Become a Pilot with Pacemaker?

Non-commercial

by tuck3lin - 2010-02-26 02:02:08

My mother-in-law's husband has had a pacemaker for the last five years. At 79 years old, he still has his private pilot license and flies his plane. He has been a private pilot most of his adult life. Of course, that is non-commercial.

His required medical checks are more frequent now than before the pacemaker, though.

Thanks

by oppsidoops - 2010-02-26 02:02:50

thanks for your respond, I really appreciate it :)

More Information

by tuck3lin - 2010-02-26 08:02:50

This subject got me curious, so I did a little research. The following seems to be the story.

-- For a sport pilot license, which would allow you to fly a single seat ultralight and a few other types of "hobby" aircraft, there is no pacemaker restriction. More info at http://www.sportpilot.org/questions/afmfaqs.asp?topicid=9.

-- A private pilot license requires an FAA class 3 medical certificate. Most heart conditions (including a pacemaker) are considered a medical disqualification. As are also a bunch of other reasons that might result in disqualification (the list is long), such as bad eyesight of less than 20/40. HOWEVER, you can petition the FAA for a medical waiver, which it sounds like might be granted if your doctor determines the medical condition is non-progressive. Now that I think about it, this is what my MIL's husband did. Not sure how easy waivers are to get, but consider that he is 79, has a pacemaker, smokes, has had diabetes, and yet he received a medical waiver and still flys. Of course, he also has decades of flying experience to back up his waiver request. More info at http://www.aviationwise.org/faamedical.html and http://flightphysical.com/part67/67sube.htm

-- Commercial pilot licenses require either a Class 2 or a Class 1 medical certificate, depending on what you are doing. Both are more restrictive than a Class 3 certificate, with a Class 1 being more restrictive than Class 2. With class 2 and class 1 certificates, it looks like the rules are the rules and waivers are much more unlikely.

So, if you want to get up in the air, it looks like you still can. However, you might not be able to carry passengers for money or hire yourself to carry freight. The pacemaker probably restricts you from making a career of aviation since under today's rules the FAA is unlikely to grant a class 2 or class 1 medical certificate or waiver to someone with a pacemaker. If you just want to fly yourself and some friends around as a private pilot, that is within the realm of possibility.

Hope that helps. Others might wish to add to this topic as the above info was the result a pretty quick scan.

United States vs Sweden Rules

by tuck3lin - 2010-02-26 08:02:59

I just noticed you are from Sweden. I assumed you were in the United States, so my answer reflected the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules. I am sure the medical restrictions are pretty much the same when doing anything that involves international commercial aircraft. However, there is likely a government body in your country similar to the FAA that sets the rules for pilots within the borders of Sweden. I suspect, though, that the laws are similar.

That really helped

by oppsidoops - 2010-02-27 08:02:39

Yes I think Sweden has similar rules to the US. Thank you for your respond, im so happy that there is a chance and possibility for me, and everybody with pacemakers, to become a pilot :)

Linda

it is possible

by dwelch - 2010-02-27 11:02:33

I have had doctors in the past that had patients that were commercial jet pilots, the big passenger carrying jets.

My guess and or understanding is these folks were pilots first then got pacemakers. And from the prior post I assume petitioned the FAA for a waiver. They had to have monthly pacer checks, things like that.

Just like the pacemaker microwave warnings on the window at the gas station, the FAA knows that pacemakers are not any more dangerous for pilots than say having to wear glasses. They may never remove the official restriction, but with everything government I wouldnt be surprised if today or someday in the future it is trivial to get a waiver.

Become a Pilot with Pacemaker?

by Lancair - 2020-01-10 15:05:42

Under the current FAA limitation for pacemakers (non-commercial only), you will be unable to work as a pilot with a Class 3 medical. The laundry list of information, tests and papwerwork to be filed for Class 3 clearance is to say the least, onerous and expensive. Beyond the inital clearance, a simliar re-evaluation must be made on a yearly basis. 

If you are footing the cost of the administartion and tests out of your own pocket, you'll really want to evaluate the benefit of trying to stay in the air as PIC or simply accepting a ride with a buddy for your next $100 hamburger.