Pilots Bill of Rights

[skippers]

As a Senior AME I just received and interesting notification about the new Pilots Bill of Rights. As of October 1, 2012 as I read it you must sign that you have read and received your bill of rights. Failure to do so will result in AME not being able to issue you a medical. Your signed form must be sent to the FAA. An interesting quote is "Any response to an inquiry by a representative of the Administrator by you in connection with this investigation of your qualifications for an airman medical certificate may be used as evidence against you." I will let the legal eagles on the board weigh in. Sounds like the 5th Amendment is going to be common place in medical disputes. The full form can be found on the AMCS website. Maybe somebody with more computer smarts can post the link.

 

[Jim Logajan]

The link is here

Interesting - as best I can tell, the underlying assumption of the letter and new procedure is that all applicants for a certificate are considered medically unqualified unless proven otherwise by an "investigation" - i.e. the exam.

That has always been the case, but it is good to see them forced to spell it out so explicitly in writing.

(At least when a cop has arrested you and read you your rights, you're presumed to have committed an illegal act. In the case of a getting a medical exam you are committing a legal act and the government is using procedures normally associated with commission of an illegal act.)

I doubt this was the intent of the legislation, so the fall-out should be interesting.