Dr. Ian Perry, a world-renowned aviation medical specialist and international member of AOPA's Board of Aviation Medical Advisors, is the 2002 winner of the Boothby-Edwards Award. The international honor is given each year by the Aerospace Medical Association for outstanding research or clinical practice in aviation medicine.
AOPA's Board of Aviation Medical Advisors was established to provide AOPA advice and insight concerning matters of AOPA aviation medical policy and to assist AOPA on precedent-setting aviation medicine issues. Board members recently helped AOPA formulate a suggestion, which the FAA ultimately adopted, making it easier and less time-consuming for pilots flying with special issuance authorization class III medical certificates to obtain their renewals. Thanks to their input, AOPA was able to convince the FAA to allow individual aviation medical examiners to reissue the certificates, rather than sending the application to the FAA for approval.
In addition to Dr. Perry, members of the board include two former managers of the FAA's medical certification division and experts in aviation medicine, psychiatry, surgery, and orthopedics.
"AOPA is proud to count Dr. Perry among its medical advisors," said Andy Cebula, AOPA senior vice president of government and technical affairs. "He is a lifelong advocate for pilots and aircrew, pushing for reasonable medical standards and against unnecessary regulations."
Before establishing a private practice, Dr. Perry had a distinguished career with Britain's Royal Army Medical Corps, establishing the Army Department in Aviation Medicine, whose primary aim remains to examine and care for aircrews and their families. Dr. Perry is recognized as an aviation medical examiner by 50 licensing authorities, including the FAA. He is also active in investigating accidents and working as a pilots' advocate, trying to ensure that pilots are not unnecessarily grounded for medical reasons.
Established in memory of Walter M. Boothby, M.D., pioneer aviation medicine researcher, and Howard K. Edwards, M.D., clinical practitioner of aviation medicine, the Boothby-Edwards award is presented annually for outstanding research and/or clinical practice directed at the promotion of health and prevention of disease in professional airline pilots. (The separate Boothby and Edwards awards were given annually 1961 to 1973, and then alternately until 1985.) The award is sponsored by Harvey W. Watt and Company.
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