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"We are the protagonists of our stories called life, and there is no limit to how high we can fly."


PHD. MBA. MHS. Type rated on A350, A330, B777, B747-400, B747-200, B757, B767, B737, B727. International Airline Pilot / Author / Speaker. Dedicated to giving the gift of wings to anyone following their dreams. Supporting Aviation Safety through training, writing, and inspiration. Fighting for Aviation Safety and Airline Employee Advocacy. Safety Culture and SMS change agent.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Inspiration Gives Wings

And the Gift of Flight



In 2018 I met Aleeka Morgan and her husband Will at an ERAU graduation of which I was speaking. I was impressed by this couple, and they became my Friday Fabulous Flyers. I knew there would be nothing stopping Aleeka in a future of inspiration and success. Success is when you make a difference in the world.


Aleeka introduced me to La Pietra, an all-girls school in Hawaii, and was surprised by their TechZone program. The program equips students with cutting-edge tools like a flight simulator, e-sports gear, robotics kits, 3-D printers, and so much more. She told me Sabrina, a graduate of the school, is now headed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (my alma mater), and she credits La Pietra for sparking her passion for aeronautics. Sabrina recently completed her first solo flight, thanks to her time in the flight simulator at her school.

Aleeka said, "I'm passionate about helping to fundraise for La Pietra through the fund I started, Nurturing Wāhine Fund, because I saw firsthand how genuine the leaders are at the school. I have had so many traumatic experiences in Hawai'i where I have been put in uncomfortable situations by women, and it is novel to see a place that allows women and girls to actually thrive."


As the spouse of an Air Force veteran, Aleeka understands the transformative power of flight skills firsthand. Since then, she has launched a gender equity fund, Nurturing Wāhine to support STEM initiatives like TechZone. Every dollar she raises goes directly benefit these young women.

Nurturing Wāhine Fund's mission: To empower women to overcome systematic adversity by offering resources and grants. We do this by supporting programs and community leaders in underrepresented fields." Aleeka is in search of much needed funds for TechZone that will be used for maintenance of La Pietra's current equipment, and to assist in purchasing new equipment such as and instructor station, CNC milling machine, and CAD/CAM software. This is a 503(c)(3) non-profit and all donations will be tax deductible. You can Venmo your support at @NurturingWahine 

If you have any questions or equipment donations, or want to learn more about Nurturing Wahine Fund or please email her at Aleeka@nurturingwahine.org


Aleeka Morgan is Making a Difference
One Life at a Time
Thanks for your help!

Enjoy the Journey
Dr. Karlene Petitt

PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727

Monday, June 17, 2024

Retain Senior Pilots

Your Life Could Depend upon It 

When you awaken, be grateful. Then think of those who might not have that opportunity due to an unnecessary aircraft accident. Today, airplanes are breaking at an exponential rate. Even new airplanes are malfunctioning. Doors flying off, engines failing and electrical problems. This is when we need competent, experienced pilots on the flight deck. With this "pilot shortage" and airlines employing anyone who is willing to work for them, or being offered flight opportunities before the individual proves ability, we are headed for a major catastrophe. 

Age 67 Retirement is a Must
For Your Safety

When a junior Southwest Airlines first officer nearly kills everyone on board because he dives toward the ocean and misses impact by 400 feet, and didn't even realize he had a problem, we have a problem. What if the captain was also a new hire pilot? Yes, that could happen. Delta Airlines place a new hire as a captain in NY, in the exact same plane that this SWA event occurred. A year ago, Delta experienced hail damage and the pilot flying was a new first officer getting a line check. 

Delta Hail Damage

On June 9th, Austrian Airbus A320-214 that passed through sever hailstorm while operating flight OS434 from Palma de Mallorca (PME) to Vienna (VIE)


We must retain senior pilots or the next time my be the last time for the crew and passengers on board

Southwest did a Dutch Roll last month with major structural damage. Sun Country diverted due to Engine Failure. KLM 787 Returns to Tokyo with a cracked windshield. Emirates A330 Rejects takeoff due to an engine exploding during takeoff.



American A321 a post flight inspection identifies a Damaged Cowling. Altas closes the Hong Kong runway after experiencing their third incident this year. United Airlines oxygen masks deployed.

Those events are what we see in the news. What you may not see are those hidden events. In May Delta Airlines experienced three major incidents. On May 27, Delta's airbus A350 lost automation, on May 29th an Airbus A330 experienced a total hydraulic failure, and a Boeing 757 had unsafe gear. This month I received the following photos of Delta flights, from disgruntled pilots who don't know what to do. A Captain tells me: 

"Maintenance is a problem and we're going to have an accident
 



Despite everything in the news there is more happening that you never hear about. 

FAA is now investigating Southwest Airlines and four months ago they were investigating United. Honestly, the FAA does not have the resources or time to solve the overwhelming problems within the airline industry. 

A safety protection and the easiest solution is to retain experienced senior pilots and allow them to continue flying to age 67. Their experience could save your life. In the eyes of the government, social security starts at retirement age of 67. Most of these pilots are flying far more challenging aircraft and operations after they leave the airline job.

Unfortunately ALPA is not supportive of this age extension because union representatives are elected positions. This is a political objection, not a safety concern. The airlines' massive employment of young pilots due to the pilot shortage now has tipped the scales to more younger pilots than those of experience. If the union reps don't vote to keep 67 out, they will be voted out. I've already seen this happen. We need public help to address this critical issue before it's too late. Retention of of senior pilots could save your life. 

AGE 67 Is a Must 
For Passenger Safety! 

Enjoy the Journey
Dr. Karlene Petitt

PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Passenger Safety In Harm's Way

FAA Approved, Non Controlled, Medical Malpractice

FAA third party contractors are running quite the profitable business and at pilot's expense, and to the degradation of passenger safety. Any pilot in the claws of one of these criminal doctors, you might have legal options. But the challenges are many as a result of the FAA's awareness and lack of response. 

Dr. John Mathew Fabian mugshot

Dr. John Matthew Fabian PSY.D., J.D., ABPP
Board Certified Forensic & Clinical Psychologist
Forensic & Clinical Neuropsychologist
And FAA Evaluator

Dr. Fabian has a national practice specializing in criminal and civil forensic psychological and neuropsychological evaluations. And he is also conducting FAA evaluations! But he doesn't work for the FAA and the FAA has no control over his actions. 

"Doctors can be bought" admits AME Dr. Chien and "This is a dirty business." 

Yes it is, and pilots lives are being destroyed for money. The FAA knows this is ongoing and yet the agency is doing nothing to stop it. Delta paid Dr. Altman $74,000 for providing a false mental health diagnosis. I tried to get the FAA to do something about Altman at the time, but I was told by the FAA that they had no power over Altman because he was not an FAA AME. Yet he was conducting FAA evaluations! What? How is that possible?  

Dr. David B. Altman

These third party contracted doctors are determining if your pilots fly or not, but they are not working for the FAA unless they are an AME. Altman wasn't. Yet, during trial Altman testified, "Dr. Charles Chisnow, who is the chief psychiatrist at the FAA, told me that I've done more evaluations of pilots than anyone else at this point in time." Yet the FAA does not have any control or regulatory compliance requirements for this doctor or others like him. How is that possible?

Passengers worldwide should fear!

It is extremely dangerous and contradicts aviation safety for doctors to be allowed to sell a false diagnosis. The FAA is aware this is ongoing. And yet nothing is done. I was told by a representative in the FAA that I had to take action with the Illinois medical board regarding Altman. That took me three years to have action taken. Yet, he walked a free man, simply forfeiting his license. Word is, he is still doing work with AMAS. A year after his removal I listened to a phone recording that indicated as much. 

I told a woman at the Illinois Medical Department, after years of calling and pushing for an investigation, of which finally lead to Dr. David B. Altman forfeiting his medical license, that her board would be found criminally negligent if an accident occurred because they had so many complaints against Altman.


I explained to this woman, "If a doctor is willing to take money for a false diagnosis, they would be willing to take money from the highest bidder. If the rich pilot, who legitimately has a problem and is planning to fly his plane into the ground like the Germanwings pilot, who has nothing to live for then he doesn't need his money. Pay it to Dr. Altman or one of the dirty doctors who are in this for financial gain. The dirty doctor would put him in the sky despite any problems noted. If you're a crook you will always go for the highest payoff." 

That was the statement that prodded the Illinois medical department to pursue Altman. 

How can you tell if a doctor is dirty? Follow your gut and avoid those who do not appear on the up and up. For example, I knew nothing of Dr. Brousseau, other than word from an American pilot that she worked closely with Altman, and there was ALPA trying to get me to see her as my doctor, after my Altman diagnosis. I did a little research and wondered how this woman was qualified for bipolar disorder evaluation or for a pilot evaluation. Dr. Kristin Brousseau was a podiatrist that worked in the VA hospital and decided to get into the game of evaluating pilots. 

Dr. Kristin Brousseau, DO

AMAS doctor, Jon Riccitello, worked hard to convince me to go to Brousseau as my neutral doctor, even asserting she would read the three hundred plus page report for "FREE." Who would do that? Instead, I went to the Mayo Clinic. Then we needed a tiebreaker, and Dr. Altman fought to make Brousseau the neutral examiner. These are the red flags you must pay attention to. I never used Brousseau, and this is not an assertion of her potential to be one of the doctors that could be bought, as stated by Dr. Chien. I am only sharing my concerns based upon her lack of experience, the great effort ALPA and Altman went through to have me see her, and all the reasons that I did not. 

Dr. Jon Riccitello (ALPA/AMAS)

Dr. Riccitello looks so sweet and innocent, quite nerdy too, but not only did he try to convince me to go to Brousseau, he told me there was no way I could beat Altman with a bipolar diagnosis and asserted the Altman was the "BIG GUN" with the FAA. He was wrong. The FAA assured me they did not have a big gun. They may not have a big gun, but these doctors are running around like it's the wild west without any FAA control, taking out pilots one shot at a time. Those AMEs they do have control over, they are looking the other way. I have to ask why?

It's Time to Remove These Doctors

I could not sue Altman for malpractice because he worked for Delta. He simply evaluated me. There was no client patient relationship. Courts have determined that examinations conducted at the behest of a third party, do not typically entail the establishment of a patient-physician relationship because the intent is to inform the third party, not to treat or diagnose the patient. (Lownsbury v Van Buren, 762 NE2d 354 (Ohio 2002). State v Herendeen et al, 279 Ga 323, 613 SE2d 647 (Ga 2005). This is how airlines are able to use these doctors, because the airline is the client. 

But that might not be the case. First, had I gone to Dr. Kristin Brousseau, she would have been my doctor, and if she had played the same game I could have filed malpractice against her. If you select a doctor that you feel is in cahoots, they probably are. You have legal options available. 

For those in the HIMS program, your company may be forcing you to see a specific HIMS AME, they may even be paying for that doctor, but if that doctor is prescribing anything, such as a 90-day lockdown as an in-patient, or telling you to see a psychiatrist, or anything that identifies a client patient relationship then you can file malpractice charges. If you pay the doctor, and the company reimburses you, I believe you could argue that this is your doctor. Just like a company uniform, you pay for it, you own it, but the company will reimburse you for it. 

The only way to get rid of these dirty doctors is to pick them off, one at a time, and hurt them where they place their value: Their wallet. 

Pilots careers are on the line, 
And Passenger safety is at stake!

WHERE IS THE FAA???

Read more on the post Medical Fraud and Abuse.  

If you know of a dirty doctor, please email me at Karlene.Petitt@gmail.com. Now is the time to expose them all! 

Enjoy the Journey
Dr. Karlene Petitt

PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727