Medical - Special Issuance ---HELP---

[Maxrate]

I know several individuals, one with heart and the other with cancer that are back flying professionally. They both used these folks. They are right there in Oklahoma and can interact with the FAA quicker on your case. Good luck!

https://www.leftseat.com

[John Owen]

There are a lot of factors that go into the determination about an SI. Having accomplished a lot of them over the past 30 years, no two are the same. With AFib, the risk of embolism (stroke) and the possibility of functional impairment otherwise drive the decision process for the FAA. I would be happy to look at your information if you would like me to. As a volunteer member of the EAA Aeromedical Council, you could (but don't need to) route it through them. We have a prominent cardiologist on our four member council and we take these calls and questions all of the time as unpaid volunteers-one pilot helping another.

I have advised more than one pilot who didn't need a third class to go the BasicMed route with AFib. As long as there aren't coronary artery issues, it looks to me like it would meet the criteria for using BasicMed (***disclaimer: BasicMed is not a FAA medical so there are others better equipped to advise what is legal and not). As you are seeing, there is more to the SI process for AFib that meets the eye.

Good luck and let me know via PM if I can help.

John

[Tumper]

Thanks to everyone for the responses. To answer a few questions;

1) I currently hold a Class 3 medical
2) I don?t need a Class 3 medical, I could do BasicMed if it is still available to me

It is my understanding from talking with my cardiologist I am in good health. I was only having an event about once a month and it lasted about 5 mins. Since treatment in November 2017 I have not had an event. I am taking minimum medications for the fibrillation.

I guess I am a little confused about what the requirements are to get into BasicMed. Am I still eligible? It looks like I need to make a few more phone calls prior to sending anything to the FAA.

Thanks again for the help.

[mturnerb]

Originally Posted by Tumper

Thanks to everyone for the responses. To answer a few questions;

1) I currently hold a Class 3 medical
2) I don’t need a Class 3 medical, I could do BasicMed if it is still available to me

It is my understanding from talking with my cardiologist I am in good health. I was only having an event about once a month and it lasted about 5 mins. Since treatment in November 2017 I have not had an event. I am taking minimum medications for the fibrillation.

I guess I am a little confused about what the requirements are to get into BasicMed. Am I still eligible? It looks like I need to make a few more phone calls prior to sending anything to the FAA.

Thanks again for the help.

It's pretty simple. First, since you currently hold a Class III medical, you ARE eligible for BasicMed.

Second, your doctor can sign off the BasicMed physical without a special issuance. Here is a direct quote from the FAA's instructions to physicians for cardiovascular conditions:

"A cardiovascular condition, limited to a one-time special issuance for each
diagnosis of the following:
• Myocardial infarction.
• Coronary heart disease that has required treatment.
• Cardiac valve replacement.
• Heart replacement. "

You have none of these, therefore you should not require any more than a sign-off by a physician of the BasicMed exam (assuming no other conditions of other types that require special issuance).

Here's the website with the specifics of BasicMed and instructions to physicians: https://basicmedicalcourse.aopa.org/...ians_Guide.pdf



Hope this helps.

[RV7A Flyer]

Originally Posted by mturnerb

It's pretty simple. First, since you currently hold a Class III medical, you ARE eligible for BasicMed.

Second, your doctor can sign off the BasicMed physical without a special issuance.

Or *with* one, if that's what a particular pilot has (or had). But I think your point to the OP was that he need not go get an SI. Just go do BasicMed, and drop all the rest of the inquiries and phone calls (and I, for one, would certainly making calling OK City the LAST thing I'd ever do ).

[Auburntsts]

Originally Posted by RV7A Flyer

Or *with* one, if that's what a particular pilot has (or had). But I think your point to the OP was that he need not go get an SI. Just go do BasicMed, and drop all the rest of the inquiries and phone calls (and I, for one, would certainly making calling OK City the LAST thing I'd ever do ).

I agree with not calling the FAA. However, when in doubt and you need an informed, expert medical opinion, I can't recommend Dr. Bruce Chien enough. He's helped more pilots than I can count get their medical's straightened out.

If anyone is an AOPA member you can even post to the Medical Matters Forum in the Members Forum anonymously and he'll answer questions there, within reason.

[terrykohler]

Originally Posted by mturnerb

It's pretty simple. First, since you currently hold a Class III medical, you ARE eligible for BasicMed.

Second, your doctor can sign off the BasicMed physical without a special issuance. Here is a direct quote from the FAA's instructions to physicians for cardiovascular conditions:

"A cardiovascular condition, limited to a one-time special issuance for each
diagnosis of the following:
? Myocardial infarction.
? Coronary heart disease that has required treatment.
? Cardiac valve replacement.
? Heart replacement. "

You have none of these, therefore you should not require any more than a sign-off by a physician of the BasicMed exam (assuming no other conditions of other types that require special issuance).

Here's the website with the specifics of BasicMed and instructions to physicians: https://basicmedicalcourse.aopa.org/...ians_Guide.pdf



Hope this helps.

I'm not a doctor, but it seems to me that you have "a coronary heart disease that required treatment". Basic Med is not a get out of jail free card. There are a number of conditions that REQUIRE evaluation by the folks at Oklahoma City before you can fly again - even if you already have a Class III or Basic Med card. Don't take my word or the word of anyone who isn't an AME. A shout out to John (prior post) or AOPA should resolve this issue at no cost to you. Just my $.02.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP

[mturnerb]

Originally Posted by terrykohler

I'm not a doctor, but it seems to me that you have "a coronary heart disease that required treatment". Basic Med is not a get out of jail free card. There are a number of conditions that REQUIRE evaluation by the folks at Oklahoma City before you can fly again - even if you already have a Class III or Basic Med card. Don't take my word or the word of anyone who isn't an AME. A shout out to John (prior post) or AOPA should resolve this issue at no cost to you. Just my $.02.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP

I am a doctor - atrial fibrillation is most emphatically NOT equivalent to coronary disease (a small minority of cases of AF are associated with coronary disease, but there are many causes, including very easy to treat ones), and I'd bet you a steak dinner that the OP's cardiologist has done a complete workup to rule out coronary disease. Moreover, I have thoroughly and repeatedly read the instructions to physicians for BasicMed and it's absolutely clear to me that the OP should have no problem getting BasicMed without having to consult anyone other than his doctor. That's the whole point and intent of BasicMed: Congress defined in good detail a very limited list of conditions that require clearance from the FAA - conditions not on the list DO NOT require involvement of the FAA or an AME - and within that list there is reasonable discretion on the part of the physician:

"I certify that I discussed all items on this checklist with the individual during my examination, discussed any medications the individual is taking
that could interfere with their ability to safely operate an aircraft or motor vehicle, and performed an examination that included all of the
items on this checklist. I certify that I am not aware of any medical condition that, as presently treated, could interfere with the
individual's ability to safely operate an aircraft"

Calling OKC to ask permission is giving them an opening to do what they do - "to a man with a hammer everything looks like a nail". BasicMed came into existence in part because there's plenty of good evidence that your doctor is in a better position than anyone else to help you make a judgement on how safe you are to fly. In addition, the association of any particular condition with in-flight incapacitation is very weak, with some obvious exceptions that are included in the BasicMed exclusion list. (and for those, there's no actual evidence since they've always prevented pilots from getting medicals - the sport pilot experience isn't showing any outbreaks of in-flight incapacitation events, even when pilots are exercising their own discretion).

[mturnerb]

Originally Posted by RV7A Flyer

Or *with* one, if that's what a particular pilot has (or had). But I think your point to the OP was that he need not go get an SI. Just go do BasicMed, and drop all the rest of the inquiries and phone calls (and I, for one, would certainly making calling OK City the LAST thing I'd ever do ).

You're correct - a NEW special issuance is not needed. The language in the BasicMed rules states: "If they previously held a special issuance medical certificate for any condition below, it must have been valid within the ten years prior to July 15, 2016 for the pilot to be eligible for BasicMed"

[terrykohler]

Good stuff. Keep posting. I'm still learning about Basic Med, and it keeps getting better.
Thanks,
Terry