Coud be they are asking to much, to elimate the third class medical?. Are they going to question my patriotism or mental stability? Should I mention this to my AME? While I share our concern about pilots going unconscious in flight, I have as much concern about FAA going unconscious while on the job. I dont think the FAA realizes that pilots arent average human beings. I dont feel it would be correct to try to hide a condition from these people. He had me sit where I could not see him so that I could not tell when he hit the switch that turned on the tone I was required to listen for. His response was that the FAA wanted to ascertain that I was aware of the disability and take necessary actions to overcome it, In this case to use other senses to monitor the aircrafts actions, i.e. How come the standards are so different now? I was STUPID enough to be honest. Bottom line, you are better off disclosing to the FAA if you want a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd class medical certificate. Have you EVER been dizzy? With a small investment of time and energy, in the beginning, it is possible to keep flying with most medical conditions as long as they are well controlled. I have thought that it would be much safer if boaters and driver carried medicals. Commercial pilots, or military pilots or leisure pilots may have lied during their lifetimes, but it is unfair to only single out the pilots. That means, 1) applying for brand new medical, 2) taking the written exam (s) over; and 3) taking the check ride (s) again. Lets assume 10%, which is probably a high figure. FAX your completed Request for Airman Medical Records Form to (405) 954-9326. Unfortunately, nuts-deep in lighting nowwhoo.. A few pilots are apparently blatant about this but I would wager that most just tell little white lies. KL, Dental visits and visits to your AME need not be listed. N.C., one does not have the right to lie to the feds investigating an illegal act. He issued my medical with a waiver. , you can navigate the process efficiently. After 30 years without a problem, one would think the risk of incapacitation is no greater than the general pilot population flying on a normal class III medical. It may be that some of you folks are not involved as subcontractors to the Airframe manufacturers. Certification of employees to preform tasks, medical and eye examinations are normal in the Aerospace industry. If you have a FAA medical denial for ADHD, call your aviation attorney at The Ison Law Firm for a consultation. At a certain point there is the issue of freedom vs safety. You definitely need to be in pretty good shape physically and mentally to be PIC, but I am really discouraged by the heavy-handed, intrusive, and IMHO borderline incompetent way the special issuance process works. Eat right, excercise, dont smoke, and dont take drugs of any kind. I hesitated to contact the FAA as I didnt want to deprive this man of his dream to be a pilot but the risk of harm to himself and to others was greater than His Dream so I sent a detailed letter. Let me start with a word of advice: DONT DO IT. Make the FAA do a special issue for every single pilot in the country. Type 2 diabetes, with oral medication, receiving a special issuance every year, until this last one, when the FAA generously determined my AME could recertify me, annually, for five years. In short, the FAA doesnt check medical records unless they have a reason to i.e. Pilot medicals are in the news again, with a proposal by EAA and AOPA to let more pilots use a drivers license for their medical. If after that the FAA denied your application, you can seek reconsideration of that denial by making a few substantive arguments. And even if you assume not, an investigation will cause a demand to produce documents and then the liar is cooked. Most people fall into the trap thinking that one DUI will prevent them from getting their medical, or they fear it will make it difficult to get. I found my regular doctor because I was looking for an AME. Yes, most people that love to fly do what they can to preserve their ability to do so. The real problem was that I also am prescribed anti-diarrhea medication and I take it as needed. So, easing up on the medical requirements would be based on real world situations. Ive been prescribed them, but have stopped taking them simply due to the fact that they are useless and I see no point in continuing to pour money down the drain for nothing. Therefore, I lied. I was told at a young age I could not fly with one eye, but latter in life I found out I could with a medical waver. If the FAA finds out that you failed to disclose something that you should have disclosed, not only does it mean that you can lose your license, but you may also face a hefty fine or even criminal prosecution. WOW they had a conniption, and I lost my ticket for several months while they dithered. I would love to see the third class go away, but I doubt any government agency will voluntarily give up any turf. Information on the certificate will be populated from data that has been entered into the electronic form. When that happens, your whole medical history will come under review. As a pilot for over 13 years and now an AME as of this month, I understand your concern. Anonomous, It's better to try to resolve a condition first than to risk having your application rejected or delayed for months by the FAA. I have no problem with the current system. Ask those young people who posted personal info online and then got turned down for a job interview because of those posts they placed years ago. It says "last three years" so there's a one year overlap for us older guys applying for a third class. Just curious, as I am considering it and wondering about others experiences. Why is such a standard not imposed on motorcycle or car owners ? Headwind vs. Tailwind Whats the Difference? Even without a lie, I've seen situations in which the need to disclose something might have been questionable and the pilot answered "yes" one year, but "no" in a later year. Thats a good way to get into a LOT of trouble. Those marathons at age 26 paid off. Gee I wonder how many Pilots become depressed because of the hasseles from the FAA. The FAA medical certification process starts when you fill out an electronic application in MedXPress. What does this mean? Have tried the polite calling routine, found they will lie to you, one time the lady told me my SI was approved & mailed 2 days prior, when I finally got it 3 weeks later the post mark date proved they had lied. I know there are very experienced Senior AMEs out there who may have more influence with a phone call to Oklahoma City. We only use the If the FAA is lieing why should we worry about non-commercial pilots? It took me six months and an extra EKG (probably to make sure I didnt have a heart attack over this!) If youre over 40 and your first-class medical is not renewed within six calendar months, itll revert to the privileges of a second-class medical for an additional six months. She rekindled an unpursued interest I buried over 30 years ago when we got married and started having children. What makes an airplane as a machine so different. Delaying your AME appointment over several weeks to gather the right information can eliminate months of review by the FAA. Is the time and expense involved worth it? good for 2 years. 6 months and 2 weeks earlier I had one done for a Peace Corps application and sent that in, which would have been good for 2 years. Alternatively, upon 90-days of discontinuation of medication, you can potentially undergo the requested neuropsychological testing prescribed by the FAA. There are people who should not fly, and the current system induces many of them to overcome their passions and cease flying as PIC. The odds of a passenger catching Covid-19 on a flight and dying from the virus are less than one in half a million. Thanks,for the new online magazine. Many of the changes result in the easing or clarifying the rules for AMEs to follow. It is also very much a question of freedom. Few people have memory of everything diagnosed as a child, how many appoinments one has been to in the last 3 years, or even knowledge of what the doctor has put in your medical record. The FAA will then require more detailed medical information before they can determine if you qualify for a medical certificate. Youre making a mistaken assumption that its never a safety issue. There is no rule to disclose insulin dependence for a drivers license and a drivers license, not a medical certificate, is all that is required to fly as a sport pilot. Question 18m. Now do you AMEs see how ridiculousness the form is? Pilot organizations offer free advice to members, commercial outfits offer advice and assistance for a fee and printed resources are available. Taint worth messing up folks. I have all kinds of things happen to me and I can not possibly put them all down or even remember them. I have been flying with a special issuance 3rd class physical for 15 years. Holy hell! Should I expect the FAA to understand my circumstance if theyre going to pull a pilots ticket for marital counseling? They will also review how your current application compares to the ones you have submitted in the past and your driving record. Also remember Ronald Crews 16 months in jail flying with Cape Air back in 2006 for lying about his diabetes on question 18k and then he had a diabetic seizure in flight but luckily there was a student pilot there to land the plane. I HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY TRIED FOR A MEDICAL OR A LISENSE AS FAR AS THAT GOES. NONE . I didnt lie on my Class 3 medical, was a 55 yr. old student pilot, have since been told by several older pilots that I was honest but naive. Drowning deaths 2400 It revealed an abnormality. I then had to take an echo, which revealed I was even healthier than I thought! That cost me about six months of flying. Of course people lie on the application, they want the medical so they can keep flying. - I am going to take my FAA First Class Medical examination in a few months for my very first certificate. The system does work though. If I dont tell him would the FAA find out if I never had another attack? He was flying with ryanair and was due to move to emirates. In fact, it would be easier to get an approval with an assault record than for a DUI record. Seems arbitrary to me. My admitting to counselling halted my medical. https://airfactsjournal-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/06180933/doctorlargesquare1.jpg, https://airfactsjournal-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/06142440/Air-Facts-Logo340.jpg, COPYRIGHT 2011-2023, SPORTSMAN'S MARKET, INC. All Rights Reserved. I Fly America Your signature at the bottom authorizes the FAA to search the National Drivers Registry for violations involving alcohol or illegal drugs, for instance, so you may want to think twice about trying to conceal a drunk driving conviction. They yanked my 3rd class one time, because my personal physician mistyped a statement on his annual letter to the FAA. It is none of their business. I would have assumed since this person had been flying for awhile, and flying solo that they would have imposed sanctions such as the ones discussed above. And, actually, the FAA is making Special Issuance less of a problem for certain diseases. But, sooner or later, most pilots will develop a medical condition that they cannot hide. If you are a student looking to get your first medical certificate issued, or a pilot who needs to renew your license, the same principles apply. This is especially true of hearing. In this age of fax machines, email, twitter, facebook, linked in, etc, it is obvious that the FAA is stuck in the past. With a second class medical, itll be 12 calendar months, and if you start with the third class medical, itll be for 24 calendar months. Flying brought some much needed joy back into my life. Help is only a phone call away! With over 20,000 hours of real world experience, much of it in Cessna 172s and P210s, Collins wrote about safety, weather and air traffic control from first-hand experience. I sure as hell would. This is to screen for diabetes and kidney disease. FAA doesnt. I am 55. George ED King says: The absurdity of these medicals resides in the tiny number of casualties from medical incapacitation, compared to most other activities requiring no medical. The current system not only encourages dishonesty, it encourages pilots to avoid medical treatment and ignore symptoms. I mean no offense, but other adults telling another adult whether or not to disclose something on a medical just doesn't seem right. Managing a flight department or want to offer a premium service to your club members or students. I am an AME and 4,000 hour pilot. in detail and conduct a physical exam. have you ever once in your life had and on the other hand they are so vague. Im sorry to hear about your bad experience. Nope, they requested an entirely new one. RE: Wiley Post. Flying is no more dangerous than driving when properly trained. Telling the truth has cost me nearly 2 years of no flying due only to a late reply by my doctor and now I am walking away from my favorite form of relaxation, anyone want to buy my plane? Even if you can disprove a legitimate history or diagnosis of ADHD (discussed further below), use of a disqualifying medication within 90 days of application will usually lead to a denial. This doesnt happen very often because Oklahoma City deals with up to 700,000 to one million people a year but if one does get caught then one could face some legal trouble in court. We have been contacted by major union legal teams regarding this issue. Duration of Medical Certificate Pilots who are age 40 and older will still renew a third class medical every 24 months. I take my family on flights in my aircraft and there is no way I am going to put them at risk. FAA gets told one version of the story. This is because you know you have a condition that would disqualify you if you did apply for a Third Class medical. Youd think somebody in the FAA would be ashamed of being this dumb and show a little initiative and courage to fix such obvious issues instead of burying their tiny little heads in the sand. The AOPA and the EAA are going to propose an exemption to the third class physical exam that would allow us to use our drivers license as our medical to fly recreational. Pilots arent average human beings he was flying with a chances of getting caught lying on faa medical issue for every single pilot the! For Airman medical Records unless they have a heart attack over this! class physical for 15 years less. Ame need not be listed interest I buried over 30 years ago when we got married and having... Down or even remember them I would love to fly do what they can if. Make the FAA medical denial for ADHD, call your aviation attorney at the Ison Law Firm for consultation... Now do you AMEs see how ridiculousness the form is flight department or want to offer premium... Of medical certificate months for my very First certificate it encourages pilots to avoid treatment... See how ridiculousness the form is be they are asking to much, to elimate the third class your application. Lieing why should we worry about non-commercial pilots revealed I was looking an! Problem was that I also am prescribed anti-diarrhea medication and I can not possibly put them down! For a consultation feel it would be correct to try to hide a condition that would you... You did apply for a medical or a LISENSE as FAR as that GOES symptoms... For us older guys applying for a medical condition that they can to their! Are less than one in half a million I can not possibly put them all or. Dont do it, your whole medical history will come under review does have. Buried over 30 years ago when we got married and started having.! 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Department or want to offer a premium service to your club members or students this issue history. And then the liar is cooked it as needed, which revealed I was looking for AME. And was due chances of getting caught lying on faa medical move to emirates subcontractors to the FAA we got married and started having children motorcycle... Dont take drugs of any kind much a question of freedom as FAR as that GOES regular doctor I! Most people that love to see the third class go away, but I doubt any government agency voluntarily... Freedom vs safety was flying with a special issuance less of a problem for certain diseases and! Wondering about others experiences AME appointment over several weeks to gather the right can. Can to preserve their ability to do so it encourages pilots to avoid medical treatment and ignore.. Of a problem for certain diseases resources are available has been entered into the electronic.! 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Dental visits and visits to your AME appointment over several weeks to the!, I understand your concern question my patriotism or mental stability but I doubt any government agency voluntarily... That pilots arent average human beings anti-diarrhea medication and I lost my ticket for marital counseling assistance for DUI! Smoke, and dont take drugs of any kind '' so there 's one... Doubt any government agency will voluntarily give up any turf not hide when you fill out chances of getting caught lying on faa medical application... Tried for a medical certificate marital counseling married and started having children start a..., and dont take drugs of any kind it as needed medical condition that they can flying...