Medical exam worries

[wannafly1997]

Hey guys.

I have always wanted to stay my private pilots training. I have stopped myself from pursuing it because I am worried about being able to pass my medical card. The only thing I am worried about is the eye sight portion of the exam. My left eye is 20/20 but my left eye can only be corrected down to 20/60. I have a buddy that is a flight instructor that I scheduled my discovery flight in a couple weeks. If I get hooked on flying like I believe i will. I was then going to spend my time trying to find a way to obtain a medical card before I spend the money on flight training. Do you think there would be a slim chance I would be able to obtain a medical card or an I at the point I'm wasting my time on this while thing.

 

[bbchien]

You’ll end up with a cert limited to “valid only for medical check ride”. You train through solo sign off, and then go for a medical check ride…..if successful you get a waiver…..

 

[Daleandee]

Light Sport, use your driver's license for your medical. The newest NPRM suggest that Light Sport aircraft will be like the bionic man, "bigger, stronger, faster" ...

 

[rhkennerly]

Monocular pilots can get a 1st, 2nd & 3rd Class (including those with binocular vision but with one eye at >20/200 corrected counted as monocular). Strangely, as I read the guidance for AMEs, the fate of those with one eye 20/40 to 20/200 corrected, are kinda nebulous.

a twist of the med regs is that if you are denied a physical, that is game over for flying without the intervention somebody like Dr Chien,above (I’m tempted to write: the legendary Dr. Chien) or wading thru the Special Issuance (SI) process. By reg, once you’re been denied, you cant drop back to a State DL for a Medical & fly Sport Pilot.

Therefore, the safest route for any question is to print out the online FAA Med questionnaire (do not fill it in on-line until you are sure), and make an advisory appointment with an AME (Yes, you are going to pay for two visits). You may leave with The FAA Form 8500-7, Report of Eye Evaluation for your optometrist or ophthalmologist to complete. More than likely your AME will, as Dr. Chien says, restrict you to training to solo with an inflight AME evaluation. If you pass, then you’re golden. The problem is that there is a lot of variability in AME knowledge & training (one reason the Dr. Chien‘s of the flying world exists).

But remember, for almost any condition you develop, if you haven’t been officially denied a medical, then you can still fly Sport Pilot.

The secret to Meds is to avoid asking any question “officially” unless you already know the answer beforehand.

 

[wannafly1997]

You’ll end up with a cert limited to “valid only for medical check ride”. You train through solo sign off, and then go for a medical check ride…..if successful you get a waiver…..

Would it be better to set up a consulting visit with the AME and disclose this information with him or set up an physical and show up and try to pass the eye exam without mentioning a word to the doctor before hand. Or is it that if I'm healthy besides the eye issue the AME should provide the restricted med cert?

 

[bbchien]

The AME has to defer, and you have to have PERFECT humphrey 24-2 visual field maps each eye srparately, and an ophthalmology eval on FAA form 8500-7. Get these B4 any flight physical so you know you’re good.

AME defers, FAA Issues.

DO NOT do this the other way around.
Do NOT use the cheapie $40.00 Optometrist in the eyeglass store. That WILL NOT DO FOR THIS SITUATION. If you use the cheapie, FAA will demand the Opthalmologist and then because you don’k know the outcome of the higher detail ophthalmologist eval…you could get denied on somthing the optometrist did not pick up upon. Then you lose access to LSAs forever from the denial.

If there is anything unclear read this post over again as many times as necessary….a lot of guys screw themselves on this very point…and then say , “well I didn’t know!” NOW YOU ARE FOREARMED.

 

[murphey]

The AME has to defer, and you have to have PERFECT humphrey 24-2 visual field maps each eye srparately, and an ophthalmology eval on FAA form 8500-7. Get these B4 any flight physical so you know you’re good.

AME defers, FAA Issues.

DO NOT do this the other way around.
Do NOT use the cheapie $40.00 Optometrist in the eyeglass store. That WILL NOT DO FOR THIS SITUATION. If you use the cheapie, FAA will demand the Opthalmologist and then because you don’k know the outcome of the higher detail ophthalmologist eval…you could get denied on somthing the optometrist did not pick up upon. Then you lose access to LSAs forever from the denial.

If there is anything unclear read this post over again as many times as necessary….a lot of guys screw themselves on this very point…and then say , “well I didn’t know!” NOW YOU ARE FOREARMED.

To simplify - The opthalmologist is an MD, the optometrist is not. You need the MD for the 8500-7.

 

[Brad Z]

You’ll end up with a cert limited to “valid only for medical check ride”. You train through solo sign off, and then go for a medical check ride…..if successful you get a waiver…..

Not anymore. FAA changed the regulation in December to no longer require a medical certificate for a special medical flight test. The applicant will still follow the same process as before but the applicant won’t hold a “flight test” medical.

 

[wannafly1997]

The AME has to defer, and you have to have PERFECT humphrey 24-2 visual field maps each eye srparately, and an ophthalmology eval on FAA form 8500-7. Get these B4 any flight physical so you know you’re good.

AME defers, FAA Issues.

DO NOT do this the other way around.
Do NOT use the cheapie $40.00 Optometrist in the eyeglass store. That WILL NOT DO FOR THIS SITUATION. If you use the cheapie, FAA will demand the Opthalmologist and then because you don’k know the outcome of the higher detail ophthalmologist eval…you could get denied on somthing the optometrist did not pick up upon. Then you lose access to LSAs forever from the denial.

If there is anything unclear read this post over again as many times as necessary….a lot of guys screw themselves on this very point…and then say , “well I didn’t know!” NOW YOU ARE FOREARMED.

Thank again for the advise. I have scheduled the appointment with the ophthalmologist in my are. The doctor told me that he usually does not do this kind of thing, but as long as I bring all the forms in with me he would be able to help me. I know from your response I will need to have form 8500-7 with me, but is there anything else I should bring along with me. Or do I need to be getting intouch with an ame in my area and find out what he wants me to bring in with me other then that form. I had my discovery flight this past weekend and now know that I would love to pursue at least my private pilots license. I just do not want to mess up my change to get a sports license if there is no way to get my medical.