AboutDottie Norkus Expertise I can address questions concerning: airline pilot employment & entry level airline careers in the Unites States, women pilots, flight training, pilot certification, flight scholarships (mostly for women), aviation & airline safety topics, aviation accident investigation, air carrier accidents and airline operations.
***Please note, I cannot address flight training or career queries from outside the United States. If you are not in the USA, please direct your question to the message boards at www.PPRUNE.org as you can surely find an answer there. For those in India try http://www.indianpilots.com
Also, I cannot address questions about aero engineering degree programs/careers or aviation management careers.
Experience U.S. Regional Airline Pilot. I have also had 15 years previous experience in airline ground operations, as well as a part 91 commercial skydive pilot and ferry pilot.
Organizations I belong to I am a charter member of Women In Aviation International as well as the International Organization of Women Pilots: the Ninety Nines. I keep a database of flight scholarships for women (mostly SW USA) and mentor student pilots.
Education/Credentials Embry Riddle Aeronautical University certificate in Aviation Safety/Accident investigation.
Question Can you be a pilot, like for instance on a airline if you have Muscular Dystrophy? I have it and its not really a bad case at all but i still have it. It does not affect me really but the doctors still say i have it... But I was wondering if you could tell me something?
Answer Kyle
An airline pilot must have a Class I or "First Class" medical certificate in addition to their pilot certificate in order to to exercise the privileges of that certificate. This means that the pilot must pass a Class I medical exam every 6 months to maintain their medical. (Once hired, many airlines only require their first officers aka co-pilots to have a Class II medical while in that position, which is good for 12 months, but once upgraded to a captain they must have a Class I.)
The neurologic requirements of the Class I medical found in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulation, Part §67.109 state:
Neurologic standards for a first-class airman medical certificate are:
(a) No established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following:
(1) Epilepsy;
(2) A disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause; or
(3) A transient loss of control of nervous system function(s) without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause.
(b) No other seizure disorder, disturbance of consciousness, or neurologic condition that the Federal Air Surgeon, based on the case history and appropriate, qualified medical judgment relating to the condition involved, finds—
(1) Makes the person unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of the airman certificate applied for or held; or
(2) May reasonably be expected, for the maximum duration of the airman medical certificate applied for or held, to make the person unable to perform those duties or exercise those privileges.
Your condition will most likely disqualify you for the issuance of a Class I medical, which would prohibit you from ever becoming an airline pilot as having one is a job requirement. The only form of M.D. I am familiar with is Duchenne/DMD, which is definitely disqualifying but from what it seems even those with the milder Becker's muscular dystrophy/BMD will eventually have the degraded progressive muscle weakness and atrophy that will make holding a Class I impossible. Not being a medical doctor I cannot say with 100% certainty but odds are not good. Any neurological anomaly would require a medical evaluation be performed by an Aviation Medical Examiner/AME to establish your eligibility for any FAA medical certificate.
That said, you may be able to qualify for a Class III medical certificate with a special medical waiver to become a recreational private pilot. (If your condition worsens, you could later lose it though). Sometimes flight students with conditions that would normally be disqualifying are issued a medical certificate by special authorization from the FAA Aeromedical Certification Division.
An Aviation Mediacal Examiner/AME (pilot doctor) can help you address your personal situation and the severity of your MD. If you would like to speak with an AME office in your area with specific questions, locate one here- http://www.faa.gov/pilots/amelocator
Pilot Medical Solutions is a group that assists aspriring pilots with medical issues and can sometimes help those previously denied successfully petition the FAA for certificate issuance. Their site, http://www.leftseat.com, has a lot of information you will be interested in. Contact them via their site or 800-699-4457
