I met a gentleman a few weeks ago and today I took him up for a flight. He is extremely interested in getting his pilots license and has already completed the medical certificate form on line. When talking with him today I asked if he had and past issues etc. Apparently he had a seizure 20-25 years ago and hasn't had one since. He did state he was on an anti-seizure medication. I looked it up (Dilantin and Provigil) and they are NOT allowed. I feel terrible for the guy. What I am wondering is if anyone here has had this same issue and is it possible for him to get a special issuance?
The only advice I gave him was to call the AME and pose the question to him BEFORE he goes in for his physical exam. Or to see if he could do a 'pre' exam before completing the paperwork.
Any help for this guy will be greatly appreciated. I will relay anything positive to him.

From what I have read he will be denied a medical on the first go-round. This of course closes out the option for Sport Pilot. My .02 cents would be to opt. out the the exam to preserve elegibility for Sport Pilot. Although I don't know if you can be denied based on the online form alone.

Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners

Application Process for Medical Certification
Applicant History - Item 18. Medical History
l. Neurological disorders; epilepsy, seizures, stroke, paralysis, etc.
The applicant should provide history and treatment, pertinent medical records, current status report and medication. The Examiner should obtain details about such a history and report the results. An established diagnosis of epilepsy, a transient loss of control of nervous system
function(s), or a disturbance of consciousness is a basis for denial no matter how remote the history. Like all other conditions of aeromedical concern, the history surrounding the event is crucial. Certification is possible if a satisfactory explanation can be established. (See Item 46).

Best of luck to him,
Lefty

I'd love to give anybody the benefit of a doubt. But I'll tell you a story - unrelated to aviation - about someone I took climbing - a relatively minor summit of Mount Hood, just outside Portland. The guy told me he had epilepsy, and took his meds and it was completely under control - hadn't had a seizure in many years. It was a great day, he elected to stop at the Hogsback and rest - didn't feel strong enough to summit. I soloed to the top - and descended and met him at the car. A 9 hour hike door-to-door, uneventful as far as I could tell. He had a seizure on me on the way home in the car - very unpleasant experience to deal with to say the least - thank sweet baby Jesus I was the one driving. If he were in the cockpit - even as a passenger - the rudder pedals and stick/yoke would have been impossible to fly. It was a grand mal - completely locked up with all his muscle strength - legs straight as a board.

Unless this guy is a close friend and you trust him. I'd be leery of what someone off the street tells you about the last time they had a seizure and how well it's controlled by meds. If he takes meds - its for a reason - these things come back - and that's why he's on medication. He will be denied a medical - and it is my own personal and humble opinion that anyone on seizure medications probably ought not be driving - a car or an LSA. And for God's sake not with a passenger unless they are a trained pilot - maybe not then. But he will be able to do it - if he self-certifies and successfully avoids being officially denied the 3rd.

I would not fly with him in the left or right seat - period. He could ride bitch but that's it. Sucks, I know. In this case - I side with our mother-in-law - the FAA.

Best of luck to him.

'Greg

He can't self-certify if he has a condition that he knows can be debilitating. And I agree, I wouldn't want to be flying with him anywhere near the controls. I've been around grand mals, and it's not just scary to observe, but it's impossible to control the involuntary movements--a largish person could easily make it impossible to control the airplane. When my son had his only grand mal 40 years ago this summer, he was just 6 1/2, and I couldn't begin to control his thrashing around. I was just trying to prevent him from hurting himself, and I couldn't do it--fortunately it was on our front lawn, so he wasn't hurt other than a few smallish bruises.

There seems to be some confusion about both sport pilot and the requested relaxation of medicals to eliminate the Class III, and that is that if you haven't been denied, you're good to go with your drivers license only. But you still have to be medically fit to fly--that's what self-certifying is all about. It's not a question of passing or not passing the medical any longer, but it's a question of being medically fit to fly. Those of us with valid medicals, whether with or without special issuance, are still required to self-certify between medicals that we're medically fit to fly, and if we're not medically fit although we have a current medical, but fly anyway, we violate the law. Similarly, a sport pilot cannot just fly--he must be able to say with reasonable certainty that he does not have a medical condition that impacts the safety of flight.

Cary

Cary,

Well said, and accurate.

MTV

Pretty much what I figured and is basically what I had told him before I did any research. I was just hoping there might be a way he could progress with his dream of flying. I have forwarded him the bad news. Thanks everyone for the replies.
Keith

AOPA has a little webinar about aging and/or keeping your medical and/or getting it back.

I got out of it that if there is some drug you are on that you know the FAA doesn't want you to fly after taking, talk to your doctor about whether there is something else you could take or whether you still need to take the drug. Your doctor is not going to initiate a prescription change without a reason if you are healthy now and are staying healthy so give the doctor a reason.

Most likely a special issuance will be required and most likely you will have to wait at least 3 months after the change. If you are safe to fly, AOPA and the FAA would like that to be possible.

No sense giving up leaving some avenue unexplored.