A lot to lose

The spectre of the medical examination

Every year the date rolls around to when it is time for a pilot to be prodded, poked and probed. And every year the eye chart gets a little smaller and the stress levels a little higher. The hurdle of medical examinations is just one of the many hoops flightcrew regularly jump through, not, however, that you necessarily get used to it.

The questionnaire will investigate everything from sleep patterns to social habits and everything in between. Cardiac monitoring, lung capacity and blood pressure will be duly noted and if any questions remain they will be answered by further tests or a lap around the block, wired to a treadmill.