Apparently a lot of ex-Military airline pilots are collecting Veterans Disability Benefits for medical conditions that would disqualify them from getting an FAA Medical Certificate. It’s actually a felony if you don’t disclose a disqualifying medical condition.
{{ The U.S. attorney’s office in San Francisco prosecuted 45 of the most serious cases for fraud and related charges, winning convictions or guilty pleas in all of them. Officials said they could have prosecuted hundreds of additional pilots, but the cases would have clogged the justice system. }}}
The article blames the issue on the Veterans Benefits. Either the pilots are too sick to fly, or they are defrauding the Veterans administration with bogus medical disability claims. Either way, it should be a jail sentence.
I note that we’d be examining these crooked pilots with a fine-toothed comb if they were single mothers on food stamps.
Therein lies the problem. If the eligibility requirements for benefits is not deemed “unable to pilot a commercial aircraft”, then the rules may need to be tightened up. Most of the Vietnam era military pilots would be too old to fly commercial aircraft (from memory, limit is 60-65 yrs old, max). My cousin was required to retire as a volunteer fireman when he hit 60 (dept requirement).
It’s a scam. They are spiking their pension bucks with disability fraud, or they want out early so they can make civilian pilot bucks (although I hear they don’t really pay that much anymore) so play the violin and essentially double dip.
And officers have one of the ultimate “senses of entitlement” you’ll find anywhere. Maybe up there with cops. Add that to being a pilot and everything can be rationalized. It’s only right.
The FAA’s review has led some pilots who served in the military to complain they are being treated unfairly.
HA! Well, isn’t everybody nowadays? Tip: If everybody’s being treated unfairly then it ain’t “unfair.”
If they’re going to shine a light on veterans, they need to shine a light everywhere,” said Rick Mangini, 52, a former Army pilot who has been grounded from his job flying
So if the police can’t catch every other speeder first they shouldn’t pull you over for speeding. That’s everybody’s excuse for everything. “Hey, I know a guy who…”
I know of a lot of pilots who have told me about [medical conditions] they aren’t telling the FAA about,” he said. “What they’re doing to veterans? That’s the definition of harassment.
OK, Rick so what are their names? I got a pencil ready. No, it’s the definition of an ongoing investigation.
The FAA’s investigation quickly ran into resistance from pilots unions and industry groups, which balked at potential enforcement that could ground their members.
Whoa, didn’t see that one coming. Pffft! One of the dangers of labor unions. They get to be a business.
They’re double dipping … classic among ex-govt and ex-military folks. Sometimes the double dipping in legal, sometimes (like this case) it’s not.
Jail isn’t very useful, instead claw back ALL their ill-gotten VA disability benefits. Including the cost of all the bogus medical services they received while proving their disability case.