Safety
When is a Crewmember Fit for Duty?
Fitness-for-duty plans are crucial, and pilots need to watch out for each other to ensure the safety of the operation.

Determining a pilot’s fitness for duty can pose a challenge for business aviation operators, and a lack of any FAA guidance on the issue compounds the problem, said Dr. Quay Snyder at the Flight Safety Foundation business aviation safety summit (Bass) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last month. “The FAA medical certificate is practically worthless,” asserted Snyder, president of Aviation Medical Advisory Service. “Take the exam, pay your fee and pick up your certificate with a side of fries,” he told the audience. “The medical only calls attention to items pretty much self-reported.” What about disqualifying issues unknown to or more closely guarded by pilots?