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Home  >  Law In Travel  >  Pilot Health Restrictions Eased, Real Reforms Necessary
Law In Travel

Pilot Health Restrictions Eased, Real Reforms Necessary

Kyle Stewart Posted onJanuary 22, 2023January 22, 2023 43 Comments
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The FAA updated some pilot health limitations just before the new year, but real reforms remain necessary and out of reach.


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I’ll preface this post by stating that I am not a pilot and welcome commentary from experienced pilots like our own, 121Pilot. As an observer of the industry, the adjustments made by the FAA appear more tone-deaf than effective.

FAA Updates Heart Health Requirements Among Others

The FAA updated a number of health requirements for pilots, most importantly affecting airline transport pilots, though it’s not clear to me whether it’s only those holding a commercial pilot certificate or all private pilots (and flight instructors) included as well.

Some of those changes made just before the end of the year (December 28th, 2022) remove cognitive screens unless ordered by an appropriate physician. Additionally, the simplification of vision screenings (except with color detection) that allow for corrective lenses at both intermediary and long distance have been relaxed.

What sent some circles swirling this week were changes dated from October 26th, 2022 but noticed (or raised to public attention now.) Heart arrhythmia tolerances were adjusted from 200 MS to 300 MS based on the information from cardiologists.

“The update is on the FAA’s website, revising its electrocardiogram “normal variants list,” which details electrocardiogram findings that “are not cause for deferment unless the airman is symptomatic or there are other concerns.”

It changed the maximum acceptable PR interval — a heart health metric measured by electrocardiograms — to 300 milliseconds, or 0.3 seconds. A PR interval between 0.12 seconds and 0.2 seconds is considered normal. A PR interval that exceeds 0.2 seconds indicates a first-degree atrioventricular block, which can cause a slower heartbeat or abnormal rhythm.

The Federal Aviation Administration told PolitiFact it raised the cutoff for a first degree ventricular block from 200 milliseconds, or 0.2 seconds, to 300 milliseconds, or 0.3 seconds, because the agency’s cardiology consultants provided information indicating that a PR interval under 0.3 seconds isn’t a risk for subtle or sudden incapacitation.” – Politifact

This adjustment came to light in part because the adjustments on that date also acknowledged an additional accepted COVID vaccine (NOVOVAX) and recent concern regarding potential heart-related issues with some vaccine recipients.

In sum, the FAA stated there is no risk below 300 MS so its prior restriction to 200 MS was unnecessary, and adjusted its requirements in accordance with this information.

Arbitrary Restrictions Remain In Place

These adjustments may be slight in nature but it brings to light the numerous arbitrary restrictions that remain in place despite a pilot shortage and labor constraints. We’ve not been shy, here at Live And Let’s Fly, about the fact that some arbitrary federal regulations keep good pilots away from ever becoming student pilots at all.

Pilot Hours

Following the Colgan 3407 crash in 2009, a move was made to increase the hour requirements for holders of an Air Transport Pilot Certificate (ATP) from 250 hours of flight time to 1,500 before they were eligible to be a pilot-in-command of an aircraft. Those rules were arbitrary in nature because both the first officer and captain had more than 2,000 hours of experience each and would have been able to fly 3407 even if the rule was in place before the accident. It solved nothing.

The very real issue is that flight training is incredibly expensive. Securing just the required minimum of 40 hours for a private license is already a five-figure venture. Adding 1,460 more has led some to remain as certified flight instructors but overall, the expense and limitations has meant fewer pilots flying.

Mandatory Retirement Age

The FAA has a mandatory retirement age of 65. This limitation is irrespective of physical health, ability, or mental acuity. An unhealthy and less experienced 64-year-old is apparently better fit for duty than an athletic, spritely 66-year-old.

There’s no science to the age restriction, no flight time limitation that awards experience nor penalizes burnout. Age might just be a number, but why that number? Why not 70, or 59.5 (like social security)?

Other aspects like a minimum age (17), 20 hours of flight instruction, 10 hours of solo flight, and three hours of cross-country flight experience among others, are based on critical skills analysis and the ability to interact with air traffic control, for example. But keeping good 66-year-old pilots out of the cockpit is just down to a decision made without scientific justification.

Applaud or Demand More?

Are we to applaud these updates? After all, restrictions that are dated or based on bad information are being relaxed and allowing more to fly. Certainly, this would have to be an improvement and even in the slightest possible way, a manner by which we might have more eligible pilots rather than fewer.

For me, however, it just reminds me of how many unfounded rules are in place with a “one size fits all” approach. Some pilots shouldn’t be eligible to fly after 60 based on their own personal situations, but not as a hard and fast rule. Some older pilots should never have been denied the seat at all. Is this a time to challenge the FAA to revisit its generic limitations?

Conclusion

Some FAA changes have revised pilot requirements relaxing some requirements slightly with regard to eyesight and heart arrythmia over the last few months. While I can appreciate that these small changes (though heart arrythmia tolerances were raised 50%) may have simply been a normal course of business for the regulatory body, it reminds me of what’s not being done to solve the pilot shortage and use common sense approaches to ensure healthy pilots are flying regardless of age. While the FAA may not be able to reverse the minimum hours or mandatory retirement age, more could be done in the form of recommendations, formal requests to congress, and active participation to eliminate these foolish barriers to entry.

What do you think? Should the FAA relax other more significant rules around pilot eligibility? 

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About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: sherpa@thetripsherpa.com

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43 Comments

  1. ECH Reply
    January 22, 2023 at 1:13 pm

    Every time I say I won’t be commenting anymore, another fluff piece is posted. I’m sorry, Kyle, but this piece does not even come close to doing these changes justice. To me, this piece seems like a way to sweep these massive issues under the rug. It is rather unfortunate that the heavy lifting has to be left to readers in the comments, SMH. I wish LALF or someone else on Boarding Area would interview Josh Yoder or someone from US Freedom Flyers. That would be real content, to me. But what do I know? I’m just a peasant with an affinity for aviation. Anyway, I’ve learned a lot from the comments on Steve’s original article which broke this news:

    1) Can an agency of any government arbitrarily change the PR range? Serious question. The normal range is 120 to 200 milliseconds. **If the PR interval is > 200 ms, first degree heart block is said to be present.** This is a scientific fact! For the FAA to even consider changing the allowable range they had to have had input from other acronym agencies like the CDC, right? This should frighten everyone!

    2) The PR change is just the tip of the iceberg with flight safety. COVID shots could incapacitate pilots in many other ways that he EKG will not detect. Airlines are lobbying to have one pilot in cockpit. More than 40 countries have appealed to an international aviation agency to revise standards globally to give airlines the option for a one-person cockpit crew. We CANNOT let this happen. It seems that the ultimate goal of these people is to remove all humans from the cockpit and that they expect us to trust computers and AI to fly the planes. NO. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/one-pilot-in-cockpit-staffing-shortage-faa-part-121

    3) From a neurology standpoint there have been increases transient ischemic attacks and strokes in recently COVID vaccinated people. Not good for a pilot in command. All commercial COVID “vaccinated” pilots need not just EKG’s but troponin and maybe even carotid ultrasound and D-Dimer tests.

    4) “I was wondering if any of these pilots have legal cases against their employers? I know the pharma companies are protected, but could a company that mandated jabs be liable?” Every lawyer I know agrees that fraud nullifies indemnity. And Steve and many others have thoroughly documented and proven both fraud and the carnage that the perps have committed. The Big Pharma and Big Govt officials and agencies, as well as anyone else involved in this deathjab conspiracy, that have verifiably engaged in fraud- do not have any indemnity from prosecution from their fraudulent crimes against humanity that they have perpetrated. They all (including any companies that violated the Nuremburg Laws and coerced employees to get the deathjab) can be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.

    5) COVID does NOT cause heart damage or myocarditis! They want you to believe it does in order to deflect your attention from the real cause which is, of course, the experimental injections. Here’s a study that concluded covid does NOT increase the incidence of myocarditis: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/8/2219/htm. “Conclusions – Our data suggest that there is no increase in the incidence of myocarditis and pericarditis in COVID-19 recovered patients compared to uninfected matched controls.” This review of data across a large group of hospitals in the US PNW tells the same story, i.e. that the increased myocarditis signal did not emerge during 2020, but rather only after the injections started: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2782900. Click on the link for “tables and figures” and prepare to be astounded by the obvious signal.

    6) On October 24, 2022, the FAA also banned pilots from flying for 48 hours after receiving Covid shots. https://www.faa.gov/coronavirus/guidance_resources/vaccine_faq. “The Federal Air Surgeon determined that FAA medical certificate holders may not act as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required flight crew member, for 48 hours after each dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The Federal Air Surgeon made this determination after evaluation of available medical information about these COVID-19 vaccines and potential side effects.”

    — We need to stop sweeping these issues under the rug and demand new Nuremberg trials, NOW. Could I personally be taken out and killed for speaking the truth myself? Sure, it’s possible. I’m aware and I’m not afraid anymore. When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose. But at least I stood up for my country and my fellow humans and fellow Americans and spoke the truth. That is much more than can be said about most on Boarding Area and their readerships — a damn shame. Some of us have been fighting this fight without your help for WAY TOO LONG.

    Ask questions. Demand answers. Period.

    • ECH Reply
      January 22, 2023 at 1:45 pm

      Source: https://stevekirsch.substack.com/p/the-faa-has-very-quietly-tacitly — 1.2k+ comments where people can educate themselves further.

      • UA-NYC Reply
        January 22, 2023 at 5:44 pm

        Educate yourself, chump

        https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/10/05/1036408/silicon-valley-millionaire-steve-kirsch-covid-vaccine-misinformation/

        https://www.poynter.org/?ifcn_misinformation=steve-kirsch-the-fda-advisor-said-that-covid-19-vaccines-killed-150000-americans

        https://www.covid-datascience.com/post/are-the-mrna-vaccines-really-safe-evaluating-claims-by-steven-kirsch-on-danger-of-spike-proteins

        • ECH Reply
          January 23, 2023 at 4:25 pm

          You can provide whatever fact checks you please.. they don’t impress me or even come close to changing my mind.. it’s been proven how fact checking is “opinion”, as Facebook stated, plus most of the fact checkers are owned by the Left anyway. Regardless, please try debating on the actual topic and research already presented in countless comments.. here is another big one that is making recent news:

          Circulating Spike Protein Discovered In Blood of Children & Young Adults With Vaccine Induced Myocarditis https://tpulse.substack.com/p/circulating-spike-protein-discovered

          Next?

    • Jance Reply
      January 22, 2023 at 4:57 pm

      You lost all credibility as soon as you dragged COVID vaccinations into this.

      Enjoy your horse worm pills and chlorine bleach drinks, Mister Orange Hat Expert.

      • UA-NYC Reply
        January 22, 2023 at 5:40 pm

        Yeah. Exactly. Covid vaccines saved millions of lives, and denuded the severity of Covid for likely tens of millions, case closed. Are there outlier negative outcomes here and there? Sure. Worthy of the endless paranoia and link rants by chumps like this poster? No

        Quite *interesting* how you only see a certain type of poster show up here who only comments on things like this – never, you know, actual travel or the like.

        • ECH Reply
          January 22, 2023 at 5:54 pm

          Ah, if it isn’t Mr. Smith from The Matrix. Are you talking to yourself from one of your 600 other accounts again? Not fooling anyone. Anyway, your talking points on the “vaccine” — which aren’t even an actual vaccines by definition — are old, tired, and now proven incorrect. Time to update your operating system. You’re like ten updates behind.

          UA-NYC, the Mr. Smith of LALF: https://ifunny.co/picture/the-mr-smith-effect-in-the-movie-the-matrix-mr-DVKoApt08

          The Mr Smith Effect — In the movie The Matrix, Mr. Smith has the ability to enter any body, at anytime and of course this often occurs when the matrix is threatened by Neo. The scenario is a reflection of our real world. For example, you’re down at the coffee shop having a conversation with a friend and everything is fine until you mention something like 9/11 was an inside job. Now watch what happens.. Up pops Mr Smith, to replace the person you were just having a conversation with, to attack you, because all truths threaten the matrix. The matrix programmed into most people in their youth and because of this “Mr Smith programming” these people become guardians of the matrix, protectors of the code, police of the mind control, enforcers of the indoctrination… which holds together our false concept of reality like super glue.

          • UA-NYC
            January 22, 2023 at 6:01 pm

            Looks like another tiny handed incel railing against one of the most successful vaccines in history. Let me guess, you ALSO probably think the 2020 election was “stolen”, amirite? 98% correlation with you types.

            Move on, chump.

          • ECH
            January 22, 2023 at 6:19 pm

            “Successful vaccines in history?” LMFAO. Am I talking to the WEF-WHO-CDC on a direct line? Is this Fauci, FFS? Mister Smith, at a minimum.. you keep proving that.

            But okay, let’s move the goal posts to elections. Request approved. Like I said, I’m a generalist. It seems that in UA-CCP utopia, there are two things we can’t audit: The Federal Reserve and Elections. Like I said, I’m big on information. There are many questionable issues in the 2020 election. Since you wanted to go there..let’s go.

            Let’s start with most recent – the extremely questionable election in Arizona. In late December, Kari Lake scored a telling victory against Katie Hobbs. Hobbs had requested that Judge Peter Thompson sanction Lake and her team for continuing to make accusations against Maricopa County – but Thompson declined, noting that Lake’s claims surrounding the election in the embattled county were “not groundless.” — this case is expected to go to SCOTUS. promising, considering Roe.

            Georgia — Fulton County 2020 Election Case Has Been Reinstated. The appeals court reinstated the Garland Favorito, et al. v. Alex Wan, et al. case, which alleges that counterfeit ballots were included in Fulton County’s absentee votes in 2020. https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/fulton-county-2020-election-case-dismissed-for-lack-of-standing-is-reinstated-by-georgia-appeals-court-knab

            Wisconsin — 150,000 Votes in the 2020 Election Not Tied to a Valid Address in Wisconsin: Election Watchdog https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/150000-votes-in-the-2020-election-not-tied-to-a-valid-address-in-wisconsin_4960033.html

            Wisconsin special counsel bombshell: 91 nursing homes had 95-100% voter turnout in 2020. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/wisconsin-special-counsel-report-2020-election-91-nursing-homes-had-95

            Mississippi — Judge Orders Election Do-Over, Massive 78% Of Mail-In Ballots Proved Fraudulent https://thenationalpulse.com/2021/03/03/mi-election-do-over-due-to-ballot-fraud/

            Michigan — Audit Finds Mich. County’s Dominion Voting Was Rigged to Create Fraud https://www.newsmax.com/us/antrim-county-michigan-forensic/2020/12/14/id/1001505/

            So there’s issues. And there’s many more I don’t have readily available to be your librarian for. Overall, we have all these razor thin margins in swing states and we can’t question them? We can’t investigate them? We can’t litigate them? Yes, we can! The government works for us. Not the other way around.

            Voting Fraud Is a Real Concern. Just Look Around the World https://www.newsweek.com/voting-fraud-real-concern-just-look-around-world-opinion-1522535

            Next?

          • ECH
            January 22, 2023 at 6:26 pm

            Sticks and stones yo but my actual reply is pending approval by an admin due to length

          • ECH
            January 22, 2023 at 6:34 pm

            Tenerife is a perfect example of why we should care about pilot health and aviation safety. The Tenerife airport disaster occurred on March 27, 1977, when two Boeing 747 passenger jets collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport[1] (now Tenerife North Airport) on the Spanish island of Tenerife.[2][3] The collision occurred when KLM Flight 4805 initiated its takeoff run while Pan Am Flight 1736 was still on the runway. The impact and resulting fire killed everyone on board KLM 4805 and most of the occupants of Pan Am 1736, with only 61 survivors in the front section of the aircraft.[2][3] With 583 fatalities, the disaster is the deadliest accident in aviation history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VUAWxl_fFk

          • ECH
            January 22, 2023 at 6:35 pm

            NBC Nightly News: Two planes at JFK nearly crash on runway. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/two-planes-at-jfk-nearly-crash-on-runway-160005701524

          • ECH
            January 22, 2023 at 9:31 pm

            @UA-NYC, it doesn’t seem my long comment to you will be getting approved, idk. That’s fine. I didn’t save it before it went into moderation and I don’t feel like trying to recreate it. Elections are a whole other issue, and that is moving the goal posts — the original topic was pilot health. Overall, yes, we have major problems with elections — for sure. Voting Fraud Is a Real Concern. Just Look Around the World https://www.newsweek.com/voting-fraud-real-concern-just-look-around-world-opinion-1522535

      • ECH Reply
        January 22, 2023 at 5:46 pm

        You’re entitled to your opinion. I don’t claim to be an expert and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I’m big on information — I’m a generalist. If you can consider one side, why can’t you consider another? Why can’t Josh Yoder be interviewed by someone on Boarding Area or mainstream besides FOX? We almost had a repeat of Tenerife last week but we can’t question safety? Nah, we can bruh — as “44” stated: Yes, we can.

  2. Jerry Reply
    January 22, 2023 at 1:24 pm

    It’s Colgan Air, not Colgate.

    • Kyle Stewart Reply
      January 22, 2023 at 1:36 pm

      @Jerry – Yes, it absolutely is. I fear that was autocorrect, but I’ll brush up the article and give it a quick clean.

  3. JoeSchmo Reply
    January 22, 2023 at 4:01 pm

    100% agree with ECH. And Steve Kirsch is a true American hero.

    • ECH Reply
      January 23, 2023 at 4:25 pm

      Thank you for the support. Rare these days.

  4. Rob Reply
    January 22, 2023 at 4:37 pm

    When are they going to make it easier for pilots to take SSRI’s so we don’t have live life drunk in between flights to curb anxiety from abnormal sleep schedules? So many pilots self diagnose and order pills online to medicate in fear of losing their medical certificate. Those that don’t just drink heavy.

    • ECH Reply
      January 23, 2023 at 4:31 pm

      I was just watching a United FA on YouTube last night who was saying how many in the industry have to take meds to sleep, and meds then to wake up in the AM. Ambien and Adderall, not the healthiest daily cocktail.

  5. Maryland Reply
    January 22, 2023 at 8:48 pm

    @ ech please leave your anti-vax thoughts somewhere else.
    As this post is about pilot retirement, after last week & the AA JFK example, I would wish that more of the Sully Sullenberger (miracle on the Hudson ) pilots were still flying. If you’re healthy, fit and and three in the cockpit, why the heck not?

    • ECH Reply
      January 22, 2023 at 9:29 pm

      I don’t disagree. But the main point of this (now proven to be well-disguised) article was the changes to tolerance limits for EKG’s for pilots — not about pilot retirements. That was added for whatever reason — I guess just to get a piece out to say they covered the EKG changes, when really this article doesn’t scratch the surface and clearly gets people thinking it’s about retirements.

      • Kyle Stewart Reply
        January 22, 2023 at 11:38 pm

        @ECH – Welcome to Live And Let’s Fly as your first day as a commenter, you’ve had a busy one. Just to clarify, not sure how this is disguised anything (though if it’s going to be disguised, best to be “well-disguised.”) To be crystal clear (as the title was) this post is about how there’s been attention around some changes to pilot eligibility and requirements and covering those changes while also being clear that there are obvious and glaring issues with pilot eligibility and requirements that go unaddressed.

        Based on your comments here, you appear to believe we need to speak with a few different people to address such wide-ranging topics as vaccine efficacy, election integrity, and a myriad others. While we are unafriad to discuss any topic as it relates to travel (covering both the unnecessary step of masking up on planes, while also discussing events where a large percentage of passengers seemingly became infected onboard despite the potential contradiction of two opinions and viewpoints) this is a post about moving the deck chairs on the Titantic.

        • UA-NYC Reply
          January 23, 2023 at 7:35 am

          Kyle, you must have missed the anti-vax rants a week or so ago. And guaranteed this is one of your posters from last year, just with a different screen name – search Acura (if I recall correctly)on some of the LALF pages a year or two ago and you will see they are quite…similar, hmmm.

          Regardless, OMAAT and VFTW don’t allow this misinformation nonsense and general non-travel misdirection anymore, thus they still seem to flock here.

          • ECH
            January 23, 2023 at 4:27 pm

            You, [Facebook, the pharmaceutical industry and its captive regulators use the term ‘vaccine misinformation’ as a euphemism for any factual assertion that departs from official pronouncements about vaccine health and safety, whether true or not. This kind of censorship is counterproductive if our objective is a safe and effective vaccine supply]. -RFK

            Freedom of speech. If Matthew and Kyle change their policies to OMAAT and VFTW — great. That’s up to them. OMAAT and VFTW are doing the public no favors.

        • ECH Reply
          January 23, 2023 at 4:30 pm

          Kyle, thank you for your reply. I think this article should have focused on the EKG changes only, as the inclusion of other unrelated longstanding topics did not help people to focus on the EKG change info, as evidenced by Maryland’s comment. I did not bring up elections, personally, I only went there because UA-CCP wanted to move the goal posts. I did not meant to be so harsh and critical of your writing, I just think we are light years behind where need to be as a collective and that was triggering. Apologies and all the best.

          • UA-NYC
            January 23, 2023 at 7:17 pm

            Interesting that you show up here to literally only post anti-vax thoughts. Let me guess, no passport and barely travel?

            Seems like it might be MTG actually posting here.

          • ECH
            January 23, 2023 at 8:20 pm

            I do have a passport, but I don’t travel much. I do have friends in the business and aviation is a passion.. I’ve commented on other stories unrelated to these topics.. not sure why that matters tho. Freedom of speech or nah?

          • Kyle Stewart
            January 23, 2023 at 8:31 pm

            I think the concern is simply that you’ve diverted from the topic of how this effects pilots to talk about other stuff, in a story about pilots. It’s how these pilot regulations affect pilots during a pilot shortage and yet you’ve said that commenters aren’t comfortable with talking about the issue at hand, that I’ve not interviewed people about the topic that you find relevant (who we can both agree would not be unbiased and fair.)

            It matters because it’s a travel blog, not a vaccine blog, or an election fraud blog, or anything else. You’ve walked into McDonald’s and you’re complaining that there aren’t tacos on the menu.

            We don’t delete comments unless they break our commenting policy, which so far these haven’t done though the relevancy requirement is being tested here; there’s free speech for all.

          • ECH
            January 23, 2023 at 8:43 pm

            The EKG changes and vaccines are closely related topics.. so I’m not sure I am following. They are extremely relevant and clearly linked. So I don’t understand your point there. Please feel free to explain. Most pilots will tell you that all of the issues occurring are due to the vaccine. This is common knowledge. Southwest pilot: Vaccine mandate at root of airline problems: https://www.newsnationnow.com/on-balance-with-leland-vittert/southwest-pilot-vaccine-mandate-at-root-of-airline-problems. I am also not following how speaking to Josh Yoder or similar would be unfair. More info and more perspectives is good, right? And again, I didn’t bring up election fraud. But I have the right to reply to it. I’ll try to stop commenting. Then everyone can be happy 🙂

          • Kyle Stewart
            January 23, 2023 at 9:40 pm

            @ECH – You’ve decided the EKG and vaccines are closely related but my point was only that there was a single vaccine adjustment and this heart adjustment (both eased) that was being pitched by some outlets as causal. “This adjustment came to light in part because the adjustments on that date also acknowledged an additional accepted COVID vaccine (NOVOVAX) and recent concern regarding potential heart-related issues with some vaccine recipients.” The last piece was linked to a Seeking Alpha article that stated the FDA and CDC would investigate shot safety in seniors. But there was also a vision change that you’ve decided was unrelated to the vaccine or the EKG adjustment range. I don’t see them as related, I see the prior range as simply to strict to make a measurable difference as the cardiologists (quoted) had said. You’ve concluded that they are related and start at that point but that’s not what’s stated here at all.

            Further, in the same way that you’re taking the change with EKG limitations as vaccine related, you’ve also stated that because a single Southwest pilot representing a subgroup of Southwest pilots who openly and specifically oppose vaccination requirements has claimed that the issue among pilots at Southwest is… vaccine requirements in “common knowledge.”

            You’re not following how interviewing Yoder – who has decided the result before the question has been asked – would be unfair? Should I give equal billing to Dr. Fauci as well who would counter Yoder entirely? Neither of them are unbiased on the topic, so an interview of either doesn’t add anything at all.

            And you’re right, UA-NYC actually brought up elections with this one line: “Let me guess, you ALSO probably think the 2020 election was “stolen”, amirite?” However, you responded to that one line with *8* paragraphs and then said, “next?” So when I say that those topics have nothing to do with how the FAA is moving the deck chairs on the Titantic when there is a massive pilot shortage at our doorsteps, that’s what I mean.

            Feel free to comment as much as you want, but at the time I respond to this one you have 17 of 31 comments on this post. As the author of the post who tries to engage with commenters, I have 3 by comparison. Long-time commenter, UA-NYC has just five as he engages with you. So to act wounded at the end “I’ll try to stop commenting. Then everyone can be happy” doesn’t really take into account the totality of your interaction but that’s kind of the theme here, isn’t it?

          • ECH
            January 23, 2023 at 9:51 pm

            Whew, Kyle, thank you for showing me your true colors. I do appreciate it. Y’all report biased stuff all the time – internal memos from UA, your travel experiences, like and dislikes, so where exactly would you not find bias in an interview? My point is that no one has interviewed Josh Yoder, but everyone on Boarding Area has done tons of MSM-like propaganda stories.. so why can’t we hear from the minority?? Makes no sense. Fauci is not the minority, Yoder is. If you haven’t noticed, vocal minorities are generally the one who push towards change in world history. You know, Jesus, MLK, and the like. Additionally, I have often wondered if UA-NYC is just you or Matthew in disguise. Wouldn’t be surprised, sadly.. So many people hate him on here, but you stand up for him. why? Do you stand up for me? No. — MORE BIAS? Seems like it. He has made tons of election comments on other articles, and this time I finally decided to respond. Are you saying that someone is not allowed to respond with paragraphs if someone only writes one line? I think y’all need to update the comment policy. UA-NYC has attacked me countless times personally.. when were those comments removed by the admins? Never. Additionally, “17 of 31 ” comments. That is making YOU money with page views and refreshes and the rest.. I noticed that LALF articles receive way less comments when I don’t engage – interesting. I guess silence and ignorance and now arrogance really are bliss. RE: Southwest, yes, there are posts on APC and FlyerTalk and other pilot forums about the vaccine being the main issue. RE: stopping commenting, clearly y’all want that, so my statement still stands. Anyway, I guess we will have to agree to disagree. It’s super unfortunate that you are trying to counter the truth on very serious topics such as safety and pilot health, but again, glad to know the true colors. Safe travels.

  6. JH Reply
    January 23, 2023 at 7:08 am

    So the Federales are admitting that the vaxx has cardiac implications.

    I could have told you that last year when my Moderna booster had me contemplating a trip to the ER because of heart palpitations.

    Fortunately I have the data recorded on my smartwatch so no one can tell me that it was psychosomatic.

    On another note,..please remind everyone that it was Chuck Schumer who drove the arbitrary 1500 hour rules in the 117 updates that I having the biggest impact on the pilot shortage.

  7. Alfred Peterson Reply
    January 24, 2023 at 8:30 pm

    I live in California, run in normal left-coast circles, and unfortunately know a number of people personally facing serious health issues after getting a covid shot. Thank goodness they’re a small minority, but the concern about the health and safety of vaccinated pilots is absolutely legitimate. People I know are dealing with these ailments exactly. It’s beyond fair game to talk about as @ECH is doing.

    • ECH Reply
      January 25, 2023 at 2:01 am

      Thank you for your honesty

  8. ECH Reply
    January 24, 2023 at 9:41 pm

    relevant to topics above:

    Josh Yoder, a commercial pilot and co-founder of USFF, told The Epoch Times he believes the FAA’s changes are “a ticking time bomb on a level like we’ve never seen,” and that they increase the odds that a pilot’s heart condition will go undetected, which increases the risk of an aviation disaster. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/faa-pilots-ekg-test-limit-covid-vaccine-injuries/

    • ECH Reply
      January 24, 2023 at 9:42 pm

      In exclusive interviews with The Defender, more commercial airline pilots discuss COVID-19 vaccine injuries and the “hostile” industry environment injured and unvaxxed pilots must navigate. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/pilots-injured-covid-vaccines-airlines-mandates/

    • ECH Reply
      January 24, 2023 at 11:36 pm

      In interviews with The Defender, pilots injured by COVID-19 vaccines said despite a “culture of fear and intimidation” they are compelled to speak out against vaccine mandates that rob pilots of their careers — and in some cases their lives. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/pilots-injured-covid-vaccines-speak/

    • ECH Reply
      January 24, 2023 at 11:39 pm

      While a PR interval longer than 200 ms doesn’t prove, on its own, that there is a heart problem, it “shouldn’t be ignored,” Levy told The Epoch Times, and warrants additional testing, as the heart may “no longer [be] completely healthy, and the conduction rate is slowing down.”

      A PR interval even slightly exceeding 200 ms “is clearly associated with arrhythmias in the future, pacemakers, and early death,” Levy said, adding that this is especially concerning in light of the increased prevalence of myocarditis in recent years, noting that the condition can contribute to a longer PR interval.

      A sudden burst of adrenalin, such as one caused by a stressful in-flight situation, can bring this problem to light, said Levy, adding that myocarditis can strike suddenly and without prior warning signs.

      Military flight surgeon Dr. Theresa Long, during an appearance on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” said the new interval “does not improve safety.” She noted that unlike military pilots, who get EKGs annually regardless of age, commercial pilots receive one at age 35 and then annually starting at age 40.

      Long told The Epoch Times cardiologists have always told her, “It would be negligent … to see a PR interval of 290 and do nothing.” Long said she was puzzled and concerned by the FAA’s new limit and that it was not typical for the agency to make such a change without citing specific evidence or studies.

      Former FAA safety inspector Stephen Carbone called the new guidelines “nothing short of safety sacrilege” and an “assault on aviation safety,” adding, “I can’t highlight enough how dangerous this is and how irresponsible.”

      Dr. Peter Chambers, a retired U.S. military special operations flight surgeon, said the new guidelines remove “the ‘safety zone’ that allows us to catch the problem early,” adding, “You’re not even allowed to ask the questions” about adverse health effects experienced by vaccinated pilots.

    • ECH Reply
      January 24, 2023 at 11:41 pm

      EXCLUSIVE: I just put the FAA in a “no win” situation. If there is not a PROPER investigation, heads should roll.
      I just had a nice chat with Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan E. Northrup. By the end, she no longer can say, “I didn’t know.” If she doesn’t act now, she should be prosecuted for jeopardizing pilot lives https://tinyurl.com/yc6h2cny

    • ECH Reply
      January 25, 2023 at 10:48 pm

      Pilots and aviation advocacy groups are sounding the alarms over the FAA’s change to their heart test limits. FAA Change to Heart-Test Limit Triggers Worries Over Pilot Health, Public Safety. Concerns and controversy are swirling around the decision by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/worries-over-pilots-health-public-safety-soar-after-feds-change-heart-test-limit_5004258.html

  9. ECH Reply
    January 26, 2023 at 6:30 pm

    @Kyle:

    JUST IN: As Today’s VRBPAC [Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory] Meeting Ended, CDC Deputy Director Tom Shimabukuro Admits COVID Vaccines Are Causing “Debilitating Illnesses”:

    “We are aware of these reports of people experiencing long-lasting health problems following COVID vaccination. … We understand that illness is disruptive and stressful, especially under those circumstances, and we acknowledge these health problems have substantially impacted the quality of life for people and have also affected those around them. And we hope for improvement and recovery. We will continue to monitor the safety of these vaccines and work with partners to partners to try to understand these adverse events”

    Video: https://twitter.com/TheChiefNerd/status/1618739451878080512

    –interesting. Perhaps the Southwest pilots who stated that the COVID vaccines were the root of the airlines problems last June weren’t so wrong after all:

    “The question is, why are we having a staffing shortage? I believe it’s because of the COVID vaccines — they’re still requiring the vaccination for all new applicants and if the new applicants say they’re not going to get vaccinated, their application is passed over,” said Tom Bogart, who is a Southwest pilot. “So you have highly qualified applicants who want to work here at the airline and there are airlines passing them over. I think it’s still stems back to (that issue). People like to forget about that. The executive order (mandating vaccines) is not dead,” he said.

  10. Emach Reply
    January 27, 2023 at 4:45 am

    Classic Live and Let’s Fly. If the article itself isn’t vaguely right-leaning, rest assured the comments will be an absolute cesspool anyways!

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The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

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#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
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#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

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#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

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#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
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