Can I hold a Medical

A

Alex_Smith2004

Filing Flight Plan
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AlexS
I have an appointment with AME next week, but i was wondering what to expect him to say. I was placed in a hospital twice for suicidal ideation at age 12, im now 15 and was hoping to start flying before I turn 16 next month. I was prescribed Zoloft at one point, but have been off of it for about 8 months now. I’m not expecting to be able to hold a medical and was wondering what I could expect to hear. Thanks
 
You might forgo the appointment and go sport pilot.

If you go in with that history right now, you're going to get deferred until you have substantial psychiatic testing which I'm not sure you are going to be able to afford. If you can't get it done, you will get a DENIAL, and you will be FOREVER BARRED from sport pilot operations (until you go through the certification process).
 
Alex_Smith2004 said:
I have an appointment with AME next week,
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Ask for a consultation. Do not apply for a medical - that would be called shooting yourself in the foot.
Alex_Smith2004 said:
I’m not expecting to be able to hold a medical
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Then, why, on God's green earth, would you apply, get denied and be FOREVER locked out of options such as Sport Pilot or, potentially, any further medical reform options?

I get it, you want to fly. I get it, you want to fly now.

But, you need to play this smart, not stupid. Find out what you are up against before you do something that can't be undone.
 
Alex_Smith2004 said:
So It is basically out of the picture for years and years to come?
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If you're looking to be a professional pilot, probably, yes. But you can fly as a Sport Pilot with no medical, as long as you didn't actually apply for and fail the medical.
 
1) Do not vist the AME for any class medical.
2) Only visit the AME for a CONSULTATION!
3) Call the AME office and ask if they will do a consult - you will pay for it, because it's an office visit.
4) If the AME will not do a consult, thank them and find another AME.
5) If the AME will not do a consult, go on the FAA website to find other AMEs in your area until you find an AME that will do a consult.
6) Once you have an AME that will do a consult, be candid about medical and mental issues. Ask for recommendations, actions, paperwork, etc. that you need to do in order to pass any Class medical.
7) Follow the AME advice to the letter.
8) Once you've satisfied all the conditions described by the AME, and have the paperwork, proof, anything else needed then visit the AME for another consultation to make sure you have everything needed.
9) THEN and ONLY THEN visit the AME for whatever class of medical you can pass.

10) If #6, 7 and 8 cannot be satisfied, then you will never get an FAA Class medical. Your only options will be Sport Pilot or weight-shift.

Does this clear up the confusion? Do you understand these steps?
 
What they are saying is you can set up an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner to discuss you situation and get advice on what to do to eventually obtain a medical certificate. What you should not do is submit an actual application for a medical certificate at this time, because at best the application will be sent to the FAA and months later you'll get a letter telling you what you need to do, if not an outright denial.

There are AMEs who specialize in difficult applications, and you may want to make use of their services. For the immediate time, engaging a consultation with the AME at your appointment will probably be helpful, but you are strongly cautioned not to submit a live application at this visit.

Jon
 
murphey said:
1) Do not vist the AME for any class medical.
2) Only visit the AME for a CONSULTATION!
3) Call the AME office and ask if they will do a consult - you will pay for it, because it's an office visit.
4) If the AME will not do a consult, thank them and find another AME.
5) If the AME will not do a consult, go on the FAA website to find other AMEs in your area until you find an AME that will do a consult.
6) Once you have an AME that will do a consult, be candid about medical and mental issues. Ask for recommendations, actions, paperwork, etc. that you need to do in order to pass any Class medical.
7) Follow the AME advice to the letter.
8) Once you've satisfied all the conditions described by the AME, and have the paperwork, proof, anything else needed then visit the AME for another consultation to make sure you have everything needed.
9) THEN and ONLY THEN visit the AME for whatever class of medical you can pass.

10) If #6, 7 and 8 cannot be satisfied, then you will never get an FAA Class medical. Your only options will be Sport Pilot or weight-shift.

Does this clear up the confusion? Do you understand these steps?
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@Alex_Smith2004 .... Adding to this...

The AME you need to see is known as a HIMS AME. And better yet, seek out a Senior HIMS AME who has a positive track record of helping applicants with your background and history.

DO NOT go to a regular run of mill AME, as they may not be properly equipped to help you.

To find a HIMS AME in your area, go to this page on the FAA.gov website: https://designee.faa.gov/#/designeeLocator

Then select the items I've indicated in Blue as I have shown on this image: AME, Location (fill in some of your details), HIMS

AME finder.jpg
 
I’m sure this is all a huge kick in the nuts...but these guys are right. I think with suicide ideation it’s a lonnng wait at stable before they will consider it. Dr Bruce has commented on this before on a different post...look around the forum for “bbchien”, you May find it...and he may chime in here. Definitely DO NOT let that MedXpress form go live!
 
Good luck with it all. As posted, right now hold off with any AME visit. I can see the need to put more time between the events in question. Hopefully you can find a way to move foreword in aviation without trying to get a medical right away.

As to the particulars of navigating towards a medical in the future, others are versed in the process.
 
Alex_Smith2004 said:
So I could never hold a first class medical?
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If you get a driver's license, you can become a Sport Pilot Flight Instructor (medical requirements-wise). You can charge for your services. You can start making money at 18. That's being a "professional". You can start flying tomorrow today! In the meantime, cancel your AME appointment and don't make another until you wrap your mind around this issue. Being a Sport Pilot won't hinder your career because it's hours in the air and they all count the same in the beginning. Don't fill out an application and let it go live, as everybody is warning. Coming here is the smartest thing you've ever done, btw. :)

EDIT: "suicidal ideation"? Only you know for sure how serious you were at 12, but I think everybody tries on certain horrible thoughts for size from time to time. Then they discard them when they realize they don't fit. Maybe that was you? Just sayin'...
 
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With suicidal ideation, you may be looking at 10 years and tens of thousands of dollars to get an FAA medical. Seriously consider the Sport Pilot option.

If you earn a Sport Pilot certificate all your training will count toward a Private Pilot certificate later, even a decade from now. And since you can do Sport without a medical (you will need a driver’s license) why not do that first anyway?

With a Sport certificate you can fly yourself and a passenger anywhere in the US and the Bahamas during daylight and visual flight rules conditions. The planes are very capable aircraft and fun to fly. This would be a great way to start while you get the medical stuff figured out.

But - flying is serious, life & death stuff. See your regular doctor first and be sure he agrees you’re fit and safe to fly, both physically and mentally, before beginning Sport.
 
As others said, you can fly sport pilot. You can also fly gliders, and even be a glider instructor. This all assumes that you are well now. You cannot legally do any of these things (even if you had a medical) if you have a current condition that makes you unable to safely operate an aircraft. NB: As has already been said, if you go for an FAA medical exam and are denied, that denial will preclude many options, possibly permanently. I would suggest that you carefully review the information available on this and other sites and then discuss all of this with your parent or guardian.
 
If it hasn’t been said clearly enough - do not take an exam unless you already know what the outcome will be AND that outcome is positive. You aren’t there right now and it will take thousands of dollars of testing for you to get there.

Especially right now. If your medical is deferred, you get a letter with deadlines on it. Sometimes the FAA asks for the impossible, such as getting certain tests within 90 days, but there is a 6 months backlog for scheduling, so it becomes a denial.

You get the consult to know what you need, then you have it all in hand when you take your exam.

go fly sport for now.
 
What are you looking for a 1st class medical for, just out of curiosity.
 
MyDimeIsUp said:
What are you looking for a 1st class medical for, just out of curiosity.
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Not the OP, but adding a data point to this question... many flight schools, especially the 141’s, have been requiring a 1st class as a condition of enrollment. Still not sure 100% why since upgrading from a lower rank is totally permitted if the student meets the standards.

my guess in why a 1st is required is from the airline partnerships that they had pre-pandemic. If it’s not that, then someone enlighten me.
 
CANCEL THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE AME. TODAY.

Then, contact Dr. Bruce Chien at www.aeromedicaldoc.com and hire him. Follow his advice TO THE LETTER. It's clear you're going to get denied if you apply now, and then you can't even go the sport pilot route. Instead of digging yourself into that hole, work with Dr. Bruce and come up with a game plane to get you where you want to go. It will undoubtedly be a long and expensive path, but your best chance of success is with Dr. Bruce guiding you though the process.
 
I agree with everyone's ideas here of getting a consultation and seeing what you would need. But, the thing is - there is a big difference between a suicide attempt and suicide ideation, this Reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/com...d?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 outlined a story where he had suicidal ideation over a breakup and only had to get a psychiatric evaluation which cost him around $300. He didn't have to spend thousands of dollars in psychological testing like everyone would make you think. However, it really does depends on the reason you had ideation and what was happening in your life, was it a breakup? Maybe something bad that was going on in the family? You, the OP, knows the answer. I would strongly recommend you to get a consultation from multiple HIMS in your region and also ones who'd been considered "experts" such as the likes of Dr. Chien. Many people also recommend Dr. Faulkner down in Atlanta. We all do dumb things as a kid, and regrettable things nonetheless - but what the FAA wants to see is that you learned from your mistake and that you haven't done it/would ever commit that same mistake again. Don't lose hope, just ask for a consultation with a couple of AME's and listen to their advice.
 
anonymous said:
I agree with everyone's ideas here of getting a consultation and seeing what you would need. But, the thing is - there is a big difference between a suicide attempt and suicide ideation, this Reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/com...d?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 outlined a story where he had suicidal ideation over a breakup and only had to get a psychiatric evaluation which cost him around $300. He didn't have to spend thousands of dollars in psychological testing like everyone would make you think..... Don't lose hope, just ask for a consultation with a couple of AME's and listen to their advice.
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Hospitalization, for this as the OP posts, is pretty cut and dried. You ONLY get into the hospital for imminent self harm.

Besides FAA specifies that, as well- "hospitalization for psych"....
 
I’ve been looking into things more in-depth and with all of your suggestions I’m probably leaning towards the sport route and maybe trying to get a medical in the next decade. Thank You all for your suggestions and help.
 
Alex_Smith2004 said:
I’ve been looking into things more in-depth and with all of your suggestions I’m probably leaning towards the sport route and maybe trying to get a medical in the next decade. Thank You all for your suggestions and help.
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I soloed on my 16th birthday... just sayin'. ;)
 
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