X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from mtiwmhc11.worldnet.att.net ([204.127.131.115] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.3.6) with ESMTP id 610007 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Thu, 21 Jul 2005 01:16:40 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=204.127.131.115; envelope-from=micallahan@worldnet.att.net Received: from unknown (10.birmingham-01-03rs.al.dial-access.att.net[12.74.162.10]) by worldnet.att.net (mtiwmhc11) with SMTP id <2005072105153611100o71e6e>; Thu, 21 Jul 2005 05:15:45 +0000 Message-ID: <002301c58db3$15c7b880$0aa24a0c@unknown> From: "Michael D. Callahan" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're here to help you Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 00:14:22 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0020_01C58D89.2579C360" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1409 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1409 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01C58D89.2579C360 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dave, George may not be aware of the Social Security frauds we have. I had = a friend who was a doctor's assistant for an orthopedic surgeon. The = stories he told made me so mad I couldn't see straight. Guys on disability who would whine and complain that they couldn't = work due to severe back pain. Docs would load them up with prescription = pain killers, paid by insurance. Same guys would have calloused hands = and nice suntans... been running a cash-only lawn service company on the = side. A couple of these low-lifes got caught on video and lost their = benefits. I agree that a pilot, especially a commercial pilot cannot be on = disability and still be well enough to fly for hire. The situation on = the medical is plenty clear. You give false info and get caught, you = will be in trouble. Mike C. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: David Leonard=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 11:00 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - we're here to help you George, that is a bunch of BS!! If you are so disabled that you are = completely unable to contribute to society and hold down a job, then you = are too disabled to be flying a plane, especially with a commercial = rating. Are these people "DISABLED" or not. I mean really, if your = mental or other disorder means you just can't show up to work each day, = then I don't want you flying over my house. Lets face it. These people = are scam artists, living off the rest of us who put in our 60 hrs/wk.=20 ...I'm so crazy I can't show up to work so you all must pay me, but I = seem to do fine flying passengers around the sky... =20 =20 Dave Leonard =20 On 7/20/05, George Lendich wrote:=20 Kevin, Being on a Disability pension don't stop you flying a plane. It may = make it harder to get a medical clearance and you won't get a clearance = if your on Medication, such as mind bending drugs e.g. Pilots with past = Depression and Bipolar can get Medicals - Paranoid Schizophrenia is only = controlled by mind bending drugs, so that one's a NO NO!=20 One must be upfront with the details however - some have suggested = that it's easier to lie than get a medical with past medical conditions. = I notice a lot of chaps losing their medicals for Diabetes and Blood = Pressure etc.=20 However you can still drive a car and fly Light Sport Category. George ( down under) Saw this in today's _New York Times_. July 20, 2005 U.S. Says 46 Pilots Lied to Obtain Their Licenses By CAROLYN MARSHALL SAN FRANCISCO, July 19 - Prosecutors in Northern California have charged 46 pilots with lying to federal authorities to obtain = airplane=20 licenses, in most cases not disclosing debilitating illnesses that should have kept them grounded. The pilots, who were indicted this week by grand juries in the = eastern and northern federal districts of California, were identified = during=20 an 18-month criminal air traffic safety investigation by the Department of Transportation and the Social Security = Administration that looked into licensed pilots who were also receiving = disability benefits and payments from the government.=20 The investigation, initiated in July 2003, included a review of = more than 40,000 pilot licenses issued in Northern California to = determine whether there had been any misuse or abuse of Social Security = numbers.=20 The authorities reviewed licenses held by both commercial and = private pilots and found that some license applicants claimed to be = medically fit to fly an airplane yet were simultaneously receiving = disability benefits. "The fraud and falsification allegedly committed by these = individuals is extremely serious and adversely affects the public interest in = air safety," said Nicholas Sabatini, an associate administrator with = the=20 Federal Aviation Administration. Charles H. Lee Jr., an assistant inspector general for = investigations at the Department of Transportation, said the reviewers first = focused their investigation on 48 pilots, most of whom were receiving=20 disability payments for illnesses like paranoid schizophrenia, = bipolar disorder and disabling heart conditions. One case, Mr. Lee said, even involved someone who exhibited severe suicidal tendencies. "To get their certificates, these people had to lie or falsify paperwork," Mr. Lee said. "The F.A.A. has rules and regulations regarding medical conditions and deemed that all 48 had medical disabilities that would have disqualified them from holding pilot=20 certificates." Two cases were dropped, Mr. Lee said, one because the pilot died. = He declined to comment about whether similar investigations were = under way in other states. Of the 46 pilots that Mr. Lee said were charged, 7 held commercial = pilot certificates that would have allowed them to fly as well as carry cargo; another 4 pilots held air transportation pilot certificates which would let them transport passengers. Of the remaining indicted pilots, 28 had private pilot licenses, = and 7=20 had student licenses. A charge of lying to the federal authorities carries a penalty of = up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A charge of = falsifying records carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a = $100,000=20 fine. According to court documents, the pilots who were indicted failed = to provide accurate medical history forms, as required by the F.A.A., = in some cases lying about a previous illness or claiming that there = had=20 been no previous medical diagnosis or treatment for conditions = that the pilots knew they had. Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the F.A.A., said that pilots could obtain a license only after they submit oral and written tests and = current medical certificates. Those certificates can be issued = only by an aviation medical examiner registered with the agency. Certain medical conditions would disqualify an applicant from receiving a license.=20 "The reason we have disqualifying conditions is to ensure that = pilots are not a danger to others, in the air or on the ground," Ms. = Brown said. Ms. Brown said that the pilots were charged with either making = false=20 statements to a federal official or delivering to a federal = official a false written record. She added that 14 of the pilots held active pilot licenses, which were immediately revoked. The remaining pilots had licenses that had either lapsed or were=20 missing current information, which would not prevent them from = flying a private plane. "It's similar to when people go out and drive cars without a = license, or drive cars when intoxicated," Ms. Brown said. "It's illegal but = they do it." At least one of the indicted pilots appeared in Federal District = Court in Sacramento on Tuesday. The remaining pilots will be arraigned individually in the coming weeks. Kevin Lane Portland, OR e-mail-> n3773@comcast.net =20 --=20 Dave Leonard Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/rotaryroster/index.html=20 http://members.aol.com/vp4skydoc/index.html ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01C58D89.2579C360 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dave,
    George may not be aware of the = Social=20 Security frauds we have. I had a friend who was a doctor's assistant for = an=20 orthopedic surgeon. The stories he told made me so mad I couldn't = see=20 straight.
    Guys on disability who would = whine and=20 complain that they couldn't work due to severe back pain. Docs would = load them=20 up with prescription pain killers, paid by insurance. Same guys = would have=20 calloused hands and nice suntans... been running a cash-only lawn = service=20 company on the side. A couple of these low-lifes got caught on = video and=20 lost their benefits.
    I agree that a pilot, especially = a=20 commercial pilot cannot be on disability and still be well enough to fly = for=20 hire. The situation on the medical is plenty clear. You give false info = and get=20 caught, you will be in trouble. Mike C.
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 David=20 Leonard
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 = 11:00=20 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FAA - = we're here=20 to help you

George, that is a bunch of BS!!  If you are so disabled that = you are=20 completely unable to contribute to society and hold down a job, then = you are=20 too disabled to be flying a plane, especially with a commercial = rating. =20 Are these people "DISABLED" or not.  I mean really, if your = mental or=20 other disorder means you just can't show up to work each day, then I = don't=20 want you flying over my house.  Lets face it.  These people = are scam=20 artists, living off the rest of us who put in our 60 hrs/wk.
 
...I'm so crazy I can't show up to work so you all must pay me, = but I=20 seem to do fine flying passengers around the sky...  =
 
Dave Leonard
 
On 7/20/05, George=20 Lendich <lendich@optusnet.com.au>=20 wrote:=20
Kevin,
Being on a Disability pension don't = stop you=20 flying a plane. It may make it harder to get a medical clearance and = you=20 won't get a clearance if your on Medication, such as mind bending = drugs e.g.=20 Pilots with past Depression and Bipolar can get Medicals - = Paranoid=20 Schizophrenia is only controlled by mind bending drugs, so that = one's a=20 NO NO!
One must be upfront with the details however = - some=20 have suggested that it's easier to lie than get a medical with past = medical=20 conditions. I notice a lot of chaps losing their medicals for = Diabetes and=20 Blood Pressure etc.
 
However you can still drive a car and fly = Light Sport=20 Category.
George ( down under)
Saw this in today's _New York Times_.

July 20, = 2005
U.S.=20 Says 46 Pilots Lied to Obtain Their Licenses
By CAROLYN = MARSHALL
SAN=20 FRANCISCO, July 19 - Prosecutors in Northern California = have
charged 46=20 pilots with lying to federal authorities to obtain airplane =
licenses,=20 in most cases not disclosing debilitating illnesses that
should = have=20 kept them grounded.

The pilots, who were indicted this week = by=20 grand juries in the eastern
and northern federal districts of=20 California, were identified during
an 18-month criminal air = traffic=20 safety investigation by the
Department of Transportation and = the Social=20 Security Administration
that looked into licensed pilots who = were also=20 receiving disability
benefits and payments from the government. =

The investigation, initiated in July 2003, included a = review of=20 more
than 40,000 pilot licenses issued in Northern California = to=20 determine
whether there had been any misuse or abuse of Social = Security=20 numbers.
The authorities reviewed licenses held by both = commercial and=20 private
pilots and found that some license applicants claimed = to be=20 medically
fit to fly an airplane yet were simultaneously = receiving=20 disability
benefits.

"The fraud and falsification = allegedly=20 committed by these individuals
is extremely serious and = adversely=20 affects the public interest in air
safety," said Nicholas = Sabatini, an=20 associate administrator with the
Federal Aviation=20 Administration.

Charles H. Lee Jr., an assistant inspector = general=20 for investigations
at the Department of Transportation, said = the=20 reviewers first focused
their investigation on 48 pilots, most = of whom=20 were receiving
disability payments for illnesses like paranoid = schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder and disabling heart=20 conditions.

One case, Mr. Lee said, even involved someone = who=20 exhibited severe
suicidal tendencies.

"To get their=20 certificates, these people had to lie or falsify
paperwork," = Mr. Lee=20 said. "The F.A.A. has rules and regulations
regarding medical=20 conditions and deemed that all 48 had medical
disabilities that = would=20 have disqualified them from holding pilot =
certificates."

Two=20 cases were dropped, Mr. Lee said, one because the pilot died.=20 He
declined to comment about whether similar investigations = were=20 under
way in other states.

Of the 46 pilots that Mr. Lee = said=20 were charged, 7 held commercial
pilot certificates that would = have=20 allowed them to fly as well as
carry cargo; another 4 pilots = held air=20 transportation pilot
certificates which would let them = transport=20 passengers.

Of the remaining indicted pilots, 28 had = private pilot=20 licenses, and 7
had student licenses.

A charge of lying = to the=20 federal authorities carries a penalty of up
to five years in = prison and=20 a $250,000 fine. A charge of falsifying
records carries a = penalty of up=20 to one year in prison and a $100,000
fine.

According to = court=20 documents, the pilots who were indicted failed to
provide = accurate=20 medical history forms, as required by the F.A.A., in
some cases = lying=20 about a previous illness or claiming that there had
been no = previous=20 medical diagnosis or treatment for conditions that
the pilots = knew they=20 had.

Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the F.A.A., said that = pilots=20 could
obtain a license only after they submit oral and written = tests=20 and
current medical certificates. Those certificates can be = issued=20 only by
an aviation medical examiner registered with the = agency.=20 Certain
medical conditions would disqualify an applicant from = receiving=20 a
license.

"The reason we have disqualifying conditions = is to=20 ensure that pilots
are not a danger to others, in the air or on = the=20 ground," Ms. Brown
said.

Ms. Brown said that the pilots = were=20 charged with either making false
statements to a federal = official or=20 delivering to a federal official a
false written record. She = added that=20 14 of the pilots held active
pilot licenses, which were = immediately=20 revoked.

The remaining pilots had licenses that had either = lapsed=20 or were
missing current information, which would not prevent = them from=20 flying
a private plane.

"It's similar to when people go = out and=20 drive cars without a license,
or drive cars when intoxicated," = Ms.=20 Brown said. "It's illegal but
they do it."

At least one = of the=20 indicted pilots appeared in Federal District Court
in = Sacramento on=20 Tuesday. The remaining pilots will be arraigned
individually in = the=20 coming weeks.
Kevin Lane  Portland, OR
e-mail-> n3773@comcast.net
 
 



--=20
Dave Leonard
Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY
http://memb= ers.aol.com/_ht_a/rotaryroster/index.html=20
http://members.aol.c= om/vp4skydoc/index.html=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01C58D89.2579C360--