IdahoWilly wrote:Just thought I’d share a few things I have learned over the past few months, hopefully it can save others from unnecessary troubles.
When you start a new medication (in my case blood pressure medication) or have a new condition, you can look up the AME’s guidance on the FAA website: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/he ... s/aam/ame/. The guidance has categories for virtually every medical issue an applicant can face, and then gives the AME a checklist as to whether the situation warrants approval, denial, or deferment. You can look this up before you visit your AME and print off the documents or go over them in their office with them. In my case I ASSUMED he knew what he was doing based on his position. He deferred me (which he admitted was a mistake after reviewing the guidance)to OKC for the BP situation which has taken 5 months of letter writing to resolve. (Finally received my medical today). By the time I made it home from the office visit and was able to look up the info and call his office to discuss the situation it was too late, he had already hit the “defer” button on his system.
If you have a condition that you feel may affect your medical here is my advice: Look it up on the website, schedule a visit with the AME you plan to use (WITHOUT FILLING OUT THE 8500 FORM) and CONSULT with the AME. You can visit them anytime like a normal doctor and get their opinion as to what they will do, if they are OK with your situation THEN fill out the 8500 and go in. Once the paperwork gets started you have to be either approved, deferred, or denied. If the AME tells you it will be difficult to pass you, then you still have the option of utilizing your current medical to acquire a Basic Medical, which has less stringent requirements and less hassle with OKC. Moral of the story is no one cares more about your paperwork than you do, especially the closer you get to OKC! Take the initiative and prepare ahead of time, and don’t be afraid to go over things in their office. Believe it or not doctors can be incorrect too.
Side note: calling the Aeromedical headquarters in Oklahoma is a complete waste of time, it is essentially a telemarking call center where no one knows anything. If you call your regional office they are sooooo much better and are actually helpful (in my case emailing documents to speed up the process). Their numbers are available from the link above as well.
Happy Flying

Mountain Doctor wrote:Excellent advise.

FWIW the FAA also makes work an abject PIA for us AME's as well.

I've been helping our local and not so local pilots (I commonly have pilots come in from 100+ miles away for exams) as an AME for 20+ years but I'll be due for CME and re-certification next year.

I'm going to let it lapse and cash out.

The Feds have been irritating unappreciative and obtrusive regarding my practice for too long and I'm just about ready to be done with them.

Sadly this will suck for southeast Washington. I am one of the only AME's in this section of the state.

C130jake wrote:Get your basic med now. If you lose your medical, and are waiting to get it back, your basic med doc and you decide you are ok to fly *no grounding meds, grounding condition is resolved* you can fly.

That's what I'm doing right now. Feds say 6 months to get 1st class back (at a minimum)

Just get basic med before you need it.

Jake

C130jake wrote: Get your basic med now. If you lose your medical, and are waiting to get it back, your basic med doc and you decide you are ok to fly *no grounding meds, grounding condition is resolved* you can fly. ...

pipeliner wrote: Another tactic is to fill out your FAA MedXpress online and book an appointment with your AME for a "consultation." Let the AME do the physical and show him/her your paperwork, but don't let the AME open it up online. …..

185Midwest wrote:The way I see it unless you need a certain class medical for either the flying you are doing or the type of equipment you are flying Basic Medical is a great option.
Can you fly out of the country with basic med?
MW

C130jake wrote:Get your basic med now. If you lose your medical, and are waiting to get it back, your basic med doc and you decide you are ok to fly *no grounding meds, grounding condition is resolved* you can fly.

That's what I'm doing right now. Feds say 6 months to get 1st class back (at a minimum)

Just get basic med before you need it.

Jake

On The Fly wrote:

185Midwest wrote:The way I see it unless you need a certain class medical for either the flying you are doing or the type of equipment you are flying Basic Medical is a great option.
Can you fly out of the country with basic med?
MW

hotrod180 wrote:

On The Fly wrote:

185Midwest wrote:The way I see it unless you need a certain class medical for either the flying you are doing or the type of equipment you are flying Basic Medical is a great option.
Can you fly out of the country with basic med?
MW

Mexico- yes.
Bahamas- yes.
Canada- no.
AOPA is supposedly working on them, we'll see.
It would be nice for those of us living along the border,
or travelling between Alaska & the lower 48,
if the US would standardize with Canada.
Besides BasicMed, light sport, owner maintenance category, & ADS-B requirements come to mind.