Customer Reviews

Health for Pilots: A Complete Guide to FAA Medical Certification and Self-Care

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Compiled and written by Senior Aviation Medical Examiner Paul M. Gahlinger, Health For Pilots is a complete and practical 265-page guide to FAA medical certification and self-care for those seeking to become (or remain) aviation pilots. Individual chapters address the physical requirements of the FAA medical exam, offers an extensive listing of potentially disqualifying conditions, instructions for getting a SODA (statement of demonstrated ability) to counter a disqualification, describes the ins and outs of drug testing programs, and much, much more. Health For Pilots is an excellent, straightforward reference and resource which should be a core part of any personal, professional, or academic Aviation Studies reference collection or reading list.

This book is what it says it is, so I won't repeat it here. Both informative and easy to read, this is a great reference book to have on your bookshelf if you are a pilot or are thinking of becoming one. Those portions of the book related to self-care ought to be common sense, but sometimes it is nice to be reassured that common sense is still a viable guide to watching your own health.

Peppered throughout are interesting statistics and humorous anecdotes which keep the atmosphere on the lighter side of what could otherwise be a very dry topic. Gahlinger also illuminates a path through the maze of paperwork that the government can request of you. While this guide won't save you from filling out dozens of forms, at least you will know what you have to do from the get-go, saving you a lot of time and frustration in the long run.

This book will be particularly valuable to anyone who has had or who suspects they may have a medical condition that could disqualify them from receiving an FAA medical certificate.