Top FAA Doctor Replaced, Accused of Certifying Unfit

Federal air surgeon Frank Austin, under fire for allegedly certifying pilots who were medically unfit to fly, was replaced today as the top FAA doctor.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said, “Austin was relieved of his duties at his own request and will remain with the agency in another assignment.”

Austin, appointed to the post in October, 1984, was accused by United Airlines, American Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Assn. of allowing pilots with unusual medical risks to return to work, overruling other doctors who had grounded them.

Austin denied the allegation during a congressional hearing last December.

The medical directors of the two airlines said Austin had certified pilots with health problems ranging from partial blindness to histories of strokes and heart attacks. They said the airlines had to pull these pilots from the cockpits.

As federal air surgeon, Austin had the authority to grant medical waivers called special issuances to pilots who earlier flunked physical examinations required by the FAA. In doing so, the air surgeon concluded in overruling other doctors that the pilot’s medical condition posed no risk to aviation safety.

The FAA said Austin had issued 573 such waivers during the last two years, only 47 more than the previous air surgeon.

Dr. Gary Kohn, United’s medical director, told Congress that because of such “irrational” decisions, “we no longer trust such special issuance at face value.”