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03-28-2016, 04:40 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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Special Issuance Medical Woes....
Let me start by saying that this thread should not turn into an FAA bashing thread or into some other mess that breaks Doug's rules.
The statement I am making below is just a statement of the facts of my particular situation and is intended to be educational for anyone that may follow in my footsteps with similar health issues.
It sure is frustrating to have waited over 3 months for the FAA to reply to a letter where you properly informed them of having to have a new cardiac stent implanted and when they finally did respond, they order you to surrender your current medical, formally deny your authorization for a special issuance medical and then tell you if you contact them and ask nicely, they will be kind enough to inform you what hoops you will have to jump thru in order to get your SI reauthorized.
So I guess there is still hope but the process is surely not easy and I have no idea what they are going to request and how expensive this is going to be.
I have little choice now but to at least try to regain my SI authorization and then make the decision on what to do moving forward. It is even more frustrating that I may have built a very nice airplane that I am not going to be legal to fly very much longer and inevitably I may have to make the decision to possibly sell the airplane and take on the risk/liability associated with that process. My goal would be to retain my ability to fly as a light sport pilot and possibly build an RV12 or similar.
I would never fly as PIC of any airplane if I felt like I could not complete the flight safely. I take this business seriously. I have always tried to be as open and honest as possible with the FAA and have always tried to follow their SI rules as closely as possible. However at some point someone like me must realize that the cost associated with being able to fly PIC as a Private Pilot start to outweigh the benefits and the bank account.
Thanks for listening VAF family!
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03-28-2016, 04:43 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Are you an AOPA member??
If so, have you gotten their medical folks involved?
Sorry to hear about this................. 
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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03-28-2016, 04:49 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: KSGJ / TJBQ
Posts: 2,039
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Sorry to hear this. I recommend contacting Dr. Bruce Chien who is a CFII and specializes in complex FAA Medical's. If anybody can help you Dr. Bruce can.
Good luck.

__________________
Galin
CP-ASEL-AMEL-IR
FCC Radiotelephone (PG) with Radar Endorsement
2020 Donation made
www.PuertoRicoFlyer.com
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03-28-2016, 04:57 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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03-28-2016, 05:06 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 671
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Best wishes
Brian, read that you completed the Dopey Challenge in January. I couldn't have done that on my best day. Hope you get that medical back soon! John
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03-28-2016, 05:07 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Crestwood, KY
Posts: 848
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Feel part of your pain
Brian,
I feel part of your pain. I usually get a nuclear stress test each year to provide the FAA the paperwork/video that satisfys them that I am not a safety threat after my bypass 5 years ago. Take some comfort in that you at least have flown the plane you built. I am still working through some squawks before my airworthiness inspection. I have my latest third class until December and hope I am flying it by then. I have a RV-12 in my garage that I am co-building with my brother so I can fly sport pilot and end this madness with the FAA. It is frustrating when you are open and staying on top of a medical concern and end up being a victim of the system. You will need to get your medical back before you will be able to fly sport pilot now. Shame they couldn't get the pilot rights legislature passed through before now. My 9A will probably go on the market come December.
__________________
Mike
RV-9A Based K6I2
Flying - out of Phase 1
Building RV-12 with brother
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03-28-2016, 05:11 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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Guys thanks for the references.
I would not say that my situation is all that abnormal or more "difficult" than the average cardiac SI case.
Most all of the resources out there exist to help the professional pilot. One even admits that if you are not a professional, there is little that can be done to speed up the process. Apparently pro pilots get a pass to the front of the line. I guess if I were a pro pilot I would be glad for that but not so much since I am not.
I have been successful in the past with interpreting the FAA's correspondence and rules and following them. If it were not for the cost, pain and agony around all the testing and the huge amount of time spent waiting on them to respond, I would not consider the SI process that painful or hard to understand/comply with. Usually I am the one educating the AME on what they want to see. Strange but I am a detail oriented engineer so I guess that matters in this case.
The last thing I can afford (or am willing to add to the already high cost of this process) is to add additional cost to this process and most of the help resources out there don't guarantee anything and for the most part have no power to speed up the process that I can tell.
Last edited by Brantel : 03-29-2016 at 04:11 AM.
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03-28-2016, 05:29 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 57AZ - NW Tucson area
Posts: 10,011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GalinHdz
Sorry to hear this. I recommend contacting Dr. Bruce Chien who is a CFII and specializes in complex FAA Medical's. If anybody can help you Dr. Bruce can.
Good luck.

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A local stent-equipped pilot went to Illinois to Dr. Chien and was satisfied with the results. Apparently Dr. Chien can expedite stuff at the same speed as the professional pilots you mention.
Time to use up your airline miles to see a AME... 
__________________
Gil Alexander
EAA Technical Counselor, Airframe Mechanic
Half completed RV-10 QB purchased
RV-6A N61GX - finally flying
Grumman Tiger N12GA - flying
La Cholla Airpark (57AZ) Tucson AZ
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03-28-2016, 06:03 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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Quote:
Originally Posted by az_gila
A local stent-equipped pilot went to Illinois to Dr. Chien and was satisfied with the results. Apparently Dr. Chien can expedite stuff at the same speed as the professional pilots you mention.
Time to use up your airline miles to see a AME... 
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Not according to his website....
Quote:
"
The current difficulty is that the agency is strapped with resources for about 15,000 special issuances, with about 30,000 in system. Thus the response to any document or inquiry, by OMB report, averages 62 working days, or about 85 calendar days. Thus it become important to "get it right" on the first pass.
Since mid 2014, the rules for getting file approval have tightened. There is now no such thing as a telephonic approval on a nonrevenue applicant. "
Last edited by Brantel : 03-28-2016 at 06:12 PM.
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03-28-2016, 06:28 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: KSGJ / TJBQ
Posts: 2,039
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brantel
Not according to his website....
Quote:
"
The current difficulty is that the agency is strapped with resources for about 15,000 special issuances, with about 30,000 in system. Thus the response to any document or inquiry, by OMB report, averages 62 working days, or about 85 calendar days. Thus it become important to "get it right" on the first pass.
Since mid 2014, the rules for getting file approval have tightened. There is now no such thing as a telephonic approval on a nonrevenue applicant. "
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As Az-Gila stated: " He can expedite stuff at the same speed as the professional pilots you mention." That the FAA doesn't do " telephonic approvals for nonrevenue applicants" is a different issue and out of Dr. Chien's control. That is why he states: " So it becomes even more important to "get it right" on the first pass...." With his help I got it right the 1st time with no "down time".

__________________
Galin
CP-ASEL-AMEL-IR
FCC Radiotelephone (PG) with Radar Endorsement
2020 Donation made
www.PuertoRicoFlyer.com
Last edited by GalinHdz : 03-28-2016 at 06:34 PM.
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