Can the lifestyle of a piloting career cause you to lose your pilot medical?

N918KT

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Just curious, but is it possible that the lifestyle of a professional piloting career cause you to lose your pilot medical at some point? Let me explain. Pilots work long hours, nights, and experience time zone changes constantly. And in some cases it takes a toll on the person's body, both physically and mentally. Being away from home and family could maybe also cause a person to feel depressed. This would probably be the case if you are starting out at a regional airline.

So, would you agree that the lifestyle of being an airline pilot is stressful enough to lose your pilot medical?
 
Not sure about any of that other stuff, but Blood clots are a definite concern as far as I know.
 
Depends on how the person lives their life.

I've seen old timers still climb into AG planes and fly with surgical precision.

Seen office drones who you'd swear are 50, who actually are only in their 30s.

Also depends on what type of flying you do for a living, lots more than just nosebleed regional jobs out there.
 
yes. Look at the FEDEX/UPS guys. From my part in the military I can tell you it definitively affects us. Some of my fighter peers purposely depart the fighter cockpit early because they know they won't have the skeleton/cartilage to fly for an airline if they try to hold on to 20+ in active fighter flying. It's definitively a consideration.

But it's about quality not quantity am I right? Living life with longevity as the end all be all, I believe they call that: women.
 
No doubt that all of those factors can lead to health issues but with the exception of the high g flying, a lot of other people suffer from the same. It's not limited to pilots. In the end they are risk factors you accept to do what you enjoy doing.
 
I think just about any job will eventually kill you, whether at FL410 or in a cubicle. Maybe even faster if you have no job or are idle. So it boils down to what you do to maintain your health: exercise, nutrition and learning how to relax. Treat your body like it's disposable, and it will be trash before you know it. And vice versa.
 
I think just about any job will eventually kill you, whether at FL410 or in a cubicle. Maybe even faster if you have no job or are idle. So it boils down to what you do to maintain your health: exercise, nutrition and learning how to relax. Treat your body like it's disposable, and it will be trash before you know it. And vice versa.

This. IMO, sums it up well. Move baby! Ya gotta move, not sit so much. At the airline I was at, as most airlines, I had some long days (12-16 hours duty) which was mostly sitting but I tried to eat right, walked to my next gate/concourse (ATL sometimes a good walk), walk between flights, and try to get in exercise at the hotel. Most hotels have exercise equipment, pools etc, plus one can still take a walk around town or in the hotel parking lot. Retired now but I still get out of the chair and do something. Also something that stimulates the noggin, keep your mental edge going. And of course genetics plays a big part.
 
It's a high stress, bad food, lousy hours profession so yes it can. But, like every other high stress,lousy food no sleep profession you can midigate that but developing healthy habits. Almost every hotel has a gym, find better places to eat, relax when you can. The captain I flew with las month has run the Boston marathon a bunch of times and is doing a 300 mile charity bike ride this weekend he is 60 and fit as a 20 year old, I hope to be half as health as him at his age.
Bob
 
This. IMO, sums it up well. Move baby! Ya gotta move, not sit so much. At the airline I was at, as most airlines, I had some long days (12-16 hours duty) which was mostly sitting but I tried to eat right, walked to my next gate/concourse (ATL sometimes a good walk), walk between flights, and try to get in exercise at the hotel. Most hotels have exercise equipment, pools etc, plus one can still take a walk around town or in the hotel parking lot. Retired now but I still get out of the chair and do something. Also something that stimulates the noggin, keep your mental edge going. And of course genetics plays a big part.

I'm focusing on the better genetics angle!
 
My corporate friends say it's the married women they chase that may endanger their careers...
 
I'm focusing on the better genetics angle!
Me too, but more the maternal side than the paternal side.

I'm not sure you could say the lifestyle is worse than many other careers, though. I used to fly with a guy who would tell people that flying was better than swinging a hammer. It's probably also better than sitting in a cubicle.
 
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Yes..... especially when you slam a mountain at 170k......

Otherwise flying keeps me working to stay healthy with diet, exercise and doing what my Dr. tells me to do. I probably would not pay attention to my health as closely if I was just a lawyer or politician.....
 
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