to lose a few pounds] has a
strong correlation with sleep problems.

As a passenger on the flights that I am not able to take my Lancair, I
would
like to hope that the pilot is at his best, having had more than a 1
minute
stretch of sleep throughout the night. Typically I do not have the option
to
check out the pilot and choose to stay behind if I wanted to.

The FAA primary mandate is to try to assure the safety of the public.
Though
not all morbidly obese people have sleep apnea, obesity is a significant
risk factor - particularly for the morbidly obese with a BMI > 40. It does
not seem unreasonable to me to apply some screening process to consider
evaluation for pilots who may be  at risk.

It is my understanding that this rule was presented after a commercial
crew
(the captain did have a diagnosis of sleep apnea that was not treated, the
first officer just was tired, but without sleep apnea) BOTH went to sleep
and overflew the destination by 25 miles  before they happened to wake up.

Though none of us appreciate the government poking its nose  into our
business, in my opinion it is very logical to assess the morbidly obese
pilot for a condition that may well be very critical to the safety of all
aboard the aircraft.

Doug Owen
Sent from my iPad
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