Medical Adventures: from BasicMed to Second

[Sam Buchanan]

I still don't understand why you did what you did but glad it worked out.

[MacCool]

This past Tuesday I got a certified letter from the FAA...never a good thing. Sure enough, it was from the Aeromedical branch telling me that the letter from my "treating physician" regarding mandated followup affirming the stability of the condition for which I have a Special Issuance was inadequate. They want more information than he provided. I have 60 days to provide the FAA with an "appropriate" letter from him or they'll pull my Class 3 ("maybe"). It's noteworthy that that information was submitted a year ago along with my biennial Class 3 exam. My AME passed me at that time and issued the medical without concern. It took the FAA a year to second guess him and decide that they needed more information. I'd suggest that the AME issuing a medical certificate does not always mean that one gets to keep it after it's reviewed. I hope this works out for Ed.

I saw my doctor ("treating physician") yesterday. He examined and did the labs they wanted. Everything was fine, which I already knew. Before I saw him I actually wrote the letter I wanted him to send (after chatting with my AME about it) and gave it to him to modify as he saw fit, making sure that it addressed everything the FAA wanted to know and that my AME suggested. He was very accommodating.

For 50 years, Class 3 medicals have been a "nothing" event for me. Now, at this age...not so much. This episode has left me with a firm determination to finally pull the trigger on Basic Med. An FAA Class 3 does nothing for me that Basic Med doesn't and it's clear that the more I can keep myself out of the Aeromedical Branch, the less complicated my remaining years of flying are likely to be.

Coincidentally, the featured speaker at our EAA chapter meeting tomorrow morning is an AME speaking about Basic Med.

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

Originally Posted by MacCool

This past Tuesday I got a certified letter from the FAA...never a good thing. Sure enough, it was from the Aeromedical branch telling me that the letter from my "treating physician" regarding mandated followup affirming the stability of the condition for which I have a Special Issuance was inadequate. They want more information than he provided. I have 60 days to provide the FAA with an "appropriate" letter from him or they'll pull my Class 3 ("maybe"). It's noteworthy that that information was submitted a year ago along with my biennial Class 3 exam. My AME passed me at that time and issued the medical without concern. It took the FAA a year to second guess him and decide that they needed more information.

My brand new Second Class says that the FAA has 60 days to "reverse their decision" if they don't like the application -- but my Senior AME has insured that they do like it. And if the FAA comes after me, he'll handle any further problems, no charge.

Note: There's more to the story than appears in the quote. Please see two posts below.

[amekler]

As an AME and EAA medical advisor I ask for a copy of the 8500-8 application to review before any exam takes place.
This way without importing it through the confirmation number(which locks you in to completing the exam ) I can advise the applicant whether to proceed or choose basic med or go LSA(no medical).
An application that doesn't get imported by the AME gets purged after 60 days.
Remember once denied you cannot do basic med or LSA..I've seen denials because the applicant failed to provide what the FAA asked for in a specified time frame You can always ask for an extension in writing.
When in doubt ask for a consultation with your AME.

Regards,
Alan Mekler MD
Senior AME

[Dan B]

[quote=Ed_Wischmeyer;1675828]My brand new Second Class says that the FAA has 60 days to "reverse their decision" if they don't like the application -- but my Senior AME has insured that they do like it. And if the FAA comes after me, he'll handle any further problems, no charge.

Don't bet on it!
I received a denial letter five months after receiving a First Class medical. I had discussed a medical issue with my AME prior to the physical. My AME was an FAA AME and said that there would not be an issue. My AME had to turn it over to an FAA Regional Office AME. My medical was finally reinstated by the regional office, without restriction, however the First Class had timed-out into a Second Class.