NTSB Safety Recommendations A-09-61 through -66

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: NTSB Safety Recommendations A-09-61 through -66

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                   NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

August 7, 2009

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NTSB Safety Recommendations A-09-61 through -66

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The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration:

Modify the Application for Airman Medical Certificate to elicit specific information about any previous

diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and about the presence of specific risk factors for that disorder.

(A-09-61)

Implement a program to identify pilots at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea and require that those

pilots provide evidence through the medical certification process of having been appropriately

evaluated and, if treatment is needed, effectively treated for that disorder before being granted

unrestricted medical certification. (A-09-62)

Develop and disseminate guidance for pilots, employers, and physicians regarding the identification

and treatment of individuals at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea, emphasizing that pilots who have

obstructive sleep apnea that is effectively treated are routinely approved for continued medical

certification. (A-09-63)

Conduct research examining how pilot fatigue is affected by the unique characteristics of short-haul

operations and identify methods for reducing those effects; include research into the interactive

effects of shift timing, consecutive days of work, number of legs flown, and the availability of rest

breaks. (A-09-64)

Issue interim guidance, such as an advisory circular, that provides operators of multi-segment, short-

haul flights with the relevant safety information as it becomes available during the research requested

in Safety Recommendation A-09-64. (A-09-65)

When the research requested in Safety Recommendation A-09-64 is completed, require operators of

short-haul, multi-segment flights to incorporate the guidance requested in Safety Recommendation A-

09-65 into their operating specifications to reflect the unique crew fatigue characteristics of these

operators. (A-09-66)

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http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2009/A09_61_66.pdf   

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The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web

at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can

be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe

(http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html).

       

An archive of recommendation letters is available at

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm.

Electronic versions of letters may or may not include

enclosures; however, related publications, accident

briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found

on the NTSB website.

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