Marijuana (Hurdle or Barrier?) and 1st Class Med

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NewGuyNoIdea

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NewGuyNoIdea
On March 17, 2009 I was arrested and later convicted of a well deserved OVI (Ohio's DUI) for driving under the influence of marijuana. No way around it, I made a very poor choice and to this day regret my lack of judgement. Since then, when I was 21--now 31, a decade later, I have continued my life, drug-free, on what I consider a straight and narrow path with no more mishaps with the law, legal nor moral and would like to be considered in good standing. My questions begin with: Am I? How will this be perceived by the FAA in my attempt at obtaining a 1st class medal? I am fairly certain it will be deferred after viewing the FAA drug disposition table but...then what? For clarification I will add this is/was/will be the only I-drove-while-impaired event in my life. I am unhappy having the one and remain vigilant in not allowing it to happen again. I'll also add once more that I am completely drug free and have been ever since. (For those unaware: getting arrested is quite the wake up call and forces you to question how you got there! It will shape you going forward.)

My other questions are related to possible opportunities, or the lack of, down the line. Hire-ability? How is this viewed on record? Does this event 10 years ago change anything...perhaps not the severity of my actions resulting in the OVI but my actions since, having not repeated illegal drug use or impaired operation of machinery/driving? Perspectives, please!

To close, I'll sum up my piloting experience thus far: I haven't solo'd yet and have less than 12hours flight time. I'd like too, though. Maybe even add a few more hours on as well. I'm not sure I can justify spending more money on training until I figure more of this out. I'm trying to learn.

How should I be thinking of this going forward? Probably the medical first, right? Perspectives, please.


Thank you!
 
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Topic regarding arrests, rickets, convictions for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating substance (including Alcohol, MJ, and worse) have been discussed many times. And nothing has changed since the last three or four times the topic was raised.

Using the search function will provide some of the enlightenment you seek.


You will be required to declare this event on your medical certification application. If this single event is your only one, the the following summary I copied from a Dr. Bruce Chien post might provide useful information.....

Single offense and such offense was a while ago. Information from Dr. Bruce.
  • You need a ten plus year nationwide DMV search showing this offense and none other
  • Personal statement
  • The arrest abstract -actually if you had an attorney his office will have it all....plus copies of everything the clerk of the court has on file
  • A CADC evaluation according to five factors in DSM4. The FAA does not care for the current DSM5 “last 2 years only” evaluation.
Hopefully you have quit all use of illegal substances. And it doesn't matter if your state has legalized, as the airspace is Federal, and MJ is illegal on the Federal level.
 
Regarding your first FAA medical certification exam and getting it done correctly on the first throw, the best way to do this is: do not go into the "live" medical examination until you know beyond 100% that you will walk out with your medical certificate in hand.

Alternatively, if you already know that you have have something in your history that might (or will) cause a deferral, you are already aware that the condition will cause the deferral to happen, then in advance of your exam you must educate yourself appropriately about the what/why, and have done everything possible to bring to the exam EVERYTHING the Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and the reviewers in OKC are going to need to satisfy the medical standards and issue you with minimal delay.

To see what items are being asked for, Google for the FAA Form 8500-5 and read the sections on doctor visits, medications, medical history, and interactions with law enforcement that included controlled substances and/or alcohol.

Most doctor visits are benign, but if you were to say "visited ER because my chest hurt and I thought I was having heart attack", then that is going to ring a bell to require much more information.

Most medications, again, are benign, but some are very significant and are going to catch the medical reviewers attention. Then the FAA is going to want to know more detail about what, how much, how frequent, and why are you taking them. Some medications can lead to more questions, especially if you have not adequately explained.

Something to be aware of here is the "blow your leg off" landmines of "off label" use of certain medications. This is where your treating physician uses a medication to treat you for something that ins't what the med was originally designed for, but does work for your situation.

Some examples here are well known SSRI's being prescribed not to treat depression or anxiety, but for weight loss or quitting smoking, or some other "sideline use". The FAA will see the name of the medication and might toss you under the bus unless you can come to them ready to comply with the protocol to manage the situation.​

Medical History is questions 18a through 18w. Read through all of those. If any of them are a yes to the "HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE..." preamble, be ready to provide additional information, doctor reports, and lab reports as needed.

Interactions with law enforcement require the right type of documentation to explain things and hopefully show you've matured and not the wild party animal that "enjoyed" the LEO's hospitality. But however, if there is a pattern or frequency of events, this raises the bar on what is needed to "tell your story" to the FAA​

If after reading these posts, the information asked for in the 8500-5 form (aka www.MedXpress.gov), and the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, you still have doubts you will be issued a medical certificate, then your instructions are this:

  • Do not present yourself to a live examination. This is where you complete MedXpress and once at the AME's office, surrender the confirmation code.

  • Do ask the AME to provide a consultation. This is where you can supply a draft of your medical history, medications, doctor visits, etc, and then discuss with the AME your ability to successfully apply for medical certification.

    • If after reviewing your situation, the AME says, "I see there may be a problem here....", then discuss what is needed to make that a non-problem.

    • If after reviewing your situation, the AME says, "I don't see any issues, you have provided me with what I need to issue you right away." then and only then do you proceed to a live exam. Including surrendering the confirmation code if you had already completed the FAA Form 8500-8, Application for Airman Medical on MedXpress.gov.


If for some reason the AME you have selected says, "Sorry, I don't do consultations," thank him and seek out one who does. Unfortunately not all AME's do consultations, but many will. Ask around to your local aviation community to find one who will.

Finally, if there is anything really gnarly, thorny, and knotty in your medical past and you believe that speaking to a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner who will provide you the right information the first time, allow me to suggest two of the best:


If you still have questions about the medical certification process, and/or your ability to obtain an FAA medical, feel free to ask questions in this thread. Or use the search function.
 
I'd like to thank the thread and those who previously posted in response to my question regarding the FAA medical process. I continued with what was advised and am happy to report I now hold a 1st class medical. Thank you for reaching out and taking the time.
 
...don’t know how you found this site But be thankful u did.
 
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AggieMike88 said:
View attachment 76473

Topic regarding arrests, rickets, convictions for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating substance (including Alcohol, MJ, and worse) have been discussed many times. And nothing has changed since the last three or four times the topic was raised.

Using the search function will provide some of the enlightenment you seek.


You will be required to declare this event on your medical certification application. If this single event is your only one, the the following summary I copied from a Dr. Bruce Chien post might provide useful information.....

Single offense and such offense was a while ago. Information from Dr. Bruce.
  • You need a ten plus year nationwide DMV search showing this offense and none other
  • Personal statement
  • The arrest abstract -actually if you had an attorney his office will have it all....plus copies of everything the clerk of the court has on file
  • A CADC evaluation according to five factors in DSM4. The FAA does not care for the current DSM5 “last 2 years only” evaluation.
Hopefully you have quit all use of illegal substances. And it doesn't matter if your state has legalized, as the airspace is Federal, and MJ is illegal on the Federal level.
Click to expand...
very good summary, AggieMike :)
 
I don't understand how this guy can get a 1st class medical in less than 6 months, but for the past 9 I've been doing nothing but taking tests to fulfill the FAA's demands, and still nothing.

Sent my packet in to Washington a month ago and it hasn't even been scanned yet. Call OKC and they say "oh, well if you'd like you can send us a copy as well". Thanks, that's really assuring.....UGH!
 
RV1890 said:
I don't understand how this guy can get a 1st class medical in less than 6 months, but for the past 9 I've been doing nothing but taking tests to fulfill the FAA's demands, and still nothing.

Sent my packet in to Washington a month ago and it hasn't even been scanned yet. Call OKC and they say "oh, well if you'd like you can send us a copy as well". Thanks, that's really assuring.....UGH!
Click to expand...

i don’t know the exact reasons for your SI, but this guys case sounded like a simple dui that taught him an important lesson and he never did it again. He might not require a full HIMS program and just needed to get documentation. But I still agree with you in the fact that the morons at the faa really take their time and drag their heels when it comes to responding to anything in a timely manner. My records have been at the faa since the end of may and I still haven’t heard anything. If I were you I would just try not to think about it or it will drive you crazy.
 
I assume that the reasons for the ridiculous delays have mainly to do with lack of funding for adequate personnel levels to handle the workload. My attitude is that if aviation medical standards are not important enough to fund sufficient staffing, then they're not important enough to ground people over.
 
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Palmpilot said:
I assume that the reasons for the ridiculous delays have mainly to do with lack of funding for adequate personnel levels to handle the workload. My attitude is that if aviation medical standards are not important enough to fund sufficient staffing, then they're not important to ground people over.
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And conversely, since the FAA recognizes the need to fill the vacuum of retrieving professional pilots, then up the funding to have more reviewers so medical certification stops being the major slowdown that it is.
 
AggieMike88 said:
And conversely, since the FAA recognizes the need to fill the vacuum of retrieving professional pilots, then up the funding to have more reviewers so medical certification stops being the major slowdown that it is.
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The power to provide funding resides in Congress, not the FAA. And professional pilots are not the only ones being affected by the ridiculously long delays. For non-commercial pilots, the situation is even worse.
 
Palmpilot said:
The power to provide funding resides in Congress, not the FAA. And professional pilots are not the only ones being affected by the ridiculously long delays. For non-commercial pilots, the situation is even worse.
Click to expand...

The FAA is granted an almost 16 billion dollar budget. What’s their excuse for not being able to hire atleast 1 extra records reviewer? Wouldn’t cost more than 120k and that’s less than like .001% of their budget
 
Jonathan Stein said:
The FAA is granted an almost 16 billion dollar budget. What’s their excuse for not being able to hire atleast 1 extra records reviewer? Wouldn’t cost more than 120k and that’s less than like .001% of their budget
Click to expand...
I don't think either of us would be able to answer that question without reading funding legislation.
 
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