The Nation - News from Nov. 17, 1986

Federal air surgeon Frank Austin Jr. has allowed more than 250 professional pilots and co-pilots to return to the cockpit after they were grounded for potentially life-threatening medical conditions, a newspaper reported. A number of doctors familiar with appeals handled by Austin accused him of making reckless decisions that could endanger the lives of thousands of passengers, the Pittsburgh Press said. Austin told the newspaper, “I stand by my actions and do so proudly. I’ve put a lot of pilots back in the air who have been locked out of the cockpit for years, and their safety record shows it was a safe decision.” One pilot Austin had cleared against the advice of medical consultants died in a helicopter crash in a California ravine after apparently suffering a heart attack, the article said.