My 10k already spent, to me was wasted. Managing a flight department or want to offer a premium service to your club members or students. 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. A medical exam is required for a Commercial Driver License and for working on a commercial boat carrying passengers. When the whole 3rd class medical requirement is seen in a larger context, its absurdity can be seen. And, actually, the FAA is making Special Issuance less of a problem for certain diseases. But, to the uninformed, it has an appearance of diligence. 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. On the other hand, the 3rd class questionnaire seems more like screening for FAX your completed Request for Airman Medical Records Form to (405) 954-9326. 6 months and 2 weeks earlier I had one done for a Peace Corps application and sent that in, which would have been good for 2 years. 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. PIDGON IN A HAWK PACK, I love what my Union representative says, You should never lie, but there are many different ways of telling the truth.. I dont blame poeple for lying. The AME will then be required to report any changes to the FAA, If not, there is no need to report to the FAA. My name is not Gustavo either. Case in point: A student pilot I was familiar with crashed his aircraft into the runway and killed himself after being arrested for drunk-driving the previous night. Counseling, HTN, whatever. However, when it comes to flying without another capable pilot on board.only friends and family..that is another matter. Deaply sorry it was a dumb statement. Do You Need A PHD To Be A Medical Scientist? That means, 1) applying for brand new medical, 2) taking the written exam (s) over; and 3) taking the check ride (s) again. SO ITS FLY TILL I DIE OR GO TO PRISON. no? Then, I initiated actions to get tested, never dreaming that FAA would punish me for being conscientious and wanting to be fully alert. lie if you want, hell find out. Such disorders might be genetic. If you fear denial, speak to someone that knows what they are talking about, not a blog. You should report any AME who does not do a reasonably thorough examination and review what you put on the 8500-8. To stay current, I have been renting/flying 152s and 172s with an instructor, but that is very expensive too (the inclusion of the instructor, that is). Yet, until recently, the FAA wouldnt allow any pilot to be treated with an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) a medication with an excellent safety record concerning accidents. Risk is a price of freedom. I dont know for a fact other pilots lie on their medical, but pretty sure some I know do. How come the standards are so different now? If the FAA ever decides to search to see if he is taking any prescription medications (which they dont do often, but they have the ability to do), they will most likely pull his medical permanently for falsification. Pilot medicals are in the news again, with a proposal by EAA and AOPA to let more pilots use a drivers license for their medical. Please remember, he has a liability also. What the FAA is looking for are patterns of behavior that suggest pathological conditions that may lead to gross negligence or unsafe decisions regarding flying. They want to approve, not deny medicals. But WHILE it is a problem for the flier, not after it is treated. Risk is inherent in everything humans do whether they are operating a car, a boat, an airplane or a train. I agree the sport licensse should include at least up to a 152, super cub and all two seat trainers. Flying is no more dangerous than driving when properly trained. I have to do the same stuff to go ice diving. What a great time you both will have. This applies to ANY wildcat actions, including slowdown, work-to-rules, withdrawal of enthusiasm (WOE), sickouts, etc. I can empathize with that Louis. Taint worth messing up folks. The all have SODA and continue to fly. The next hell will be finding out what conditions they place on that SI. Im an AME. What Exactly Does A Biomedical Engineer Do? The med examination wasnt any different from the third class but the vision requirements are different. Reply. It was OK to fly without government harassment. Most women get frequent headaches-about once a month, and heaven forbid but we do go to the doctor and get X-rays and tests once or twice a year. I Fly America 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. Crashing airplanes? Im not trying to be deceitful, but I really want to be prepared for this interview and I dont see the importance of something that wont effect flying. Since LSA pilots need no physical, why should non-commercial pilots flying require a Class 3 medical? If you have a disqualifying medical condition, say unexplained loss of consciousness, you cant fly. I was even showing a bit of talent for it and progressing very nicely towards my private pilot certificate. Are we the same person? However, if you do get caught, at best you will lose your license. Comparatively, what I take is barely more than a prescription grade Imodium AD. Id probably be in better shape if I *wasnt* a pilot since Id feel free to take advantage of those things, whereas now theyre just traps, ways to lose the ability to fly. PLEASE HELP Im applying for a job where they train you to be a helicopter pilot. They ask about frequent or severe yet dont define how frequent is frequent or how severe is severe. We can never win with you, only lose. Period. Commercial pilots, or military pilots or leisure pilots may have lied during their lifetimes, but it is unfair to only single out the pilots. Pilots need to grow some, stand together, and stop tolerating it. I lost my younger years flying and now the hoopes I have to jump through is unbeleveable.I really love flying but the government can take the privelage away its not right. N.C., one does not have the right to lie to the feds investigating an illegal act. None of the above activities has any significant medical requirement. I know this Pilot who has type 1 Diabetes which requires insulin injections daily, drinks alcohol every night, takes an antidepressant, and every afternoon gets the shakes. What next, psych eval, cholesterol screen for atherosclerosis, denying smokers because risk of copd exacerbation in unexpected decompression, genetic screening to predict addictive personality or anger tendency? I did years later and got totally cleared. But knowing that the FAA has little humor, we all put no. For those who fly for a living, YOU are the natural enemy doctor. They are busy guarding the barn only after the horse is back inside. 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. Just curious, as I am considering it and wondering about others experiences. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); All information found on medmg.org is intended for informational and educational purposes only. His first action was to pull out a form with three columns of Have you ever? items each requiring a yes/no response. They came within 2 weeks of revoking my medical. If your application passes AMCDs scrutiny, the certificate your AME issued will remain valid for a period of time determined by your age and the type of certificate you applied for. Pilots most likely have wanted too fly since they were kids. People are who they are. The most recent was a year and a half ago. you say he flys solo whats it to you, Gee I fell out of bead a week ago and wacked my head I wonder if I should tell the FAA. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you. Does anyone really believe that this is also not true for pilots and in fact is probably much higher, given the hard working conditions. Please type or print legibly and remember to sign and date the request. I am hoping that they do the right thing when it comes to my health assessment. The big question is whether it matters. That isnt good leadership. You would not be alone, as there are many older pilots that fly with conditions that would disqualify them from getting the Third Class medical. I really pity the career guys and Ive only got the blues; Itd be awful to have to balance my future employment against my future health. Good guy, good doc, been at it a long time, Im healthy and got my 3rd class. Lie by default. He was flying with ryanair and was due to move to emirates. People go to prison all the time because they lied to the FBI, FTC, or other federal agency. In this case, you can cast doubt on the original diagnosis and attempt to avoid further evaluation. In our experience, only a small minority of pilots actually try to maliciously conceal significant active medical problems. Now you tell me how sad it is when an idiot declares you have daltonism and denies you the ability to fly, so ruining your dream forever. But the standards are not different. But missing information will simply cause delays and more work; the medical examiner and/or the FAA's Aeromedical Certification Division in Oklahoma City, Okla., won't process an incomplete form. Why do we have a federal bureaucracy policing such a low number of casualties? They are issued by states. The best advice we can give you is to visit an aviation medical examiner (AME). How did the terrorists that crashed into the twin towers pass a medical that I failed for COUNSELING??! Its long and complex, but an occasional look at it, especially regarding your own health issues, is worth it. There could be a much better system in place that would not compromise safety of small aircraft. you disclose something that warrants further information or investigation, or something happens to you like an accident, incident, or disciplinary action which the FAA will then thoroughly investigate. Speaking as a pilot, I think that there should be a way to maintain certification for those of us flying recreationally without having to see an AME every 2 years. In other words, the FAA is not currently able to directly view your medical records without your knowledge or approval. It is already hard enough to convince the FAA that you are healthy enough to fly after dealing with lifes curve balls. A good AME will tell you how to jump through the hoops so that when you go for your FAA medical certificate, you have all the data needed for the FAA. If the medical dates are incorrect, please contact CAMI at (405) 954-4821. The questionaire is so impossible to answer honestly because it uses the word ever. The Aviation Medical is the most expensive physical exam I have ever had and also the least thorough medical exam I have ever had. What Are the Chances of Getting Caught Lying on an FAA Medical? The bottom line is,if you cant be truthfull to yourself,you cant be truthfull at all. Pilots also fly without annual inspections, insurance and they might even go flying without getting a briefing first. Here in Italy Superman still dictates. If you do have heart disease, you would have to continue to see your Cardiologist as well as your AME to maintain your medical. :-) However, since I do really like flying, it does make one avoid looking too hard for problems. The AME guide expands on that question to unexplained unconsciousness. The AME Guide is available to all pilots on the FAA website. To self certify? The list of silliness just goes on and on. It is possible that the Emirates authorities will check to see if he can make an attempt at a complete sentence with capitalization and punctuation. Your email address will not be published. Lie, definitely not. The absurdity is having a major federal bureaucracy policing this incredibly low number of deaths. They may only get 3rd class, but they are flying with strict guidelines on preflight accu check, inflight accu check, etc. A large gray area separates these two extremes, however. It was good news. So, easing up on the medical requirements would be based on real world situations. One of the greatest fears among aspiring and qualified pilots is not being issued or losing their medical certificate. I am in full support of the exemption and hope you will support it too; after all, it has worked for the Sport program and it seems it will work for you! Unfortunatley I have seen too many accident reports where the pilot was on prescription medications (found during the toxicological examination)many of them disqulifying, and none of them were reported on the medical application. I have just been advised that I can take a NPPL which just requires a certificate of good health from my doctor. Brian is absolutely right. Compared to all causes of death, these are infinitesimal numbers. but I was frustrated because a desk bureaucrat figured they knew more about my health than 3 doctors who had recently examined me with aviation in mind.. By now most of you know there are way too many federal employees standing around over paid and coming up with way too many regulations to try and justify their job. 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. Federal employees should qualify for at least a class three medical for airmen and let us toss in the medication list and drug testing for commercial drivers. Its not a profession which that college students wake up and decide they want to fly a plane. How is that fair? Due to the self-reporting nature, the chances of getting caught lying on an FAA medical aren't very high. By logging into your account, you agree to our. That is an entirely different responsibility that warrants a real physical exam. Well maybe a little? In everyones childhood years a lot of people are diagnosed with child Asthma so come on people who is the one really lying here YOU ARE. On checking this I was advised the costs would be in the region of 600+. Please type or print legibly and remember to sign and date the request. For over 50 years, pilots turned to Richard L. Collins for his unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of flying light aircraft. I had kidney stone surgery 12 years ago and over the last two years I passed two stones at home. We all know that volume of cars on the roads vs. number of planes in the air leads to have to deal with more idiots on the ground. Before submitting your application, you will be required to review the penalties above, certify that you know the FAA will be scrutinizing your medical history, and authorize the National Driver Register to provide the FAA with a copy of your driving record. After you complete your MedXPress application, you will need to schedule an FAA flight physical with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). Certification of employees to preform tasks, medical and eye examinations are normal in the Aerospace industry. We should not be subjected to this inquisitional questionnaire in the first place. Requesting Medical Records. According to Pilot Self-Grounding Requirements (CFR 61.53), pilots have the duty to ground themselves and report to the FAA any changes in their medical condition before they are able to fly again. If you can afford to own or rent an airplane, you can afford to pay an AME. Just like the annual inspection on the aircraft, when it was signed off everything was supposed to be airworthy, what happens after that is anyones guess. It's usually the "have you ever" questions. Ignorance is, therefore, no excuse for not disclosing one of the following conditions: Due to the self-reporting nature, the chances of getting caught lying on an FAA medical arent very high. Since my late 30s, I have taken meds to control my blood pressure. , you can navigate the process efficiently. So, the medical certification process has greatly reduced my joy. What Are the Chances of and Penalties for Getting Caught Lying on an FAA Medical? The other crewmembers will consult the seniority list to see how they fare after my death. speaks to mental disorders of any sort. It goes on to give examples of depression, anxiety, etc. The FAA typically expects applicants to also identify at question 18m. Some other government agency gets told another. On a related note, has anyone used an aeromedical service company to help obtain/renew a medical certificate? Someday you might actually have a problem you cannot hide. Takes the wind out of your sails. 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. It explains a lot of stuff that seems ridiculous, like have you ever been unconscious. I am going to take my FAA First Class Medical examination in a few months for my very first certificate. I also feel that anyone flying not-for-hire who can truthfully answer no to all the medical questions should be allowed to submit that form directly to the FAA and maintain his medical without needing to see his AME. Ive been fighting to get my 3rd class for 10 years and now I think Im close to getting a special issuance. We have to be honest with ourselves. So how many depressed pilots (especially those who do it for a living) are flying? An applicant who knowingly misrepresents the facts and gets caught can lose his or her pilot license forever and face a fine of up to $250,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. BUT I HAVE 40+ YEARS AND 5100 HRS OF PIC IN MY OWN AIR CRAFT WITH OUT INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. Driver licenses are not issued by the Feds. And, actually, the FAA is making Special Issuance less of a problem for certain diseases. However, if you do get caught, at best you will lose your license. What you dont want to do is lie. I love flying and if I had to give it up, I know I would feel like part of me, and who I am, has been lost. The FAA makes it clear what counts as a disqualifying condition. the third class should go away. The FAA Cannot possibly know all the doctors or hospitals you have ever been to unless you tell them. A. Telling the truth has cost me nearly 2 years of no flying due only to a late reply by my doctor and now I am walking away from my favorite form of relaxation, anyone want to buy my plane? From the details they ask about, you would think you were applying to be an astronaut. What Are the Chances of Getting Caught Lying on an FAA Medical? People Lie to do what they love to do. Lets assume 10%, which is probably a high figure. Im depressed, so their answer is to tell me I cant do anything to fix my problem whilst simultaneously denying me something that significantly helps with my depression: Flying? Regardless of whether they lie or not, the system seems to be working there seem to be very few (if any) crashes or incidents related to pilot incapacitation that they FAA/NTSB can point to a problem that should have come in a medical. Now, prostate cancer several years in the past with normal PSAs now is not a hindrance and the AME is instructed to issue the medical certificate. Also, if you are too young for that, they can check other insurance companies and, apparently, a company, McKesson I believe, that gathers and compiles statistical data from and for insurance companies. 99.999999% of pilots can and should self-certify for 3rd class flying. He did not disclose any of his medical issues to the AME, and passed his medical in 2011. It doesnt work like that in mental health cases, and probably never will. Oh yeah did I mention that I live in an isolated community and that the next mediocre doc is a good four hour drive away? If youre over 40 and your first-class medical is not renewed within six calendar months, itll revert to the privileges of a second-class medical for an additional six months. Still there are occasional exceptions where a commercial or airline pilot dies in the cockpit. It is so easy for those not flying professionally to prescribe stricter rules for those that do. whether, in their life, have they been diagnosed with, had, or presently have a history of ADHD. Simply having an assault on record does not by itself result in denial. A related question would be do people fly without a medical illegally? Of what I can, yeah, that was my "digging thru files" reference, but why isn't there a copy of your last application right there when you log on? This is especially true of hearing. I agreemost pilots at least fail to mention things. How about an 83 year-old on medication for type II diabetes, depression, and senility taking medication for all 3 problems? Beyond criminal penalties and keeping your pilots license, there are many other reasons to be forthright with your FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), but for now just as a thought experiment consider that you choose to falsify your medical certificate application. Of course they do. I would respect them more if they screened for problems and helped people cure them, rather than go over the hill with a knee jerk reaction. 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. In the latest installment of The Great Debate, Richard Collins asks you to weigh in on whether pilots are truthful when they visit the AME. Its funny that this question even comes up. 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