The cost of the medical exam will vary by location and examiner as well as the type of exam given. 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. Everyone at some point or another you all have been diagnosed with something. Doesnt this seem grossly out of proportion? Don't undergo a physical exam if you suspect you might be disqualified. I was then a County Police Officer for 21 years. . Pilot Health - Should I not disclose this on my FAA medical? Is the medical for safety or for what other purpose? The whole thing is about safety but the FAA has never proven the need for the medicals, especially the third class, it was just randomly instituted one day a long time ago. It sometimes gets people injured and sometimes gets people killed. Alternatively, upon 90-days of discontinuation of medication, you can potentially undergo the requested neuropsychological testing prescribed by the FAA. There are more boating accident deaths (650 or so), motorcycle deaths (4500), automobile (35,000). Next, instead of the Class 3 Medical Certificate being good for 5 years until age 40 when it decreases to 2 years, make the decrease more gradual. Thanks,for the new online magazine. Any deviation from general standards of health found would/should require a more intense examination/(s.). I understand why a lot of this stuff, like the sport pilot initiative, takes so long and always falls short, but cmon, this one is easy and its gonna bite them in the ass. The 3rd class medical crosses the line where freedom is unreasonably denied in the pursuit of absolute safety. We know that the incidence of major depression in the general population is 10%. Skye, If you have not required counselling for a few years and are not taking anti-depressants you should be good to go. Would I report this or any depression on the 8500-8? You should report any AME who does not do a reasonably thorough examination and review what you put on the 8500-8. How do we know that health issues rarely cause flying accidents? Medical certificates are designated as first-class, second-class, or third-class. My first experience with an AMI was when I applied for a job with the government and was required to take a physical exam. I found my regular doctor because I was looking for an AME. Wish I would have! I can see a medical for commercial operators, just like Bus drivers, but that is all. The system is imperfect in many ways and should be fixed, I do not disagree with that. At worse, you may face a hefty fine or even criminal prosecution. Skye, you may be a little over the top with your attitude but not by all that much. I have read articles online about pilots who get caught falsifying their medical. Many pilots have waited months or years for their medical certificates because each new record they provide to justify their medical certificate eligibility reveals another ailment they did not disclose before. Compared to all causes of death, these are infinitesimal numbers. As a pilot since 1953, and now a retired vascular surgeon who still flies, I have wondered for years if there is any evidence that pilot physical exams save lives. Like many organizations, the FAA puts its own authority, power and existence ahead of those, whom it is supposed to serve. PLEASE HELP However, if you do get caught, at best you will lose your license. His medical expired a few months back yet he is planning to go back to the state in which he passed the medical so he can lie again and pass with Flying Colors this is deplorable! Its mode of travel, the air, makes it a lot more divertable than stuck to a road, and should make it safer, Especially as opposed to the majority of motor home drivers, that are in their later stages of life, howling down the freeway at 70 miles per hour in bumper to bumper traffic. Well maybe a little? I have to weigh in on this issue. The information contained herein is meant for informational purposes only. Needless to say, I passed. Bungee jumping. I fly a Cirrus, my wife knows how to pull the parachute. Assuming you appropriately responded to one of these three questions, your application was likely deferred and the FAA sent you a letter, requesting medical records. I just left the Marine Corps and want nothing more than to begin my flight training, but I still cant help but wonder about the outcome, especially after all I have read on this thread. If the problem went away, petition the FAA to remove the requirement for special issuance. Some of the disqualifying conditions are definitely going to keep someone from getting a medical certificate, but these are illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you. However, the general health standards to meet a drivers license requirement would seem to be a good screening source to id potential problems of health. in detail and conduct a physical exam. Sorry for apparently differing from the crowd on this, but I think people are nuts if they are lying. Nope, they requested an entirely new one. The Dr. the agency recommended was an AMI. It is strongly advised that you seek the opinion and advice of a qualified aviation medical examiner and appropriate medical physician for any medical needs you may have. Today with the revolution in the medical diagnostic procedures, and early detection system and timely treatment most airline pilots will qualify and pass the medical exam if the questions were not leading ones. :). Mike F, I agree, Im probably taking the same medication, also works for IBS. However, if you are involved in an accident, incident, or disciplinary action, you can bet that the FAA and the necessary authorities will take the time to investigate, and things you didnt disclose will come out. Until recently, a new pilot who had prostate cancer 10 years ago and has no evidence of recurrence had to jump through a bunch of hoops, and might have required special issuance. Its not lying its letting them find out, which would probably never happen unless something came out about it. Yeah thought so. If you you diagnosed with some sort of Learning Disability like ADD,ADHD,OCD,LD it doesnt make a difference. ASMEL, CFII, AME, Hi, Im currently a student pilot I finally saved up the money to go after my dream. Smaller countries use the FAA regulations for medical certification and, therefore, use the 8500-8 form and have it submitted to the FAA for approval. The FAA as a whole believes all people should fly if they desire. It is irrelevant whether the union itself has anything to do with the action. What Are the Chances of and Penalties for Getting Caught Lying on an FAA Medical? Where is the limit to government infringement? If one does lie this is an example of what could happen facing fines of up to $250,000,and possibly up to 5 years of federal imprisonment,and certificate revocation. Great guy, but he needlessly put a lot of peoples lives in danger. It revealed an abnormality. I then had to take an echo, which revealed I was even healthier than I thought! No faxes or emails are allowed. You miss the point. Anyone who would report this immediately loses their medical and has to wait a year. If the FAA is lieing why should we worry about non-commercial pilots? I dont blame poeple for lying. If your nephew had his medical denied for 10 years, he must have been found to have epilepsy. And the FAAs restrictions regarding SSRIs effectively make it impossible for use by commercial pilots. 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. I am 64 years old. Ill continue to go by the book until such time as the rules change, or I wish to no longer fly. So Rex you never spun around and got dizzy as a child? Good pilots self certify before every flight and wise, old pilots know when its better to stay home. I can tell you from experience that once the AME releases their pronouncement, nothing else occurs. Period. Gordon, Should I mention this to my AME? I agree that the FAA has an interest in regulating commercial pilots but anyone else should have to produce a drivers license. I am an AME and 4,000 hour pilot. How is THAT not a red flag to someone??? Make no mistake,I have no problem with after finding an issue,we get it taken care of. As statistics show flying is considerably safer than any land based carrier. Something like 75% of all medicals that arrive in OKC come from outside the USA. The only way to get information to them is via the USPS, another government agency stuck in the past. 99.999999% of pilots can and should self-certify for 3rd class flying. I do not think that there is anybody who does not lie or has not lied at one time or another. N My 10k already spent, to me was wasted. the third class should go away. Responding to a letter from the FAA about your medical certificate almost always requires you to provide detailed notes from your treating physician(s) and other objective evidence to show you are safe to fly. Policy Flying brought some much needed joy back into my life. Its long and complex, but an occasional look at it, especially regarding your own health issues, is worth it. This is one of those typical government deny-theres-a-problem attitudes that eventually comes to a head when something major and catastrophic happens. Let me repeat that, every single one, no exceptions. Id had apnea for several years, napped daily once or twice. The guy who is lying about hypertension is making a huge mistake. Avoid Medical Certification Delay. Whether or not your AME issues your medical certificate, the FAAs Aeromedical Certification Division (AMCD) will review your application. Also, if I lose my medical, Id save a ton of money on flying and could retire a good 10-15 years earlier! Most pilots I know plan to fly for longer than it takes one or two medical certificates to expire. lie if you want, hell find out. Like everything els not all AMEs are created equally. I'm not offering any advice on what to do. Again, take a look at the AME Guide on the FAA website. But, sooner or later, most pilots will develop a medical condition that they cannot hide. While a diabetic can develop hypoglycemic coma, a cardiac patient faint from an arrhythmia, or a patient become mentally impaired from an excessive dose of a medication, the real world evidence does not support that such incidences are common enough to recommend banning driving by those with such medical conditions. I flew for 16 years in the Air Force with a known heart murmur that I know would preclude me form a civilian 1st class. Ruin a life a move on. I was shocked I never thought a medical would ever be an issue for me. Again, Im not arguing against the need for medical certification, but the process needs some serious streamlining. Now I am only minutes away from completing my first flight medical form without any worries! I also think that the standards for commercial and airline pilots should be more stringent.. instead of just listening to the engine, watch the instruments that monitored the engine. Your family and friends consider you more important than any flying you may do. This is truly a Great Debate. And the Medical Flight Test needs to be taken only once and the SODA is good indefinitely. But what happens when the FAA lies. I gave up on my dreams. All FAA medical certificate applicants are required to acknowledge that warning before submitting their application in MedXPress. What was yours for if you dont mind me asking. What are the chances of getting caught lying on an FAA medical? Yes, they do. Federal Aviation Regulations require that a pilots distant vision be 20 /20 or better, with or without correction, in EACH eye separately to hold a first or second class medical certificate. If I continue to wish to fly.I had better take care of myself by good nutrition and exercise..on the issue of lying no, I would not lie because not only is it stupid it is cause for losing the ticket. Im old, crazy and hard of hearing bit like most experienced pilots I suppose. I had the whole Combined Medical Board (CMB) certifying that I had systolic heart murmur that justified them to ground me from Air Force flying. The current system not only encourages dishonesty, it encourages pilots to avoid medical treatment and ignore symptoms. You actually do have a point and I think the same thing sometimes if people want to be private pilots they shouldnt even have to carry a third class medical just their drivers license. However, I also think that the standards for commercial and airline pilots should be more stringent. While not endorsing that, it is understandable at the emotional level. When I was active duty Air Force we had a guy pass his medical and they drop from a heart attack the next day while sitting on his couch. have you ever once in your life had and on the other hand they are so vague. You want to be an ATP, you have two pilots. A pilot might reason, for example, that the antidepressant he's taken for months hasn't caused any side effects and actually makes him more mentally fit to fly, a safer pilot. Im not saying I have a medical cert, but if I did this is what I would do. The FAA requires applicants with a diagnosis of epilepsy to be seizure-free for 10 years without medication before being considered for a medical certificate. I guess it was a bit negligent on my part to get so far into before getting the medical. Out of those, the number of GA deaths from medical incapacitation is tiny. If they can just rid the world of these bothersom pilots then their job will be much easier. There is no such thing as a good faith mistake. The most recent was a year and a half ago. If you think your AME charges too much, find someone else. So why open a can of worms by telling the aviation medical examiner? Online posts, including anonymous posts and posts made here on APC, have been used in lawsuits against unions. With the right preparation, you can navigate the process efficiently. Be careful that if you have seen your doctor and are responding yes to question 19 and your doctor diagnosed you with ADHD (or suggested that you had ADHD), you will also likely need to respond yes to question 18m. If you didnt say yes then you lied. In this case, you can cast doubt on the original diagnosis and attempt to avoid further evaluation. See Also: Do Flight Schools Drug Test Students? Free health screenings, nope, wont do those, might turn up something (whether correctly or incorrectly) that could end up costing me a fortune to deal with. How Likely is it that the FAA will Catch You? One had sleep apnea that resolved with weight loss and the other no longer has type 2 diabetes. The FAA is able to see what medication a pilot has been subscribed because they have access to the national prescription database. Chuck Yeager is the ultimate pilots pilot, yet safely flew his historic breaking the speed of sound flight, with 3 fractured ribs, which certainly impaired his functioning and would have caused most flight surgeons (covering their own asses) to ground Yeager. Others have their dreams dashed who lived years longer flying ultralights. I can empathize with that Louis. He went on to training pilots via simulators. Those marathons at age 26 paid off. Let me start with a word of advice: DONT DO IT. Given how stress, marriage pressures, work distractions, fatigue and the hopelessly useless pee in cops cut, phony eye exam work, the self certification (which good pilots do anyway) and lack of medical accident experience with LSA, the fat, useless, overpaid FAA administrators should just go away in favor of drivers license. Since my late 30s, I have taken meds to control my blood pressure. Probably, we certainly arent as full of ourselves as I was when I was a young man. While the bills in Congress to eliminate the Class 3 Medical Certificate are progressing slowly, the FAA is taking steps to minimize the bureaucratic red tape involved with certain illnesses, such as prostate cancer. While I dont think most will lie on their medicals, I feel that some will if they have an issue and are in fear of losing their certificate(s). Ultimately, a yes response to 18m. I stopped learning to fly as I did not have the additional funds to have the CAA medical. And, actually, the FAA is making Special Issuance less of a problem for certain diseases. But, it was not the fault of the FAA, it was mine for not verifying the doctors statement before submitting it. Im sorry to hear that. All because of a blood pressure medication I put on my 2012 medical form. The premise of someone getting over long-term depression is laughable. 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. You just never know, and even a thorough and honest medical will never catch anything. By the way a friend of mine died 2 hours after acquiring his 2nd class medical. Duuuuuuuuuh do fat babies fart? 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. but that wasnt good enough for the FAA, they require me to spend a pile of money EVERY YEAR to get a SI, and then it takes Oklahoma City 3-4 months to okay it while I sit effectively grounded (adding insult to injury!) Coud be they are asking to much, to elimate the third class medical?. Help is only a phone call away! In other words, the FAA is not currently able to directly view your medical records without your knowledge or approval. My name is not Gustavo either. 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