The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will issue new guidance to aviation medical examiners (AMEs) regarding how to screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in commercial pilots. Although these updated guidelines will not affect the FAA’s general medical standards regarding pilots with sleep apnea, it will affect how the FAA will respond to pilots who display the warning signs, red flags, and symptoms of sleep apnea.
This announcement comes after a November 2013 announcement that the FAA would begin to screen all pilots with a body mass index (BMI) over 40 and that anyone suspected of having untreated sleep apnea would be grounded until diagnosed and treated. Those guidelines were met with resistance from both the aviation industry and pilots, who believed the chances were unfair, expensive, and inconvenient.
New FAA Sleep Apnea Screening Guidelines
The new guidance takes feedback and input from all involved parties into consideration and attempts to balance air safety concerns with pilot health concerns and industry concerns. It is outlined as follows:
AMEs will screen pilots for the risk of OSA using “an integrated assessment of history, symptoms, and physical/clinical findings,” not just BMI or other isolated risk factors.
AMEs will use the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) clinical guidelines when evaluating pilots for OSA.
Pilots who are found to be at risk for OSA will be issued a medical certificate, but will also be required by the FAA’s Federal Air Surgeon to receive a sleep apnea evaluation within 90 days.
The sleep apnea evaluation may be conducted by any doctor, including an AME, who is following AASM guidelines.
If the evaluating doctor recommends a sleep study or home study, the pilot has another 90 days to complete it.
Pilots diagnosed with OSA must submit documentation proving their effective treatment in order to receive a special medical certification.
Pilots with untreated OSA, or pilots who fail to get evaluated within 90 days without special permission, will be grounded.
These new guidelines will be published and take effect on March 2, 2015.
The Ongoing Issue of Sleep Apnea & Commercial Pilots
This new guidance is being published at a time when many federal organizations are focusing on the issue of sleep apnea and commercial vehicle operators. As sleep apnea becomes more common, and as it is tied to more transportation accidents, lawmakers and safety advocates are struggling to find fair ways to screen employees and efficient and effective ways to treat those diagnosed with OSA.
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