Tag Archives: William A. Blank
COVID-19 & Your Fitness To Fly!
by Dr. Bill Blank, MD Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue COVID-19 (COronaVIrusDisease19) first appeared in late 2019. Since then it has caused a pandemic. It is classified as a corona virus. Corona is Latin for crown. Under … Continue reading
Understanding What Causes FAA Medical Certification Delays & What You Can Do To Speed Things Up!
by Dr. Bill Blank, M.D.,Senior AME Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2020 issue I just returned from speaking at an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) refresher course in Nashville. AMEs are required to perform at least 10 flight physicals … Continue reading
CBD & Why The Jury Is Still Out!
by Dr. Bill Blank, M.D. Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue Is CBD (Cannabidiol) the latest fad or is it a medication with the potential to help people with certain conditions? CBD has certainly been getting a lot … Continue reading
BasicMed Again!
by Bill Blank, M.D. Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 issue “BasicMed” took effect on May 1, 2017, as an alternate way for pilots to fly without holding an FAA medical certificate, as long as they meet certain … Continue reading
High On Health
Introduction by Dr. Bill Blank As many of you know, marijuana for recreational use and some of its derivatives, have been legalized in several states. While they are legal in some states, they are illegal from the federal point of … Continue reading
Visual Standards
by Dr. Bill Blank, M.D. Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2019 issue Recently, several questions have come up regarding vision and certification. New Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) are required to attend a one-week course in Oklahoma City prior to … Continue reading
The Great Lakes Region Gets A New Regional Flight Surgeon While Basic Med Increases In Popularity
by Dr. Bill Blank, M.D. Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue When I last checked, over 35,000 airmen had availed themselves of “Basic Med.” In addition, Mayo Clinic physicians now perform Basic Med exams. In fact, the Mayo … Continue reading
Pilots & Cataracts
by Dr. Bill Blank, M.D. Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 Cataracts are a common result of aging. Over 24 million Americans over 40, one-sixth of that population, have cataracts. More than half the people over 80 have … Continue reading
Certification Speed-Up
by Dr. Bill Blank, M.D. Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 issue In early December, I spoke at an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) refresher course in Tucson. There, I picked up some information, which has probably escaped notice and … Continue reading
How Basic Med Works!
by Dr. Bill Blank Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2017 issue I have been following “Basic Med” since the idea first arose, and waited to write this article until it was finally issued. I was afraid of last-minute changes … Continue reading
