Roundtable Recap
Tuesday, May 28th, West Michigan Regional Airport hosted its first BIV Roundtable event. We were thrilled to have Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) Dr. Mark Schultz kick off the series as our first guest speaker.
Visitors attended to hear Dr. Schultz discuss the importance of following protocols set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He shared that regular health and blood pressure checkups are important for anyone planning to operate an aircraft. Not everyone with high blood pressure presents visible symptoms and flying with untreated high blood pressure can be dangerous. Screening for other health conditions that affect flying ability, such as depression and sleep apnea, is equally important.
Additionally, pilots should be mindful when taking medication that results in drowsiness, such as Bendaryl. These medications have strong negative consequences and take 60 hours to clear your system. It’s recommended to rely on other brands, like Claritin.
If you missed out on this engaging conversation, be sure to join us for future events. Our next BIV Roundtable features guest speaker Dave Madrigal on Monday, July 8 from 6:00-7:30 pm. Dave is a Wildlife Biologist at the USDA. He will be talking about how the USDA can assist airports with their wildlife management planning. This is especially important to consider in the summer, when there are more birds on the fields. All community members are welcome to attend.
