medical question

[ron74887]

Guys, since my pancreatic surgery--I am now diabetic taking insulin (both kinds). Not much because the pancreas is still working. I had to let my medical expire since I did not have clearance from the oncologist, but I have that now. Reading the FAA stuff, It seems like I need all kinds of crap which will take 6-9 months to get. Has anyone gone thru this willing to let me know what they did. I don't want to go in and get flagged then not be able to go sport pilot if necessary. Thanks in acvance! Ron

[GAHorn]

Ron, I strongly urge you to contact Kevin West and discuss this with him.

[ron74887]

George, I did and he talked with another Dr. and said I could get a special issurance. He will be out for about a month and I need to know a little more. I forgot to tell him about the insulin (don't really think about it much) and after reading the FAA stuff It will take about 6-9 months to meet the reguirements if I am reading this right. I want to know what others have had to jump thru. I just don't want to go in and get caught in the red tape without knowing what I need Cause if I do and they red falgged me I'm screwed--will be flying w/o insurance or medical. They are talking about doing away with class 3 medical and in 6-9 months that may pass and I don't have to worry about any of this. I guess this means no flying vacation as it stands. Ron

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

One question I'd have Ron is do you expect to get off the insulin or is this a for ever deal? If your going to get off of it how long will that be and will it be shorter than the expected time to be cleared by the FAA. If so you should probably wait till your off of it and avoid the hassle.

Ron, here is another question that I don't have the answer to and have not found yet. If you are denied the medical, a step which would have to take place in order for you to receive a special issuance, can you then just allow your medical, which was allowed and received under the special issuance, to lapse then fly under sport pilot.

I've asked this question of several people to include my AME. The only answer I've gotten is that I might not want to find out the answer and should assume my medical issued under my special issuance was not a denial as far as sport pilot goes.

What I'm saying is you may already be at a point that you may not want to pass. If you attempt to get your medical while using insulin you will be denied and then most likely granted a special issuance.

I wouldn't hold my breath for the 3rd class medical to be dropped all together anytime soon. I've not even heard any noise lately to that effect.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

BTW Ron forgetting to tell Kevin you were on insulin was probably a MAJOR piece of info he needed. Unless he took it for granted that a person with your circumstances would be on insulin and his conversations with the Dr. would have taken that under consideration.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Just did a bit of reading.

I'm assuming a diagnoses of Diabetes mellitus requiring hypoglycemic medications. This is the disqualifying diagnoses from the FAA site. I'm certainly not any kind of expert in the field of diabetes so I don't know if there can be another diabetes diagnoses.

Assuming you fall under that diagnoses you will always be disqualified for a medical as I said earlier. And as we have already established you may be granted a special issuance of a medical.

Looking over the requirements to obtain that special issuance for diabetes it reads much like all the other special issuances at least those for coronary artery disease which I have to deal with. The six month stabilization period is standard. You can do anything for six months and then you do the required tests and submit the required reports which will cover as a minimum, the last six months.

Once the FAA gets the paperwork it will probably take a month or two for them you review it and issue the special or deny your request. At this time they will tell you what you will have to do to renew the special and when. Most if not all specials are for one year.

What I highly suggest is you talk to your AME. Ask if he is a Senior AME and if not find one. Get a number to your regional FAA medical office and talk to someone there as to what to expect. You will want to be dealing with a Senior AME because under some circumstances working with the regional medical office can issue the special pending review by OK City. If you can deal with any office other than OK City you will be better off as far as how much time it takes to get something done.

All of my comments are from info I've gathered over the last ten years talking with folks while I have navigated the system getting and retaining my special issued first class medical after coronary artery disease, a heart attack and by pass surgery.

Certainly not the same as diabetes but probably you will have a similar experience with the system. Hopefully someone with first hand diabetes experience will chime in.

[ron74887]

Bruce, I agree forgetting to tell doc was a major deal not until I heard back did I even think of it. I am already on special issuance for the cancers, which is why I let the medical expire. I would assume after reading all the surgical reports as well as scan reports the other Dr. who is a me probably thought I would be on some sort of medication. (we all know what assume means) That is my fault for no thinking of it. That is why I would like to know the hoops I have to jump from some that have done this. This may determine if I want to pursue this. I understand exactly what you wrote--I have had to submit a yearly update already. Ron

[jrenwick]

Everyone should be aware of the on-line resources of the AOPA for members at http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/. I've always found them very helpful.

[SteveF]

I have become totally sick of the FAA medical process. At 68 I try to keep my health in as good a condition as possible. That means getting a cataract taken care of which improved my vision tremendously, basal cell skin cancer removed, colonoscopy as directed by my doctor, blood pressure pill though pressure below threshold for FAA physical. What do I get for this beside being in decent shape -four pages of stuff from the eye doctor, a bunch of stuff from the dermatologist, paperwork that says the colonoscopy showed no problems, an electro cardiogram and stress test for the blood pressure. Enough is enough - go sport pilot and enjoy skipping FAA medicals.

Bought a Champ and don't plan to look back because the FAA medical landscape stinks. I guess I am a little bitter but so be it.

The hooker is if you are refused and do not get it back you are done. So either stop going while you have a good medical or if you have been refused fight to get a special then don't go back for another physical after you get it.

Here is the pertinent stuff from AOPA website.

http://www.aopa.org/sportpilot/

Sport Pilot for Certificated Pilots
I'm a certificated pilot without a medical. Can I fly as a sport pilot?
Yes. If you already hold at least a recreational pilot certificate and have allowed your medical to expire, you might be able to fly without an FAA medical certificate, even if your most recent medical was a special issuance. Here's what you need to qualify:
You must hold at least a recreational pilot certificate.
You must have a current, valid state-issued driver's license.
Your application for your last FAA medical certificate cannot have been denied.
Your most recent issued medical must not have been suspended or revoked.
If you held a Special Issuance Medical, it must not have been withdrawn.
You can't have a medical condition that makes you an unsafe pilot.
You must be able to self-certify that you are medically fit to fly.

[GAHorn]

I have become totally sick of the FAA medical process. At 68 I try to keep my health in as good a condition as possible. That means getting a cataract taken care of which improved my vision tremendously, basal cell skin cancer removed, colonoscopy as directed by my doctor, blood pressure pill though pressure below threshold for FAA physical. What do I get for this beside being in decent shape -four pages of stuff from the eye doctor, a bunch of stuff from the dermatologist, paperwork that says the colonoscopy showed no problems, an electro cardiogram and stress test for the blood pressure. Enough is enough - go sport pilot and enjoy skipping FAA medicals.....

It sounds as if your AME is the one causing all your problems. My AME merely asks for a note from my regular physician that my conditions are being treated successfully, what the medications/dosages are, and that I have no ill effects. In fact, one time I forgot to get the note and the AME simply called my Dr's nurse and got her to say it verbally...and he issued my new Class Two medical.

...You can't have a medical condition that makes you an unsafe pilot.
You must be able to self-certify that you are medically fit to fly.

Which means ...EVEN IF YOU ARE SPORT PILOT... that using meds or having conditions that disqualify you .... means you are disqualified from flight. Just because you are operating as a Sport Pilot...you must not fly when disqualifying events occur.

[SteveF]

This AME is one of the easier ones in the area but goes by the book as far as paperwork
is concerned. I think he has such a good business going he is afraid to take a chance and
make a decision on his own without getting the stamp of approval from the regional surgeon.

You are correct that you can not have a medical condition that makes you an unsafe pilot.
The decision to not fly is now yours to make instead of having to prove with paperwork that
you are fit to fly. When you ask the doctors to fill out the paperwork on an FAA form you can
see them start to think about their liability and insurance premiums. What ever happened to
people being able to act like adults and make decisions on their own.

George you are lucky as it sounds like you have a realist for an AME.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Steve I thought I saw the 170 for sale. Wondered what your plans were.

When you ask the doctors to fill out the paperwork on an FAA form you can
see them start to think about their liability and insurance premiums.

Yes I see this look. I wonder if my cardiologist knew what he was getting into 11 years ago when I asked him if he would cooperate with me and the requirements I needed for the FAA, if he wouldn't have told me to find another doctor.

While he has been cooperative, it is difficult sometimes. He thinks the FAA has a ridicules outdated system. He can not believe the paper we have to send to the FAA and he doesn't believe another doctor reviews all the raw data to confirm his diagnoses which BTW is not all his work alone but reviewed by his partners as well. He is very sensitive when I suggest he write something is a particular way. For example every report he sends ends with a "Problem List". This is probably a common term for doctors but I see it as a big red flag. The list is nothing more really than a history of my cardio health that he can not fix. For example it starts out with. Suffered heart attack on such and such date. The fact he can't reverse the heart attack means it will remain on his "Problem List".

At one time my cardiologist was a bit more disgusted with the FAA and wondered out loud what they were thinking and doing. I then suggested that he may like to go into retirement in a few years and hire on with the FAA as a consultant reviewing the paperwork like we were preparing. He looked at me in thought for a second and I could see a light bulb go off and his attitude seem to change.

[ron74887]

Steve, your ME seems just like mine "BY THE BOOK" . I think the first time I used this guy we got into a 5 minute dicussion about hair color. Since I son't have much to start with, which is white in my opinion--that is not an FAA color. It turned out we were asking every body that walked by and it was kind of and office joke. I could care less put NONE -that was not an option either--decided on gray. I guess the FFA hasn't seen the light (or george's hair either). This is why I brought this up-- I do NOT want to get flagged and not have the sport pilot option. Guess I could get my wife a medical and fly anyway. Or just fly without one but that brings the BIG insurance problem. Don't plan on buying/losing everyhting in case of some freaky accident. Doc West and his assoc(the ME there) seemed like it would be fine but then reading the AOPA deal, it will take 6-9 months to get all the stuff they want. Has anyone tried the $99.00 AOPA medical help deal? Thanks for the answers so far. Reading one somewhere I have to take sugar levels each hour into a flight and record them and after landing take it again for the next portion of the flight. It is about what I thought. Ron

[GAHorn]

... I think the first time I used this guy we got into a 5 minute dicussion about hair color. Since I son't have much to start with, which is white in my opinion--that is not an FAA color. It turned out we were asking every body that walked by and it was kind of an office joke. I could care less .... Ron

Hey Ron! If your hair color has become an issue for you.... I suggest that YOU are ... BLONDE !!!

Ronnie's new wig.JPG

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Ron, in my opinion all opinions help including the AOPA's. It pisses me off they now charge for this after all what do you get for the membership dues.

You may not learn anything you already know but it will be another opinion from folks who have seen more than one case. It will be worth $99 to get it what ever you learn. If you don't you will always wonder what if. $99 really to answer the question.

BTW it is most likely 6 months from the time you started the disqualifying treatment which may have been 6 months ago. Not 6 months from the time your think about getting your medical renewed.

Also I forgot you were already under the special issuance. That might mean your case will be reviewed by the same Dr. at the FAA. Have you checked with him as to what steps he might want to see? BTW your approving Dr and the Dr. Dr. West talked to might be one in the same. But most likely the FAA Dr. couldn't talk specifically with Dr. West about your exact case. Only you FAA Dr. can do that.

One of the things AOPA claims to offer with the $99 is to act as your advocate directly with the FAA about your specific case. Again $99 could be very cheap to cut some read tape and get direct answers.

I personally don't use the AOPA extra $99 because I started before the system was in place and have it pretty much figured out. But if I was starting today or I run into another snag like I did two years ago I wouldn't hesitate to send the $99 to AOPA.

And just to give some kudos to the AOPA when I called them two years ago as a member at the exact time they were starting this new service, they actually did check into my case and helped me get answers which probably saved me another two months with no medical and no work. And the AOPA didn't charge me a dime to do it.