FAA delays

Wow that’s simply unexplainable and unacceptable with todays technology. I wonder what it was like 5 years ago? How long did the process take back then? I haven’t received a letter confirming receipt of my “more stuff” I spoke with my AME and he said they don’t always send a confirmation letter. I hope my case doesn’t get tossed around like yours. I think the most frustrating part is there is no one to call, absolutely no one. I am frustrated with my timeline already, I can only imagine how ****ed you are.
 
Wow I just realized the forum edited my post for foul language.
 
Ok, I lied... in the case of administrative constapation, Congress critters may help.
 
bbchien said:
Agency in in trouble….they are losing critical people….
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God that's terrible. This wait is becoming unbearable. I feel so sorry for the folks that are waiting for their 1st and 2nd class certificates.
 
I’m just doing this as a hobby. I couldn’t imagine having my income tied to my FAA medical.
 
Easy way to fix it outsource it all to doctors, and give immunity from lawsuits related to aviation accidents.
 
The backlog may take a couple of years to get cleared up unless something drastic doesn’t happen pretty soon. Seems like a year is just baked into the process now. That’s just a crazy amount of time to review medical records and render a decision. Sounds like an excellent time to do away with 3rd class and expand basic med. that would clear up thousands with the stroke of a pen and let the FAA focus on the class 1 and 2 applications. Maybe it wouldn’t be that simple but it sure seems like it!
 
bbchien said:
Agency in in trouble….they are losing critical people….
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Maybe the critical people that are leaving are the reason the agency is in the mess it is in. Hopefully they will be replaced with folks who see and do things differently.
 
Or maybe the fact it’s a mess is why they’re leaving... who knows, chicken or the egg?

Which begs another question, were they capable but unable? Or were they not capable?

Not a rhetorical question, it’s a govt agency, not the easiest in which to effect change. No doubt about that.
 
Well I just got a call back today from DC about my file after I left them a voice message middle of last week to check on my status. They told me to call back beginning of April. Which means nothing...

At least they're calling back! :heli:
 
TRC1969 said:
They told me to call about every 60 days.
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I don't think calling their number to get updates on the status of your file makes any sense. The DC analysts don't know anything more than what you can find out through the FAA Airmen Inquiry website. That is probably the best way to see if you've been issued as your medical status will change prior to you getting notified by anyone from the FAA via letter or otherwise. I've read many posts here stating that this is the case.

I'm not calling anymore. It's a waste of time.
 
An AME suggested I call the FAA regional flight surgeons office. I did that and got more info than DC provided. Regional office said "your application was sent to a Dr. for review on date xx/xx/xx". And they called me back on the same day! Still no idea of how much longer it will be but that's something at least! Have your PI number handy when you call. List of regional offices is here: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/rfs/

nrg
 
LowHrsMan said:
An AME suggested I call the FAA regional flight surgeons office. I did that and got more info than DC provided. Regional office said "your application was sent to a Dr. for review on date xx/xx/xx". And they called me back on the same day! Still no idea of how much longer it will be but that's something at least! Have your PI number handy when you call. List of regional offices is here: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/rfs/

nrg
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How long ago was your information mailed in?
 
Mine went in early January. I’m looking at this winter at the best. I keep hoping someone will see what’s going on and take some type of action.
 
TRC1969 said:
Mine went in early January. I’m looking at this winter at the best. I keep hoping someone will see what’s going on and take some type of action.
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Hope isn’t going to accomplish much. If you haven’t already done so, complain to your congressman’s office. They can bring some pressure. Even if it doesn’t help, making more members of Congress aware may eventually get some change.

It can’t hurt.
 
So I just found out that my 3rd class SI has been issued! From the time that the FAA received all of my paperwork to today is a little over 6 months :-/. This process is bull****. Now another wait to see what the "conditions" of my SI are. Guess what? I have to wait some more for that too!
 
Well at least your issued!!! I would be very satisfied if mine comes in at 6 months. Congrats….
 
TRC1969 said:
Well at least your issued!!! I would be very satisfied if mine comes in at 6 months. Congrats….
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Thanks! I guess this whole waiting game and the fact that my entire training budget went into battling this took all the fun out of it.
 
Congrats on the issuance. I am at exactly 5 months since they received everything they needed. Hoping and praying for my issuance in a month but others have waited almost 7 months.
 
Without getting to specifics obviously. If you don’t mind saying, do you consider your case to be complicated. I’m just trying to get some type of measuring stick. If you would rather not say I completely understand.
 
TRC1969 said:
Without getting to specifics obviously. If you don’t mind saying, do you consider your case to be complicated. I’m just trying to get some type of measuring stick. If you would rather not say I completely understand.
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Yes - my case was complex, but I had all my t’s crossed and I’s dotted.
 
Excellent. Mine is complex as well. I met with my AME and after we got our game plan together and I got a mountain of paperwork together everything got sent in. That’s good news that a complex case only took 7 months . My additional information got sent in early January.
 
TRC1969 said:
Excellent. Mine is complex as well. I met with my AME and after we got our game plan together and I got a mountain of paperwork together everything got sent in. That’s good news that a complex case only took 7 months . My additional information got sent in early January.
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My guess is that you’ll hear from them early August. Based on my situation and what others have posted here as well. Good luck!
 
They're all complex aren't they? If not, then it wouldn't be a SI.
 
ahmad said:
They're all complex aren't they? If not, then it wouldn't be a SI.
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believe it or not there are people, that I know personally, that have applied for an SI with multiple underlying conditions.
 
I consider my case complex by the pile of paperwork. I sent over 1300 pages after they asked for additional information. That’s a lot but they will never accuse me of hiding anything! August would be fine with me.
 
Two months, and no confirmation even that they received the materials they had requested.... So all together, coming up on two years for a Class III.

What makes a case complex? I had about 150 pages of printed reports that I sent last year, then they asked for more. I could not give any more because of COVID, there was no way to get anymore paperwork generated till two months ago I was able to get the required tests done. This produced exactly two pages more of material because there is nothing wrong with me to record in any tests, plus a recommendation from my doctor, and a recommendation from the specialist.

I'm worried now that since two months have passed, I'm looking at the third month coming up quickly. If that happens, then I'll be past the deadline for a second time only because the paperwork is just sitting at their office, not because I am too slow. Then they will make me go get more paperwork, again....
 
I am going to keep calling and hopefully bug them enough to not fall into a crack on someone’s desk. I just can’t believe the FAA is in this condition. I know they know how much time, money, and effort people have invested just to get to the point where they want additional information. Most people have already logged at least some hours and invested in a ground school program.
 
TRC1969 said:
I am going to keep calling and hopefully bug them enough to not fall into a crack on someone’s desk. I just can’t believe the FAA is in this condition. I know they know how much time, money, and effort people have invested just to get to the point where they want additional information. Most people have already logged at least some hours and invested in a ground school program.
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Honestly, that does nothing and if you call too often, every day is too often, it may actually hurt you depending on what the type of condition your dealing with is. The people who answer the phone at OKC and DC are not FAA employees. The FAA uses a 3rd party to man the phone lines. This is probably why they have so little information to share when you do call.

Even when I call them now to get a copy of my certificate, they can't even see it in their system yet. All they keep telling me is that its still under review when I've already confirmed with my AME that its been issued.

Yeah I know waiting 3, 6, 12 months for a response from a government agency is ridiculous, even more so when flying is your career. Anyway, good luck and keep checking the Airmen Registry instead of calling. One day you may wake up in the morning and your medical status will appear like it did for me.
 
RBBailey said:
Two months, and no confirmation even that they received the materials they had requested.... So all together, coming up on two years for a Class III.

What makes a case complex? I had about 150 pages of printed reports that I sent last year, then they asked for more. I could not give any more because of COVID, there was no way to get anymore paperwork generated till two months ago I was able to get the required tests done. This produced exactly two pages more of material because there is nothing wrong with me to record in any tests, plus a recommendation from my doctor, and a recommendation from the specialist.

I'm worried now that since two months have passed, I'm looking at the third month coming up quickly. If that happens, then I'll be past the deadline for a second time only because the paperwork is just sitting at their office, not because I am too slow. Then they will make me go get more paperwork, again....
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Pester your Congressman. Contact the regional flight surgeon. Get the AOPA involved. Visit the FAA booth at Sun-n-Fun and complain loudly. Have your AME make phone calls a couple of times a week. Send certified letters.

The squeaky wheel....
 
Maybe we should be pestering Congress to fix this problem for everyone, not just for one individual at a time.
 
Palmpilot said:
Maybe we should be pestering Congress to fix this problem for everyone, not just for one individual at a time.
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That's a great idea. We'll need to organize it, though. Maybe we could form some sort of association made up of aircraft owners and pilots. And maybe it could have a political arm for lobbying Washington.

Oh wait....
 
Maybe we should start a thread and gather as many commitments as we can to contact our congressman, senators, state representatives. If all the people on here would gather together as a unit that would have to be a substantial number of people I would think. Plan a date to start calling, emailing, smoke signals.. whatever it takes to get a reply. Is there anyway to put up a thread that hits every forum? Maybe POA could help get one set up.
 
TRC1969 said:
Maybe we should start a thread and gather as many commitments as we can to contact our congressman, senators, state representatives. If all the people on here would gather together as a unit that would have to be a substantial number of people I would think. Plan a date to start calling, emailing, smoke signals.. whatever it takes to get a reply. Is there anyway to put up a thread that hits every forum? Maybe POA could help get one set up.
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That’s a great idea that requires good timing to be effective. You could to start by getting instagram aviation “influencers” involved.

Speaking of which, there is already an account out there that’s promoting a change.org petition for pilot medical reform. Here is the link https://www.change.org/p/the-pilot-...copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial
 
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