stewartb wrote:How many of you have ever been required to provide your medical cert to any authority? I've gotta think there are lots of guys flying full size airplanes without medicals. Probably quite a few flying them without any pilot certs. Several years ago when Lake Hood began requiring current medical certs as a condition for tie-down leases several "older" guys moved off State property and onto private property. I never heard anyone questioned about why they moved. I thought it was comical.

True - that sounds comical. Maybe the moves were actually related to their refusal to accept whomever asked them to provide their medical information to someone who has absolutely no legal authority to do so? I know several pilots without medicals who have their airplanes tied down someplace, flown by son, son in law, kids or grand-kids - or not at all.

I've also heard of cases mentioned by MTV of pilots getting claims paid even though they failed to be in full compliance with some unrelated regulation that was tried as a reason for denial of coverage. Guess it all depends how much attorney you can afford.

JJ,

There's more to the story with Lake Hood. Hood has a long history of Looooonnnngggg waiting lists for folks who wanted to tie down there. In the meantime, there were folks who hadn't actually lived in AK for decades who still had a slip at Hood, and were subleasing....which was not permitted. Some of them may actually have been making a profit from such activity .

The airport tried (and pretty well succeeded) in cleaning this leasing mess up, and shortening the wait list to the point where you might actually have a shot at getting a slip sometime in your lifetime.

I SUSPECT the requirement for a medical was just another "sorting" mechanism to ensure that whoever was leasing a slip had a reasonable expectation of actually operating an aircraft out of there.

In any case, however they got it done, I think the Lake Hood management should be commended on getting a very messy leasing situation into much better shape.

MTV

MTV is absolutely correct. Lake Hood has the responsibility to ask for proof of pilot credentials. The state tie down agreement states that the lessee must utilize the space as the aircraft operator. Partnerships are allowed but assignments to other pilots are not unless there is a formal aircraft lease in place. The State did a great job of cleanng up a poor system where tiedown spots never turned over and non-pilot lessees subletted for profit. And for the guys who moved? i know a couple of no medical/faked medical pilots. Their status doesn't concern me.

I maintain my pilot status and my aircraft equipment in compliance with legal standards. As stated earlier that includes a special issuance medical. It isn't an intimidating process once you dismiss the incorrect BS you read and participate in the process. My local FAA flight surgeon and the OKC Aeromedical folks have all been very pleasant to deal with.

mtv wrote:JJ,

There's more to the story with Lake Hood. Hood has a long history of Looooonnnngggg waiting lists for folks who wanted to tie down there. In the meantime, there were folks who hadn't actually lived in AK for decades who still had a slip at Hood, and were subleasing....which was not permitted. Some of them may actually have been making a profit from such activity .

Now it's sad and funny at the same time. I hadn't considered subleasing a tie down spot. Then, I guess the cleanup method worked.

The airport tried (and pretty well succeeded) in cleaning this leasing mess up, and shortening the wait list to the point where you might actually have a shot at getting a slip sometime in your lifetime.

I SUSPECT the requirement for a medical was just another "sorting" mechanism to ensure that whoever was leasing a slip had a reasonable expectation of actually operating an aircraft out of there.

In any case, however they got it done, I think the Lake Hood management should be commended on getting a very messy leasing situation into much better shape.

MTV

Yup. Agreed, Mike.

Just recently met a guy who boasted having flown his small plane without a medical for 10 years. Best not to ask questions and let people do what they think. Its their liability.

i know a couple of no medical/faked medical pilots. Their status doesn't concern me.

Best way to deal with it.

Back to the original question regarding SI medicals, is anyone familiar with these guys? It appears they're a for-hire service to assist with securing an SI med cert. I don't require their services but I'm curious whether they're a good resource for guys who may.

http://www.leftseat.com/special_issuance.htm

stewartb wrote:Back to the original question regarding SI medicals, is anyone familiar with these guys? It appears they're a for-hire service to assist with securing an SI med cert. I don't require their services but I'm curious whether they're a good resource for guys who may.

http://www.leftseat.com/special_issuance.htm

When MTV suggested I contact an airline or charter pilot to get a reference for a Senior AME, I knew right away who I would call. I have a friend from high school that was the pilot for a major motel chain and is now a pilot for the state. He has had a stent for six years. He tried Pilot Medical Solutions after his own Senior AME retired. He was not happy with the time involved in getting his special issuance through them. He thought the PMS thing was funny at first because it was a bunch of women doctors. Not funny later as he had to follow up on each paper that was faxed to them, or from them to his doctor, to make sure the paper kept moving at each end otherwise things would grind to a halt. Somewhere around 18 months. He never went back to them but says maybe things are better there now. He said he missed his original Senior AME but that guy retired. He said he could be in the middle of a physical and if something came up requiring an ok from OK City, he would get them on the phone right then and there and knew who to call. He would have the issue resolved before he left the office. He said he is still looking for someone like that but not finding them.

Hmm. I dealt with the FAA's Aeromedical branch directly for my midterm renewal and had to force the issue to make it happen in the one month I had left on my old cert. They advised me to give them the full 90 days the rules allow next time. Like I said in an earlier post, YOU need to learn to play the game. Had I given them 3 months the process would have been effortless. And to the "senior AME" thing being key? not in my experience. Some doctors have different relationships with their patients and with the FAA than other doctors. Some doctors are more thorough than others. Some interpret the regs differently than others. In the end you're your own best advocate but you need to do some legwork to know how to be effective.

The testimonials on the site I linked are pretty strong. There are some big guns giving high praise and every testimonial includes the commenter's email address. That's impressive.

stewartb wrote:How many of you have ever been required to provide your medical cert to any authority? I've gotta think there are lots of guys flying full size airplanes without medicals. Probably quite a few flying them without any pilot certs. Several years ago when Lake Hood began requiring current medical certs as a condition for tie-down leases several "older" guys moved off State property and onto private property. I never heard anyone questioned about why they moved. I thought it was comical.

I had to have my medical for going in and out of Mexico on BOTH sides.

Heck, there was a period of time where the FSDOs had an unofficial ramp check quota. I must have been ramp checked once a week or more that summer. Government pilot, operating public aircraft....counts as a ramp check, but no harm, no foul if they found anything they didn't like. Seems like someone in management thought this would be a good idea. Obviously, the minions trolled the east ramp of FAI for potential targets.

And, that's the only time in 41 years of flying I've been ramp checked. I've had students ramp checked by Customs and Border Protection here in Crookston recently, however. CBP Air may be REALLY bored in this part of the world....

MTV

I got stopped by the FAA on the ramp in McCall a couple of summers ago. They wanted to see my medical cert, pilot's lic, airworthiness cert, etc.

I'm still angry about it, because if they were cops, they would have needed a valid reason to stop me. Someday I should move to a free country where they believe in the presumption of innocence unless there is evidence to the contrary.

MTV,
Yep they are bored and have a thorn in their paw! This past summer a BP came driving into a privaste airstrip and immediately started asking questions. Young cocky guy looking for an excuse to boost his status I guess. He asked me if I knew of any other private strips in the area he could check out. I looked at him, laughed to myself, and said, "nope, none that I can think of".

As for the SI, I had a problem many years ago that left me in limbo for nearly a year til I was given the OK. Can get quite frustratiing that's for sure.

Keith

MTV and WW Hunter I know a couple of the CBP guys out of GFK and yes they are bored. They were telling me that they go out and write traffic tickets with the ND State police when they can't fly...


On topic, I have a special issuance class 3 medical and it took me 6 months to get it the first time and about two months every year are lost trying to renew it and that's if I get all of the paperwork submitted a couple months in advance. The FAA is slow, but the ladies in Jamaica NY are nice to talk to and really helpful. In my experience over the last three years don't be afraid to call them and see what's up.

On a related note, the Twinkie company filed for bankruptcy today.

dirtstrip wrote:On a related note, the Twinkie company filed for bankruptcy today.

I am depressed!!

Yeah, but the Twinkies made in 1947 are still usable!

I have a special issuance Class 2, due to prostate cancer and a number of other things. The first go-around took awhile, but the renewal was a piece of cake. It helps to have an AME who is on good terms with the Region, as mine is.

In 39 years of flying, I've been "sort of" ramp-checked once, clear back in 1974. Enroute from Laramie to a ranch strip near Sundance, WY, in a 172, I stopped in Newcastle to top the tanks. A fellow who flew in just after I did in a Bonanza walked over to me and asked where I was going. I told him, and he said, "that's a tough strip--are you up to it?" I told him I'd been there many times before. He then asked to see my license and airplane paperwork. I said, "No offense, but you show me yours, and I'll show you mine, but let's hurry up about it--I need to get going to get to Sundance before dark." He laughed and said, "Don't worry about it--get on your way."

Most of the time, following the "rules" pays dividends.

Cary