Certification of a Pilot with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a rare hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy. This is a report of a pilot with this condition with a discussion of the challenges for the regulator in the assessment for medical certification of pilots with a neurological disability. A pilot with CMTX1 declared his condition to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority when his brother was diagnosed with the same condition. Apart from high arched feet and some difficulty playing sports, he had no problems until his mid-forties, when he very slowly developed increasing weakness with foot dorsiflexion and later wasting and weakness of the small hand muscles. He reported no problems with any flying activity. On clinical examination, it seemed likely that the disability would have an impact on his ability to undertake all the flying tasks of a commercial pilot, including those required in emergencies. A modified Medical Flight Test (MFT) specifically tailored by the regulator to test areas of functional impairment allowed the successful certificatory assessment of a pilot with this condition; an approach which could apply to any pilot with a rare neurological disability.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.3357/AMHP.5711.2021
• Record URL:
  • https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asma/amhp/2021/00000092/00000002/art00011
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/23756314
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of the Aerospace Medical Association.
• Authors:
  • Jagathesan, Tania
  • Obrien, Michael
  • Rattray, Alexander
• Publication Date: 2021-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 124-126
• Serial:
  • Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
  • Volume: 92
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Aerospace Medical Association
  • ISSN: 2375-6314
  • EISSN: 2375-6322
  • Serial URL: https://asma.org/publications/journal/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pilots; Aviation medicine; Certification; Flight tests; Medical case reports; Nervous system diseases; Neurology; Occupational safety
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01769664
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 19 2021 5:20PM