Dangerously Heavy -

[Torey15]

This post is not meant to degrade or make fun of people in any way. Anybody out there in cyberspace who gets their britches in a wad over the PCness of this can sue me -

I recently saw a dangerously obese (had to be 350-375 pounds) pilot flying for one of the premier frax operators come into an FBO in a major metropolitan area. When I say dangerous, I mean this guy was big enough that not only his health (heart attack, stroke) would be of major concern, but also his ability to egress from the airplane in an emergency would be in doubt. He wasn't driving anything of the small cabin nature, but still you have to be somwhat of a contortionist to climb into and out of the front office of the ship he was in. I know - I have sat in both seats of one.

This guy may be agile enough to do everything he needs to and perfectly healthy. I hope he is. My only thoughts were about his overall health, his mobility in an emergency, and if someone had to assist him out of the aircraft, it would have looked to be impossible.

Flame away guys, I am sure you will.....

 

[Lrjet55]

Thats a fair commentary. I see the same thing everyday when I airline and there is a 6 month pregnant pilot on UNITED, the same overweight 767 captain at Delta and, my personal favorite, the just shy of 70 flight attendant on USair express commuter I was recently on. This lady could not close the boarding door by herself because it was too heavy. Plus she was wearing bedroom slippers...

Its everywhere. How these people pass a medical or company training is beyond me. Its not a fractional , airline or corporate thing. Its just aviation.

 

[TX_DFW]

In a time where america is getting more lazy and fatter every year, this will be a problem that won't be cured any time soon. People are too busy to excerise and eat a proper diet. So we live off of fast food and don't excerise. Lets hope people in our profession care about their health and do not give in to obesity.

 

[Flywrite]

I used to fly Jetstreams for a regional that had a few pilots who had trouble getting in and out through the cabin door, let alone the DV window we were supposed to crawl out of when things went pear-shaped.

As for the 70-year old FA...she is a sweet lady, and it sure is heart-warming to read her story of reaching her dream at her age, but I have to agree. All the sweet stories in the world don't mean squat when things start going downhill. Not to mention the fact that in today's environment the airlines should be recruiting former Marines as FAs, not septugenerians, no matter how sweet they are.

You're not PC on this, but you're right.

 

[WileE]

Begs the question

Why aren't there better standards to who is allowed to issue a medical? Everyone seems to know that there are some docs that you want to go to and some that you don't. I've had everything from not much more than turn your head and cough up to a full blood work up and the sound proof room with the little tones in your headset. Strangely enough both gave me the exact same Class 1 sheet of paper. Which do you think most pilots will go to?

I don't want to have to go through the third degree every six months, but I have seen several people flying in the left seat on a major airliner that you have to wonder if they will be able to wake up the next morning, much less physically evacuate an aircraft in an emergency.

 

[Lrjet55]

I most certainly was not trying to offend anyone. If we are discussing the same FA she was extermely sweet but her ability to perform her job safely was in question. As is the over weight pilot. Its sad really, thankfully it is the exception rather than the norm.

 

[bartpearl]

I'm pretty sure I know who you're talking about, and I wondered the same thing myself.

He was hired back when NJA was growing at light speed and the pool of resume's was small. Just goes to show you guys that NJA is not the aviation nirvana some may think it is.

 

[Lrjet55]

On the lighter side, how'd the guy get so big? We dont make nearly enough money to eat that much...

 

[FracPilot]

On the lighter side, how'd the guy get so big? We dont make nearly enough money to eat that much...

Maybe he ate the FOs on those longer flights. I just can't understand when people are that grossly overweight. It's not that difficult. Don't eat if you're not hungry. Don't eat just because you're bored. When you are full, quit eating. Get in some excercise now and then, and you're golden. I find time to lift weights and run 30-40 miles per week while on the road. I can hit twice that if I spend a significant amount of time in MX.

 

[Northern Lights]

Americans in general are over weight. When I have been in Europe, I have noticed that in general, the people are not over weight like they are here.

What probably helps is that they tend to walk a lot instead of driving door to door, and they don't eat the sugars and fats like we do here.

Last night I lugged several 40 pound bags of water softener salt down to the basement (one at a time). I kept thinking that if I weighed another 40 pounds that is what I would be lugging around all the time! It was motivation to stay trim.