Analysis of Initial Medical Flight Screening of Aircrew Candidates: USAF vis-à-vis IAF

Air Forces worldwide have specified comprehensive medical standards for aircrew selection for flying duty. The medical morbidity pattern is expected to be different between aircrew candidates and trained aviators. There has been no published study in the USAF which analyzes medically disqualifying conditions among aircrew applicants for flying duty. The present study was thus carried out to analyze the physically disqualifying, waiverable and permanently disqualifying conditions during initial flight screening of USAF aircrew candidates. Relevant data was collected from the medical database maintained at Aeromedical Consultation Services (ACS), USAF School of Aerospace Medicine. The disabilities pattern was compared with that of trained aircrew and published data of IAF. During the period of the study, a total of839 aircrew applicants underwent initial medical evaluation for flying duty at ACS. 374 candidates (44.5%) were made physically disqualified due to various medical conditions. Waiver was granted in 310 cases (36.9%) and 64 candidates (7.6%) were permanently disqualified from flying duty. Among the permanently disqualified candidates, ophthalmological conditions (65 %) were found to be the most common cause followed by systemic medical conditions (27%). Color vision defect was noted to be the most common ophthalmic condition resulting in permanent disqualification. The medical disabilities amounting to rejection in aircrew candidates were much different to those of trained aircrew. Comparison with similar data revealed significant differences in morbidity patterns among aircrew candidates with of IAF.