I’m not convinced that ppls need medicals. However locally, most of our recent nasty road accidents have involved medical issues – one driver had Parkinson’s and the nature of the accident suggested this might be an issue. Another had a cardiac arrest. As the ppl population ages, issues such as these must be becoming more common. Who else can provide sensible guidance as to what medicines or medical conditions are acceptable?
Silvaire wrote:
the record shows it is negligible.
Is yesterday negiglible enough? http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/591517-klm-flight-diverted-st-john-s-after-pilot-falls-ill.html
I think seeking health provider guidance for private flying (or driving) may be a good idea for some with marginal conditions identified by their real health care. Let them seek guidance if they it will help them manage their personal risk. Either way the chances of any private pilot health issue affecting non-participants is negligible.
@what_next, I was writing about private aviation (as I made clear), the first class medical taken by the KLM pilot failed to predict debilitation (because it can’t reliably do so), and there was no accident because this commercial flight has two pilots as a more effective risk management strategy.
I think over dramatizing every issue and discussing every form of private flying like it were a life and death mission to Mars is not helpful, it might even be considered unintelligent 
It is much more likely to be negligible in GA than in airlines, because
kwlf wrote:
I’m not convinced that ppls need medicals. However locally, most of our recent nasty road accidents have involved medical issues – one driver had Parkinson’s and the nature of the accident suggested this might be an issue. Another had a cardiac arrest. As the ppl population ages, issues such as these must be becoming more common. Who else can provide sensible guidance as to what medicines or medical conditions are acceptable?
I once helped to treat a 8 year old girl on a bike which was run over by a 90-year old lady who was only just leaving her parking spot. The old lady completely overlooked the girl, who was following the rules of the road correctly. Something like this is avoidable and neglegible cost to personal freedom (compared to many other areas were personal freedom is reduced for very little gain for the wider society).
Silvaire wrote:
I think seeking health provider guidance for private flying (or driving) may be a good idea for some with marginal conditions identified by their real health care. Let them seek guidance if they it will help them manage their personal risk. Either way the chances of any private pilot health issue affecting non-participants is negligible.
From a medical point of view it is of course much more important to go to regular medical check-ups at your GP/family doctor rather than the AME. Any doctor has a fairly good idea of when someone is medically fit enough to drive a car, fly a plane etc. There are only a few special cases where AMEs may have expertise that (well-trained!) regular doctors lack. But I still think it is okay that AMEs exist. They are a well established part of the safety network in aviation.
MedEwok wrote:
But I still think it is okay that AMEs exist.
Without the requirement to annually visit an AME I would not have seen a doctor more than a couple of times during the last 30 or 35 years. For me personally that visit of my “flying doctor” is also my yearly check-up of my general health. And I really rely on him to find early indications of anything which might come up. A normal “GP” type of doctor will not even look for these, as one usually only visits him when some specific health issue is already apparent.
MedEwok wrote:
Personally I can’t see why we don’t send every driver over 60 to a health check every couple of years or so. Most of them go to the doctor countless times a year anyways, why not have them evaluated on their capability to drive a car on these occasions?
Check back on that when you’re 59-1/2 
The paperwork burden would be substantial, even in Germany where endless checks of everything and everybody in sight are done fairly efficiently. In comparison to the cost, I think the societal benefit would (again) be negligible.
Silvaire wrote:
The paperwork burden would be substantial,
No. A class one flying medical including all paperwork (most of which is done online!) takes about an hour here. So a drivers medical will maybe take 15 minutes. One single child per year not killed by a half-blind octogenerian is worth that effort.
MedEwok wrote:
much more important to go to regular medical check-ups at your GP/family doctor
You should come and see what its like in the UK, here you cant get past the receptionist let alone get an appointment to see a doctor.
quatrelle wrote:
You should come and see what its like in the UK, here you cant get past the receptionist let alone get an appointment to see a doctor.
That’s no different in Germany, unless you are a “private patient” or voluntarily pay everything yourself. I really should see my dentist again for a check (haven’t been there for at least three years) but the earliest appointment they give you is in three months time. As I have no idea what my roster will look like in three months, I can’t make an appointment with my dentist… Unless you are actually severely ill or in pain, seeing a doctor for a “check up” is simply not possible. Therefore my annual AME visit (which my employer pays for) is my only chance to get examined by a doctor.
