Special issuance for 3rd class medical

C

Cessna guy

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I am one year into trying to get SI for 3rd class medical. The time it takes the FAA to respond is disappointing to say the least. So far I have gone on my own with them. Cardiomyopathy as well as labeled an substance abuser. HIMS psychiatrist recommends reinstatement. Cardiologist gives green light. Still no decision. They denied 2 times and asked for more information. Present information then they ask for more......last time was April of this year and still no response I guess question is should I contact a lawyer/ consultant or someone that maybe able to push things along?
 
An inquiry via a lawyer is more effective than without. Try AOPA legal services.
 
Cessna guy said:
I am one year into trying to get SI for 3rd class medical. The time it takes the FAA to respond is disappointing to say the least. So far I have gone on my own with them. Cardiomyopathy as well as labeled an substance abuser. HIMS psychiatrist recommends reinstatement. Cardiologist gives green light. Still no decision. They denied 2 times and asked for more information. Present information then they ask for more......last time was April of this year and still no response I guess question is should I contact a lawyer/ consultant or someone that maybe able to push things along?
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What information is the HIMS AME who is handling your case providing? Is he or she calling AMCD periodically to find out status?
 
Sounds like you need an AME who specializes in this and knows what the FAA will want, rather than waiting for the FAA to piecemeal that info to you.
 
The FAA is soooo far behind on 3rd class cases. The OP's file is probably sitting in the queue with the rest of us who have been there for months, and mine is just a cardiology matter.

My AME received this from the FAA: "The airman's file is still in the GR physician queue for review. I wish I had better news. The doctors in Oklahoma City are trying desperately to get the 1st and 2nd class airman who fly commercially back up in the air. We are currently short-staffed 9 doctors nationwide so it is taking much longer to get the third-class cleared."

It's been there since June. :(
 
Tools thinks an attorney can get you a medical clearance.....now, what might be wrong about that idea?

.....but, if it’s truly been pending 6 months there is always your congresscritter.....

....philosophically we are at the intersection of “not another dime”, and “expect more from government...so the result is shortage. And I have no fix for our national quandry...
 
bbchien said:
Tools thinks an attorney can get you a medical clearance.....now, what might be wrong about that idea?

.....but, if it’s truly been pending 6 months there is always your congresscritter.....

....philosophically we are at the intersection of “not another dime”, and “expect more from government...so the result is shortage. And I have no fix for our national quandry...
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Yes, it’s Truly been 6 months. I did write my Senators and Congressmen....... not real hopeful in any of them to get a real answer. Just seeing if they would actually respond
 
I waited a few months for the SI.

Finally a bud checked on my behalf at Airventure.

Feds say they had no records .

Normally you would say they lost them but it turns out the AMEs office never

sent them in.

By that time all tests were stale and had to be redone.

Could you go Regional?
 
Magman said:
I waited a few months for the SI.

Finally a bud checked on my behalf at Airventure.

Feds say they had no records .

Normally you would say they lost them but it turns out the AMEs office never

sent them in.

By that time all tests were stale and had to be redone.

Could you go Regional?
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I think it’s at the regional level? AOPA advised not to use / rely on AME to submit and they were correct. I got no help from AME at all except lip service. Basically AME non existent .
 
A lousy AME can really mess up what is even a simple procedure. Learned that (and not to listen to AOPA) the hard way.
 
Every one of my guys gets a copy and a fax receipt for submission...and a talk on how important it is to call in the week that follows to VERIFY that the folks in the call center can see you file. There was a period in the 2nd quqrter when someone in the contract call center woudl unplug x-4040, flushing the memory buffer AFTER we had received the "Out machine's got your file" signal. There's always spots for problems. I think Director OBrien has got that one, stopped.
 
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Just got my M3/SI two weeks ago.

One year 27 days.... but who's counting.

Hang in there, follow instructions, hit the deadlines and you'll eventually get there. Don't be afraid to ask for extensions in order to get information gathered.
 
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Yes.... winds up giving me a few days shy of a year before renewal.
 
How long since your most recent document submission?

I'm just over 12 months since my AME exam and 5.5 months since the most recent document submission.
 
forks said:
How long since your most recent document submission?

I'm just over 12 months since my AME exam and 5.5 months since the most recent document submission.
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I was deferred 4 times. It took 3 months the first two times, 3 weeks the second two times to hear back. I was given from 30 to 60 days to respond to each request for data. Not a fun marathon, very frustrating, but I did cross the finish line.
 
I spoke with an analyst at the Regional Flight Surgeon's office yesterday afternoon and received news that a special issuance 3rd class medical is in the works and the letter is being prepared. The Airmen Inquiry Search Page showed a 3rd class medical an hour later, too!
  • 55 weeks since my medical exam
  • 20 weeks since my most recent test results submission
  • 15 weeks since my file was moved into the "general review" queue
Based on how previous letters from the FAA were dated and delivered via mail, it will probably be two more weeks before I get anything in the mailbox.
 
forks said:
I spoke with an analyst at the Regional Flight Surgeon's office yesterday afternoon and received news that a special issuance 3rd class medical is in the works and the letter is being prepared. The Airmen Inquiry Search Page showed a 3rd class medical an hour later, too!
  • 55 weeks since my medical exam
  • 20 weeks since my most recent test results submission
  • 15 weeks since my file was moved into the "general review" queue
Based on how previous letters from the FAA were dated and delivered via mail, it will probably be two more weeks before I get anything in the mailbox.
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Wanna bet the SI expires 1 year from your exam date? (Mine did.)
 
That's what I expected, but the Airman Inquiry page shows Medical Date: 10/2020 and NOT VALID FOR ANY CLASS AFTER 10/31/2022. I don't know yet what the SI requirements will be, but it's most likely I'll go with BasicMed.
 
13+ weeks waiting for my information to be reviewed. 18 calls to OKC today, all met with the "we're too busy to answer your call" message. I haven't flown since April due to this ridiculousness.
 
I've had much better luck calling the regional surgeon's office than OKC. They have access to the same data.
 
The RFS actually has someone whose job it is to advocate for pilots as well (though in the case of the NE back when I had my issues, the RFS herself jumped into the salad as well).
 
I've called and e-mailed my RFS no fewer than 6 times. I've only received the same reply: "Your information is in review, please contact us anytime for an update." This entire process is beyond frustrating.
 
Dave Arata said:
Your information is in review...
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While my file was in the "review queue" that's all I got, as well. Did they tell you if you are in the general review queue or a specialty?
 
Mine was a cardiology issue and the file was in general review. Perhaps it depends on the complexity of the case.
 
No idea, but I think specialty panels meet several times a year or when they have enough cases.
 
If they have issued you the medical, you can call them and have them fax you a copy instead of waiting by the mailbox.
 
The rather nice young lady I spoke with last week actually asked for my e-mail address as it would be the fastest way to receive the medical, once issued.
 
Dave Theisen said:
If they have issued you the medical, you can call them and have them fax you a copy instead of waiting by the mailbox.
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They can email it too, I think. Back when the regs said "telegram" they used fax. Now that the regs say "fax" they use email. The FARs are always a bit behind the times.
 
Received this e-mail moments ago:

Your file was reviewed by the analyst in Oklahoma City on August 11, 2021, and forwarded to the staff physician queue same day for guidance on how to proceed. The physician’s queue is terribly backed up currently due to a multitude of reasons and nothing can happen until doctor reviews your file. There are numerous telephone action requests that have been created on your behalf and most recently a FASCAT email was sent for action on 10/27/2021 which brings your file to the top for review.


Hopefully it will be reviewed this week or early next week.

Sounds promising...
 
flyingron said:
They can email it too, I think. Back when the regs said "telegram" they used fax. Now that the regs say "fax" they use email. The FARs are always a bit behind the times.
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So when they said “carrier pidgeon” it was smoke signals.
 
See below for an example of the FAA completing the medical form.

cave.jpg
 
Finally got a response from FAA on medical. After 13 months got back a letter of denial. Ironically I was going to an HIMS AME appointment to get started on what I would need to do for substance abuse in case the FAA wanted . Trying to second guess them. The first 2 denial response letters had a list of additional information they wanted. Sent that information in to them . This time the AME called the FAA and basically I need to start over again. Ask for reconsider and wait for them to respond. I t seams they want you to quit trying.
 
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