The agency has revised its guidance to aviation medical examiners (AMEs) on “uncomplicated anxiety, depression and related conditions” and chief among the changes is that the FAA can be left out of the process if the pilot has been off medication for two years, there are no issues raised by a questionnaire and the AME has no concerns.

The questionnaire deals with serious mental health issues like suicidal thoughts, self-harm and whether or not the pilot has been hospitalized or been under court-ordered evaluation, and it reminds the AME to be thorough and conservative in his or her judgment.

“If ALL items fall into the ‘NO’/CLEAR COLUMN, the AME may issue with notes in Block 60 which show the AME discussed the history of Uncomplicated Anxiety, Depression, and Related Conditions, found no positives to the screening questions, AND had no concerns,” the new guidance reads. “If ANY SINGLE ITEM falls into the ‘YES’/SHADED COLUMN, the AME MUST DEFER” (emphasis the FAA’s).

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post FAA Amends Mental Health Evaluation Criteria for Pilots appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Answer: According to the FAA, “as long as the pilot meets the criteria to fly with BasicMed, they can use it, including on a check ride.”

• READ MORE: How to Find Your Best Ground School Fit

According to FAA Advisory Circular 68-1A, to meet the criteria for use of BasicMed, the pilot needs to hold a current and valid U.S. driver’s license, hold or have held a medical certificate issued by the FAA at any point after July 14, 2006, answer health questions on the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC), receive a physical examination from any state-licensed physician, and have them  complete the CMEC. Be sure to keep the CMEC.

Finally, the pilot needs to take the BasicMed online medical education course. Keep the course completion document issued to you by the provider.

• READ MORE: Can the Owner of a Certified Airplane Do Their Own Maintenance?

The post Is a Medical Certificate Required for a Private Pilot Check Ride? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Actually, I started out already feeling somewhat bummed. I’ve been licking my wounds ever since selling our Cessna Citation CJ1 jet. Insurance costs have increased dramatically, especially for older single-pilot ops in jets. Looking for a new (to me) airplane has been depressing. I’ve had it with the ominous, threatening letters from the Manager, Aerospace Medical Certification Division in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (“You must promptly report any adverse changes…You are cautioned to abide by Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations…”), and have decided to transition to Basic Med. This limits the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to 6,000 pounds. I don’t remember meeting this doctor when I took the AME course several years ago, but I do remember the vibe of the class.

My thoughts turned to finding a Cessna 340 with fond memories of “6828 Charlie,” a beautiful 340 that my wife, Cathy, and I enjoyed from 1995 to 2000. The original certified MTOW was 5,990 pounds, which should qualify. The only trouble is almost all 340s have been improved with RAM programs that increase the MTOW to about 6,300 pounds. Is it the improved MTOW that counts or the originally certified weight? I am not going to be the guy to test that theory. Some A&Ps have suggested that the vortex generators installed to improve stall speed and increase MTOW could be removed and make a 340 eligible for Basic Med. What a thought.

Some friends have recommended the Beechcraft Baron. Though the airplane would have to be flown below 18,000 feet to qualify for Basic Med, a “kit” from Textron makes the slightly overweight airplane eligible for the program. Why Textron hasn’t provided a similar kit for the 340 is a puzzle. It is also clear that there are Baron lovers and there are 340 lovers.

The fact is, the insurance industry and the FAA have stimulated me to abandon a really safe turbine engine jet for a piston twin with the attendant excitement that comes with engines that have parts changing directions more than 30 times per second. Add to that the removal of the vortex generators designed to enhance safety. Now I’ll be plowing around in lower altitudes in weather with less reliable engines. How this improves the fortunes of my insurance company is not clear to me.

Armed with these ruminations, I joined Tom for the short flight. More grim news was immediately evident. Tom’s hangar lease at KVDF is not being renewed. Hangar space is scarce around these parts (the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area), and losing a slot is a blow. Apparently, he parked a car in the hangar against the rules. I know from personal experience that the FBO at KVDF is big on rules.

Tom’s longtime repair shop, Aeromech at KLAL, is closing after 30 years. Kenny, the owner, told us, “I can’t get parts. I can’t get grease for bearings. Cylinder repair shops can’t get valves, can’t get vanes. There’s a shop in Indiana with hundreds of cylinders sitting on the bench (starving for) parts. Add to that my hangar rent is tripling. I’m going to go home and raise strawberries.”

He agreed to fit Tom in for an annual before closing day. His staff members were unsure as to what they planned to do next.

Many Cessna 340s and Barons are more than 40 years old. What about parts in the future, and what about the fate of avgas? I haven’t even begun to examine all the forces that seem to be wishing me to drive, not fly, into the sunset—in a recreational vehicle, not an airplane.

But the primitive desire to own an airplane is rearing its not-to-be-denied-or-disrespected head. At the moment, I am a hangarless, airplaneless 77-year-old who has enjoyed airplane ownership virtually without interruption for more than 50 years. There have been times when I could barely afford an airplane. There have been times when I just couldn’t fly very often. There have been times when I thought it was time to quit. Somehow, though, I just can’t see it ending now. I think back to that first airplane, a Musketeer, and its subsequent siblings: the Arrow, the Cessna 210, the P210, the 340, the Piper Cheyenne, the Raytheon Premier, and the CJ1. Each of these airplanes gave me purpose and pride. They coaxed me into relationships with amazing mechanics possessed of accumulated wisdom and, oftentimes, a gentle perspective on life. These airplanes and their A&Ps, the line guys and the ATC controllers, held my hand in times of woe.

There certainly is rich irony here. Just as my day job as a surgeon and my retirement job as a Part 135 Citation CJ3 pilot provided me with the money to own, and experience to fly, a CJ1, I’m being elbowed out of my dream airplane. I get the same sense of wistfulness at a high-end steakhouse. I can finally afford that 12-ounce filet mignon, but I can’t possibly eat it. Ain’t that something?

Tom offered to let me fly his other Aerostar back to KVDF, but I just didn’t have the heart to accept this kindness. Flying is joyful, and I wasn’t feeling that way. So I looked out the window at the cows and homes and listened to the AWOS. I watched as a high-time airline pilot and Aerostar guru chirped his airplane safely home. We tugged the airplane into the hangar, and I watched with alarm as the hangar door cleared the nose by an inch. We agreed that we’d both live to fight another day.

The post Should We All Be Frightened of the GA Future Ahead? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

To be clear, that statement applies to worst-case scenarios. About 90% of pilots leave their AME appointment with a medical certificate already in their hands. Many with significant but well- controlled medical conditions will wait less than three months for the FAA to make their decision.

Worst-case scenarios are ones with multiple conditions or ones associated with significant aviation safety concerns. Recent heart attacks, previous strokes, heart valve replacements, insulin-dependent diabetes, depression or anxiety treated with medication, other conditions of similar severity, or a combination of them will fall into that category.

Even with those conditions, the FAA will generally provide a decision in less than six to twelve months. It will not always be the decision pilots want, but with a few exceptions, those who wait longer are waiting for another reason.

What’s Behind the Horror Stories?

You do not have to look far to find a story on the internet about a pilot who waited years for a medical certificate only to give up and stop trying. Often those stories include a frustrating statement to the effect that, “I sent them everything they asked for, and they kept asking for more.”

There is truth behind those stories, but there are also misconceptions. Most of the misconceptions have to do with this: the doctors at the FAA’s Aeromedical Certification Division (AMCD) never actually see pilots in person. Instead, they rely on the notes provided by the pilots’ doctors to decide if they are safe to fly an airplane. When those notes are incomplete or contradict each other, AMCD reviewers need more information to make a decision. Similarly if one of those notes adds previously unknown, and concerning, information, they will want more information on that as well. 

From the time you start your MedXPress application and especially when providing medical records about complex medical conditions, it is up to you to make sure that your application tells a complete and consistent story. One of the best tools to do that is a good current detailed clinical progress note from your physician(s).

What is a Current Detailed Clinical Progress Note?

A clinical progress note is a note that every doctor should be trained to write. They might not immediately recognize what the FAA is asking for when you first discuss it with them. If the term “progress note” does not register, try asking for a “complete history and physical” or “SOAP note.” If that doesn’t work, RUN! Find another doctor! One who does not understand what those terms mean or is unwilling to provide a document that meets that standard can only delay your medical certificate application.

[Credit: Shutterstock]

For FAA purposes, the note must be signed by a board certified physician. There are many other highly skilled health care professionals who provide excellent care. You might see a physician associate or nurse practitioner who knows more about your healthcare than any physician. It does not matter. For FAA purposes the note must come from a physician.

The progress note should ideally exist as part of your medical record. It is different from an “After Visit Summary” or “Patient Summary” which you might also see in some online patient portals. Your doctor’s administrative staff should be able to help you locate it.

Elements of a Good Note

A progress note is what doctors use to communicate with each other about your care. Formatting varies somewhat, but in order to meet the FAA’s standard, it must include the following information:

• A history of the condition being treated
• All current medications and doses
• Whether or not you experience any medication side effects
• Physical exam findings
• Results of any tests performed to evaluate the condition
• Your specific diagnosis including something called an ICD-10 code
• A clear assessment regard the status of your condition and how it affects you
• A clear plan regarding how it is treated
• A clear statement about how your doctor plans to follow-up with you or monitor the condition

Letters from your doctor DO NOT replace progress notes. Letters that amplify information contained in your medical record may help to expedite your medical certification decision. The note your doctor provides is the only way that AMCD has to evaluate your medical issues. Missing information, inaccuracies, or ambiguity will generate questions.

Fine Print and Terminology

When it comes to FAA medical certification, the word “current” means within 90-days preceding your AME or any time after it. There are several exceptions to that rule-of-thumb that are clearly spelled out in the FAA’s Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners. Unless one of those exceptions applies to you, nothing prior to 90-days before your AME appointment will be considered in support of your medical certificate.

The term “detailed” is more subjective. Its inclusion in the FAA’s guidance mostly serves to emphasize that they actually want your doctor to document their considered opinion in a way that shows they spent some effort thinking about your particular situation. As one example, an assessment for high blood pressure that says “htn controlled with prescription medication” is not detailed.

A detailed assessment should look more like this: “43-year-old male with essential hypertension and no other modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. He takes 20mg of Lisinopril per day and his average blood pressure is 125/78. No concern for undiagnosed comorbid conditions or indication for work-up at this time. He should follow-up annually for routine monitoring.”   

The difference should be obvious. While obvious, the first one may be all the doctor cares about for their own reference, but the second one is vital to your certification.

Avoiding Certification Delays 

Progress notes that do not meet these standards slow things down. Visit summaries, notes by non-physicians, notes that lack sufficient detail, old notes, and letters provided in lieu of progress notes will all delay your application.

You can probably identify most deficiencies on your own. If you want to take the guesswork out of your FAA medical certification and avoid any unnecessary delays, visit our website and schedule a free consultation to find out more.  

The post Avoid Medical Certification Delays appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Once upon a time, the world used paper. Applying for a FAA medical certificate, meant filling out FAA form 8500-8 and presenting it to your AME at your flight physical. While the use of that paper form has fallen by the wayside,14 CFR part 68.7 still mandates its use.

MedXPress is the FAA’s online medical certificate application system. The output is still a PDF version of the 8500-8 (which you should keep), but MedXPress has eliminated the use of physical paper in the application process.

Except for printing your medical certificate, AMEs do not use paper either. Instead of requiring a physical copy of your application, your AME will need your MedXPress confirmation number. You will get that after successfully submitting your application online.

Your AME will use that confirmation number to import your medical certificate application into the Aerospace Medical Certification System (AMCS). AMCS allows AMEs to electronically complete their virtual portion of the 8500-8 and (hopefully) print your medical certificate. 

Each Section has a Purpose

The FAA’s intended goal with MedXPress is to get as much medical information about you as possible. The AME wants to make an informed decision about your health as it relates to flying.

MedXPress starts by asking some basic demographic questions. The next section asks what medications you take. Those are relatively straightforward. Most questions pilots have about the medical certificate application process concern the next section, about medical conditions.

That section is straightforward as well. Most questions that come up have to do with closing the gap between what pilots want it to say and what it actually says very clearly.

At the top of the “Medical History” section, the FAA asks, “Have you ever in your life been diagnosed with, had, or do you presently have any of the following?” They even ask the question in all caps to add emphasis.

25 specific questions follow, but question 18x deserves special mention. It asks about “Other illness, disability, or surgery.” Taken together with the introductory statement above, it should be obvious that the FAA asking, “Have you ever in your life had…[any] illness, disability, or surgery.”

That is not all. The section also has several general questions about other types of medically significant events including:  

• discharge from the military for medical reasons
• rejection for military service 
• rejection for life or health insurance
• receipt of medical disability benefits

Questions about driving history, drug and alcohol- related arrests, and criminal history follow. Finally, you will round out your application by listing each medical visit you have attended in the preceding three years and authorizing the FAA to obtain your driving record from the National Driver Register. 

Tell a Consistent Story

The FAA could simply say, “please tell us about your medical history and how you are doing,” but that wouldn’t get them much information. People tend to forget certain things. By asking for details on several different, specific items, they are more likely to jog the memory of the pilot filling out the form.

When asked about their medical history, many patients of ours neglect to mention hypertension, but they do remember they take a pill every day. Asking about medical history and current medications is more likely to get the full story. The FAA wants the full story. Your goal should be to tell a consistent one.

Here are some examples:

• If you list Allegra and Flonase as medications, then you should also mark “yes” to 18e (Hay fever or allergy). Zyrtec, by the way, is disqualifying for regular use.  
• If you mark “no” to all of the medical condition questions, but then mark “yes” to a medical rejection or disability benefits, it doesn’t add up.
• If you mark “no” to 18g (heart or vascular trouble), but have had five trips to the cardiologist in the last six months, your AME will have questions.

The AME Can Update Your Answers

Inconsistency in your answers should spark questions from your AME. If everything ends up meeting the FAA requirements, then you can still get your medical. Your AME can update your answers before submitting everything to the FAA, but it is in your best interest to make their job easy. 

Wingman Med Advice

By ensuring you tell a clear and consistent story on your MedXPress application, you can expect a smoother process with your AME. Here are some tips:

• You should have a corresponding medical condition for every medication you take and disability you have.
• If there isn’t a specific question about your medical condition, then list it under “other illness, disability, or surgery.” Along these lines, you should never think, “they didn’t ask about sleep apnea” because everything not specifically asked goes here.
• Provide a brief statement about each medical condition. As a rule of thumb, if you need more than a sentence, you should bring a current detailed clinical progress note from your treating physician that explains more. 
• List a reason for all visits to health care professionals.
• “Previously reported, no change” may not help your current AME evaluate your condition (AMEs don’t have access to your past exams)— use the above guidelines and then add “previously reported, no change.” 
• Retain copies of the generated 8500-8 for future reference, as this makes it much easier to remember what you wrote last time.

Finally, if you decide that an application you have submitted needs major rework, there is a solution. Before your AME imports your exam to AMCS, MedXPress applications will be deleted after 60 days of inactivity. If you want to toss your virtual application in the virtual trash can, just wait 60 days, and it will age out.

Once you share your confirmation number with an AME, the FAA will see it, so make sure your application says what you want it to say before you schedule your appointment.    

If you would like to do a trial run at MedXPress, we have our own MedXPress Simulator. If you want more personalized advice, you can also schedule a free consultation by clicking on the “Free Consult” button that can be found on our website.

The post How to Fill Out MedXPress: Start Your Flight Physical Right. appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

That defeatist attitude is common enough in general. For pilots with a history of mental conditions, it seems to be even more pervasive. Unfortunately, many pilots form their opinions based on information from those with no actual knowledge, training, or experience related to FAA medical policies. 

We have already written about the importance of preparing for a FAA medical certification appointment like any other pass-fail examination. We have also highlighted how we can help pilots with significant medical conditions navigate the complexities of the FAA medical certification progress. 

Mental health conditions deserve special consideration. Contrary to popular opinion, having a mental health diagnosis in your medical record is not automatically disqualifying for FAA medical qualification. In many cases even those with ongoing treatment for well controlled active conditions can still continue their flying careers. It often boils down to the right preparation for the exam.

Some Conditions Are Simple

The reality is that the FAA treats mental health conditions the same way as physical health conditions. They want to know about it and they want to know how well you are doing. 

When you are filling out a new MedXPress you have to report all medications, medical conditions and any visits to medical professionals in the last three years. 

What if you broke an ankle last week? The FAA cares a lot. But what if you broke an ankle three years ago and made a full recovery? They want to know, but if you are fully recovered, then that is what matters.

If you report your broken ankle on your MedXPress application, your AME can gather all the information they need to make a medical certification decision just by conducting a good physical exam. If you broke it last week and are still limping, using crutches, or recovering from surgery, do not schedule an AME appointment. Based on your medical condition, you should not be flying and you will not leave with a medical certificate. If you broke it three years ago and walk into your AME’s office with full pain-free strides, you will be just fine.

Some Conditions Are More Complex

If your AME needs more than their own physical exam to determine your eligibility for a medical certificate, you will need to do more preparation. Consider diabetes. Diabetes is a condition that usually does not cause any symptoms. If it is bad enough for your AME to identify during your physical exam, you almost certainly should not be flying. For pilots with diabetes, the only way to evaluate whether or not you are safe to fly is by reviewing recent lab results and reports from your treating physical. 

Determining how diabetes may affect safety of flight is more difficult than it is for a broken ankle, but at least your doctors, your AME, and the FAA can still reference objective data to help make their decisions.

Mental Health Conditions Are Even More Challenging To Evaluate 

Unlike a broken ankle, which an AME can evaluate by watching you walk in from the parking lot, or diabetes, which has objective lab results the FAA can use to determine your stability, the only way anyone can evaluate a mental health condition is by what you tell them.  

During the 15-20 minutes they might spend with an AME, most pilots with mental health conditions will not look or act any differently than anyone else. It takes time, lengthy discussion, and careful consideration to understand how the condition may affect a patient’s day-to-day life, much less aviation safety. There is no way an AME can provide a responsible evaluation in the amount of time they spend with pilots and there is no way to measure depression or anxiety with a lab test. 

Like with any other medical condition, the FAA will need to see that your condition has been properly evaluated by an appropriate specialist and that it has been treated to the point it will not affect safety of flight.  

No one wants another Germanwings or China Eastern. That is why the bar is high. On the other hand, there is growing acceptance that pilots who are forthcoming about their condition and have the courage to seek treatment are likely safer than the ones suffering in silence.

Not Everything Is Reportable

If you see a personal trainer to help prevent injury or as a continuation of your rehab from an acute musculoskeletal injury, it does not need to go on your MedXPress application. The same goes if you see a massage therapist to help relieve muscle pain that does not limit your ability to safely operate an aircraft. If your symptoms are bad enough that you have been to a doctor for help, that should be reported. 

By the same token, if you are going through a rough patch in life and turn to a non-medical counselor, pastor, or other trusted advisor for help, the FAA does not care. You do not need to report the life coach helping to improve your efficiency or the marriage and family therapist working to make your family relationships more supportive. But, if your symptoms become significant enough that you have taken medication or you are working with a psychologist or psychiatrist, that is something you should disclose. 

Showing Stability Is What Matters

Reporting mental health concerns does not necessarily mean that your medical certification will be denied or even delayed. It does mean that you will need to show you are still safe to fly an airplane. Just like with a broken ankle, if your episode of depression was years ago and you have obviously been doing better since, reporting it will be unlikely to jeopardize your medical certificate. Just like with diabetes, if you have chronic depression that is well treated by an appropriate specialist with or without medication, chances are you can continue flying. 

Do you think you are safe to fly? Would your co-pilot agree with you? If the answer is yes, the FAA will probably agree as well.  

Make no mistake, there are some mental health conditions that will always be disqualifying. Bipolar disease, psychosis, and severe personality disorders are some examples. That is true for physical conditions too. Active seizure disorders and untreated coronary heart disease will get your medical certificate application rejected just as fast as schizophrenia. 

For many pilots, including those who have suffered from depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder, FAA medical certification is becoming much more commonplace. The biggest difference between those conditions and the physical ailments we discussed above is that the documentation from those who treated you will have to tell the whole story. Making sure those records will meet the FAA’s standards and knowing which information to submit can be harder than you might guess. That is where we come in. If you’re safe to fly, we keep you in the air.

The post Depression, Anxiety, and the FAA appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In our previous article, we talked about how important it is to prepare for an FAA medical exam like it is an examination versus just “going to the doctor.”  We discussed the importance of preparation and having a good relationship with your primary care doctor in order to prevent unnecessary delays in your medical certification—delays that could not only cost you separation from your passion, but also time and money. 

We also discussed how we are uniquely qualified to help pilots navigate the complex process of FAA medical certification. Our history as professional pilots before becoming aerospace medicine physicians allows us to appreciate the medical certification process from both sides. No one else has the same combination of advanced qualifications and experience that we have. In our first article, we described how we can help you. In this one, we will show you an example. 

Complex Cases With Successful Certification

Most AMEs can probably talk about some of the pilots they have helped obtain their FAA medical certification. The more AMEs that can do that, the better. But most AMEs have not structured their practice to provide the necessary time required to address complex medical issues. Even when all your conditions are well controlled, as the number and complexity of your diagnoses increase, so does the amount of time and knowledge it takes to present them to the FAA. 

For many common conditions, the FAA publishes a free Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners that details the information pilots and their AMEs are required to submit in order to qualify for a medical certificate. It is helpful in many cases, but the AME Guide is not all inclusive. It also assumes that whoever is reading it has a baseline level of expertise in FAA medical certification. For instance, it covers heart attacks—or myocardial infarctions (MIs)—in detail. However, just because it is common and the FAA has guidance, it doesn’t necessarily make it any easier for you to do on your own. 

But what about serious or rare conditions that are not even mentioned? For one of our clients his medical issue had him concerned about the rest of his life before he even considered the impact to his career. And once he did consider the impact to his career, he was fairly certain that it would likely be over. When he was finally able to consider applying for a medical certificate, he had very little information to go on. There was nothing in the FAA guide and he did not get much help from the few AMEs he consulted. That is where we stepped in.

‘My Brain Tumor Is Back’

In 2016, Rick* was noticing some weird things like pain in his hands and some slight vision problems. After some extensive medical evaluation, doctors found that Rick had a hormone secreting tumor in a part of his brain called the pituitary gland. 

Rick’s tumor was causing multiple problems for him. Among the most noticeable complications was that it was secreting growth hormone at excessive levels, which caused a condition known as acromegaly. Acromegaly can cause excessive growth of the extremities, hands, feet, and facial structures, if not caught early enough. Medication can help stop the effects of the growth hormone and can also limit the growth of the tumor. However, medication may not work 100 percent of the time. Unfortunately for Rick, that was his situation.

‘I Can’t See Straight’

The second problem is that the pituitary gland is located directly behind the pathways of the optic nerves. These nerves carry all vision from the eyes to the back of the brain where it is processed in the visual cortex. Rick’s tumor was pushing on the optic nerves and causing him vision problems. The more the tumor grew, the more likely it would continue to make his vision problems worse. 

Rick elected to have surgery in order to remove as much of the tumor as possible. The initial results were encouraging, but his doctors advised him that he would need regular medical monitoring for the rest of his life to make sure the tumor did not come back. 

He also had some persistent vision problems. He was able to obtain a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) via a medical flight test through his local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), but the process to get the special issuance for his medical certificate was much more complicated. It initially took him eight months to receive his medical. He even used a service to help him along the way, but on reflection, he told us that he did not think the service provided him much value.

For several years, he thought the ordeal was behind him until recent lab reports showed some concerns. After further work up, it was determined that Rick’s tumor had returned. They caught it early enough that medication was likely able to prevent the tumor from growing. Fortunately, it was not causing additional pressure on the optic nerves, but it was in a location that made it much more complicated to perform surgery. Guided by his doctors, he decided to stick with medication management alone. 

Once More Into the Fray

A condition of Rick’s special issuance was that he had to remain tumor free and without symptoms. Rick knew that he was facing another difficult road to get his next FAA medical. He contacted all of the aviation medical consulting services he could find and decided to select Wingman Med to help him with his case. After multiple discussions and reviewing hundreds of pages of medical records, we had his personalized action plan for him in a couple of weeks. His plan required visits with several specialist physicians to conduct testing and evaluation to the exact standards that the FAA would want to see, not just what his regular treating physicians were planning to do. We helped Rick coordinate the timing of everything to ensure all evaluations were in accordance with the standard timing necessary to be valid for an FAA medical exam. Rick followed our guidance and we stayed in contact throughout the execution of the plan. After a couple of months, Rick was prepared for his exam.

Rick’s exam needed to be deferred to the FAA for final disposition. But when that happened, he had all of his paperwork ready to submit. Everything was accounted for in advance. Instead of eight months of waiting punctuated by repeated information requests from the FAA, Rick received his first class special issuance just two months after the certification exam with his AME.

So, What Can We Do for You?

Not everyone can get an FAA medical certificate. But far more people can than you may think. At Wingman Med, we have helped pilots with recurrent brain tumors and, yes, after heart attacks and open heart surgery, regain their medical certification to fly. What can we do for you? We are pilots helping pilots achieve FAA medical certification with confidence. This is what we do. 

* Name changed to preserve anonymity.

The post Solutions to Complex Medical Issues appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Overall, the process can seem fairly simple: fill out the online application (MedXPress), schedule your exam with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), and get your certificate. But like in so many other areas, simple does not mean easy. Rather than thinking of the FAA medical as “going to the doctor,” realize it is a physical examination. There isn’t much you can do about your past medical history. There may not be much you can do about what the AME finds during the exam. So beyond filling out MedXPress, choosing an AME and sitting for the exam, what can one do? You can prepare and have a plan.

The very basics of a plan are:

1. Put your best foot forward. Do not show up to your exam with an acute illness or injury.
2. Be prepared for questions. For any significant medical conditions, bring up-to-date documentation from your doctor that shows they are well controlled.
3. Be honest. Addressing your problems openly with the FAA will dramatically increase the chances you will be able to keep your medical certificate in the long run and will probably reduce the amount of time it takes to get it in the first place. 

The Devil Is in the Details

If you have any significant medical issues, the FAA will want to know about them. More than that, they will want to know that your health conditions do not pose a risk to you, your passengers, or bystanders on the ground. One of the best things you can do to prepare for your FAA medical exam is simply to have a good, consistent relationship with a primary care physician.

If you and your doctor have a good grasp of what medical conditions you have now or have had in the past, what medications you take and why you take them, when and why you went to physicians or medical facilities, you probably have 90 percent of the information you need to pass your FAA medical exam. In fact, a well written note from a doctor who is familiar with your condition will avoid the majority of problems pilots encounter when it comes to getting their medical.

The challenge is packaging the information in a way that your AME and the FAA can process efficiently without resorting to supplemental information requests that could leave you grounded for months. Many times, pilots with the same medical conditions could receive their medical certificates on the day of their exam, receive their certificate after a lengthy review by the FAA, or even have their medical certificate denied or revoked. Most of that variation depends on how well they prepare the information to bring to their AME or to send to the FAA. That is where we come in.

The Best a Pilot Can Do Is Break Even

In a humorous take on the pilot profession, “Rules of an Aviator,” posted on atcmemes.com, says Rule No. 7 is: “The medical profession is the natural enemy of the aviation profession.” It is also commonly said that “the best you can do at a flight physical is break even.” While usually said in a joking manner, many a pilot would attest to the validity of these statements. We want to ensure that you at least break even—and get your medical. Who are we?

We are Wingman Med and we keep you flying! We are pilots and doctors with qualifications that allow us to address FAA medical certification challenges like no one else. Many doctors also fly, but what sets us apart is that we all started our careers as professional pilots and spent over 30 combined years with at least a mild degree of anxiety—OK, maybe fear—in the days leading up to our annual visits to the flight surgeon or AME. It doesn’t matter how healthy you are. It doesn’t matter if the doctor in question is a personal friend. Rule No. 7 is a constant and undeniable threat. You use a checklist for every takeoff and landing. Why not use one for your FAA medical exam?

As pilots, the physicians of Wingman Med are combat tested Naval Aviators who have flown aircraft such as the F/A-18 Hornet, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-5 Tiger, and SH-60 Seahawk. We have landed on aircraft carriers, conducted transoceanic crossings, flown across international borders around the globe, and even graduated from TOPGUN. Our FAA flight qualifications include ATP, CFII, and MEI. As doctors, not only are we AMEs, we have all completed dedicated specialty training in aerospace medicine—something that is extremely rare even among AMEs. We spent the same amount of time learning about aerospace medicine as your family physician did in their specialty training. Along with our training in aerospace medicine, we also have other medical board certifications, including family medicine and occupational medicine.

The Ability To See Both Sides

What sets us apart is that our vantage point as doctors is informed by decades of experience as professional pilots. Most doctors are well-meaning and want to help people—even pilots! Not only that, the FAA is reasonable when it comes to medical flight standards. They will consider your case on an individual basis and for most medical conditions—even some that were disqualifying only a few years ago —it is still possible to get your certificate. Where most stumble is by misinterpreting the nuances of the FAA’s medical certification requirements or by failing to obtain or submit the right medical documents at the right time. We specialize in guiding pilots through that process. As pilots, we understand the imperative of maintaining your FAA medical certificate and the urgency of getting it back when you lose it. As doctors, we specialize in getting it done.

What Does Wingman Med Do?

Wingman Med is an aviation medical consulting service. In a sense, it is all in the name. In military aviation, pilots fly with a wingman to provide mutual support and make the mission more effective. The flight lead is generally responsible for planning the flight and directing the mission, while the wingman is there to help watch out for any inflight hazards and take care of the more mundane aspects of flying.

When it comes to obtaining your FAA medical exam, you are the flight lead and we are your wingman. When faced with a new diagnosis, or any issue affecting your FAA medical certificate, you have a lot to worry about. Your aviation career—whether as a profession or just for the joy of flying—is on the line. Navigating the FAA system can be difficult and time-consuming. Often, you need a large amount of required documentation to submit and the process can involve multiple requests for additional information from the FAA. From start to finish, it can sometimes take six months or more from your visit to the AME to finally receive your certificate.

At Wingman Med, we specialize in taking the guesswork out of the medical certification process. You are responsible for making sure you stay healthy and keep up with any treatments recommended by your physicians or medical providers. You are responsible for gathering all the information that the FAA needs to determine that you’re safe to fly. But, just like a good wingman in the air, we are here to make sure you avoid anything that could threaten your goals. We make sure that everything you submit to the FAA is done right the first time so you stay in the air or don’t stay grounded any longer than absolutely necessary.

The Services We Offer

We do this in several different ways. Our blog discusses a variety of aviation-related medical topics. We post new articles every two weeks to keep pilots informed. We also have a medication search tool where you can look and see if there are any issues flying with your current medications, or new ones your doctor may recommend. Another tool on our website is a MedXPress simulator. For those who are new to the game, or returning from a long absence, you can use the simulator to get a preview of what questions the FAA will ask, re: the medical. There is also an option to have us review your answers and provide some feedback.

We are also developing a limited network of AMEs who are familiar with complex medical certification. They may not be nearby, but they could be worth the trip. Depending on where you live, just finding an AME, much less a good one, can be difficult. We know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to call multiple AMEs, only to find out that one retired, another moved, and a third stopped doing the exams, yet they are still listed in the FAA directory. We created the Pilot Doctors directory to solve that problem. By soliciting feedback from pilots and working with AMEs to confirm their current level of service, we have created the premier directory to help you find the best AME for you.

Full Consultation

While we offer a free 15-minute consultation to any pilot, our premier service is a comprehensive consultation to guide you through the process of obtaining, or regaining, your FAA medical certification. With our service, you are not assigned to a supporting staff member. You will work directly with one of our physicians. We will have multiple discussions and review how you would answer the questions on MedXPress. We may request medical records to ensure we know exactly what you are dealing with. Then we will provide you with a personalized plan that lays out what you and your physicians need to do.

You use a checklist for every takeoff and landing. Why not use one for your FAA medical exam? We are with you to help answer any questions that you or your physicians may have to ensure you are ready for your next FAA medical exam.

Navigating the FAA medical exam process can seem daunting and unpredictable, especially when faced with a new medical diagnosis or letter from the FAA. Unlike your pilot’s certificate, your medical certificate always has an expiration date. Our experienced staff is here to help you get your FAA medical certificate with efficiency and peace of mind. At Wingman Med, we are pilots helping pilots achieve FAA medical certification with confidence! Don’t stay grounded for longer than you have to. We keep you flying!

The post Preparing for Your FAA Medical Exam appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A: The short answer to your question is yes, there are flight schools that will accept you as a student to become current, a lot actually. When we asked your preferred school if there were any limitations to you becoming current on your private pilot certification, Ken Bro, chief flight instructor and program coordinator at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale, noted the only requirement is for you to have at least a second class medical certificate before enrolling, and that your leg disability would not be an obstacle beyond that. With that being said, other flight instructors or schools may require a different medical certificate before beginning a program. Some Part 61 flight training locations should allow you to become current with a BasicMed certificate. The FAA has no specific wording that would prevent you from getting a medical certificate solely for the length of your leg.

FAA Medical Certificates

The FAA requires all pilots to have a medical certificate to fly an aircraft. There have traditionally been three types of medical certificates available for pilots to choose from: first class, second class, and third class. In recent years, the FAA has expanded the requirements for a medical certificate and now there is a fourth option, BasicMed. 

First Class 

First class medical exams are the most in depth of the four options and are usually held by professional pilots or student pilots looking to become professional pilots. To operate under the conditions of an airline transport pilot certificate, a first class medical is required. 

Requirements: 

• 20/20 vision with or without correction
• Must meet mental and neurological standards
• ECG required at age 35 and annually after 40 years old 

Limitations: 

• Must be renewed every 12 months, six months for those over age 40 
• Not recognized by the military

Second Class

A second class medical—the type of medical you would need to reenter the program at SIU Carbondale—is required for pilots looking to carry passengers or cargo for hire, operating under the privileges of a commercial pilot certificate. While the second and third class medicals are very similar, the second class medical requires higher standards of vision and must be renewed more frequently. Most Part 141 flight schools require students to hold at least a second class medical. 

Requirements: 

• 20/20 vision with or without correction
• Must pass color vision test 
• Must pass all health standards 

Limitations: 

• Must be renewed every year 
• Not able to fly for transportation airlines 

Third Class

For most recreational private pilots, a third class medical is the simplest way to meet the medical requirement. A third class medical holder is not eligible to fly for hire. The health standards for a third class medical are more lenient and can be renewed between two and five years depending on your age. 

Requirements: 

• Must meet eye, ear, nose, throat, and other standards in examination
• Must meet mental health standards
• Must disclose health history 

Limitations: 

• Must be renewed every five years, if under 40; every two years, if over 40
• Pilots must fly recreationally, not for hire 
• Not for commercial or airline pilots 

BasicMed 

BasicMed is a recent addition to the FAA medical certificate options and is perfect for those looking to fly for fun without an in-depth medical exam as the physical can be performed by your primary doctor. A BasicMed medical can only be used for recreational or private privileges, not for hire. While there are a few extra limitations to a BasicMed certificate, it may be the best fit for some pilots. 

Requirements: 

• Possess a current and valid U.S. driver’s license
• Held valid medical certificate after July 14, 2006
• Receive a qualifying physical exam from a licensed physician, the comprehensive medical examination checklist must be followed 
• Complete BasicMed course

Limitations: 

• Limited to aircraft able to carry six passengers or less
• Cannot fly an aircraft weighing more than 6,000 pounds
• Cannot fly with more than five passengers
• Must be flying recreationally 

What Should You Do?

In your case, being an older pilot with a disability, getting a medical may have some hiccups, but based on the FAA guidelines for aviation medical examiners, there shouldn’t be any major reasons why an FAA medical would not be granted. If you are worried about getting a medical certificate for other reasons, besides your leg, consider a BasicMed certificate and resuming your training with a flight instructor training under Part 61. Following a Part 61 track may also save you quite a bit of money and serve your purposes just as well. 

The post Finishing a Pilot Certificate with a Disability appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

For people who struggle with their own preconceived notions of society’s norms, such as those in the LGBTQ+ community, acceptance of identity is the primary problem, and can amplify any mental health challenges. Society’s rules, by definition, still can be non-accepting. So, it’s not a surprise that the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that a significant portion of the LBGTQ+ community struggles with mental health concerns.

Finding Resources

The best message for any pilot facing mental health concerns is that you are not alone—and there are numerous resources to tap into, including those focusing on particular LGBTQ+ needs. In addition to the local chapters of NAMI that are available, look into the following sources for more information.

The National Gay Pilots Association hosts an entire section on medical issues on its site, and provides peer support for pilots in the community, as well as allies.

The Air Line Pilots Association includes a committee and a special section of its site devoted to supporting mental health, and specifically the needs of its LGBTQ+ members. 

The Trevor Project focuses on the needs of youth 25 years of age and younger and aims to provide suicide prevention resources in response to the estimated 1.8 million LGBTQ youth (ages 13-24) each year who contemplate suicide in the U.S.

Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PLAG) offers peer-to-peer meetings and support to allies and families of those in the LGBTQ+ community. 

Help is not far away. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español:1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: dial 711 then1-800-273-8255) or theCrisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

The post Mental Health Services Crucial for All Pilots appeared first on FLYING Magazine.