(Student pilot) Cfi told me to lie on medx form

[Lindberg]

Agreed.

But that's not the situation @midlifeflyer described. What he wrote was, "Weird part was, there was no reason to say no. The application would have approved with a yes answer."

He's describing something where the medical would be approved regardless of whether the answer was yes or no. If that's truly the case (doubtful), then the question is pointless. If a yes answer leads to more investigation which could result in either an approval or a denial, then the question has merit. But that's not the situation he presented, hence my response.

You read more than he wrote. He did not say that the application would have been approved with a yes answer without further inquiry.

I'll have my medical exam next week. I will answer "yes" to a number of questions on the application, and all will have additional information provided, even if that's only "PRNC." In fact, the form requires additional information for all "yes" answers in the EXPLANATIONS block. So if you just check "yes" and don't provide additional information, you're not following the instructions.

 

[Anonymous5837]

What was the context of the conversation

I am the OP

This is the first reply I've made, and I'm freaking the hell out right now.

I told him, I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and had been on antidepressants for 2 years after the diagnosis. And he asked something along the lines of "how long ago did you stop taking them?", and I said about 3 years ago. And he said I didn't have to disclose the diagnosis. I also asked him about a minor surgery I had in 4th grade, me passing out during a dissection demonstration in 5th grade, and an allergy to an antibiotic. To which he said I also didn't have to disclose any of it since it was so long ago. He also said to only put in the last 3 years of doctor's appointments only if I remembered them, which I didn't. So, my form didn't list any doctor's appointments either. The whole thing was blank. I don't know how that didn't raise any red flags.

Both of my parents don't want me to try to fix this since they think the FAA for some reason won't care about medical issues that happened to me when I was pre-18.

 

[Anonymous5837]

Man take a chill pill, and do nothing. Enjoy college flight training and an airline career. Nobody is going to get access to your medical records from when you were a child let alone look at them.

This is the OP

They most likely won't, but nothing is stopping them if god forbid, I get into some sort of incident.

 

[Hang 4]

I am the OP
Both of my parents don't want me to try to fix this since they think the FAA for some reason won't care about medical issues that happened to me when I was pre-18.

I think that a lot of the general public - meaning you and your parents - don't have a good understanding of how the FAA works. I was the same way when I filled out my first medical form. I have no past issues BTW, but just assumed since I am pretty healthy, it was just a formality. I've come to understand, it's not that way
I'd suggest getting a conference with you, your parents and an AME like Dr. Bruce. That might give all of you a more realistic view of what's at stake. You can do what you choose, but you should at least understand the choice you are making.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I am the OP

This is the first reply I've made, and I'm freaking the hell out right now.

I told him, I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and had been on antidepressants for 2 years after the diagnosis. And he asked something along the lines of "how long ago did you stop taking them?", and I said about 3 years ago. And he said I didn't have to disclose the diagnosis. I also asked him about a minor surgery I had in 4th grade, me passing out during a dissection demonstration in 5th grade, and an allergy to an antibiotic. To which he said I also didn't have to disclose any of it since it was so long ago. He also said to only put in the last 3 years of doctor's appointments only if I remembered them, which I didn't. So, my form didn't list any doctor's appointments either. The whole thing was blank. I don't know how that didn't raise any red flags.

Both of my parents don't want me to try to fix this since they think the FAA for some reason won't care about medical issues that happened to me when I was pre-18.

It sounds like the CFI may have confused"Have you visited any health professionals within the last 3 years?" (Q. 19) with answering questions that start with "have you ever in your life been..." (Q. 18v).

Why it happened may or may not be important later on. Same for missing red flags. Determining what needs to be corrected and how is what's important now. For that, you need to consult one-on-one with a knowledgeable professional. Not well-meaning SGOTI. Not flight instructors who may not know anything beyond the basics. Not your parents who are probably as ignorant as you about what the FAA will care about.

Or, you can just sit back and either wish or freak out.

 

[SkyChaser]

I am the OP

This is the first reply I've made, and I'm freaking the hell out right now.

I told him, I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and had been on antidepressants for 2 years after the diagnosis. And he asked something along the lines of "how long ago did you stop taking them?", and I said about 3 years ago. And he said I didn't have to disclose the diagnosis. I also asked him about a minor surgery I had in 4th grade, me passing out during a dissection demonstration in 5th grade, and an allergy to an antibiotic. To which he said I also didn't have to disclose any of it since it was so long ago. He also said to only put in the last 3 years of doctor's appointments only if I remembered them, which I didn't. So, my form didn't list any doctor's appointments either. The whole thing was blank. I don't know how that didn't raise any red flags.

Both of my parents don't want me to try to fix this since they think the FAA for some reason won't care about medical issues that happened to me when I was pre-18.

I'm not sure that your CFI knew that he was telling you to lie or if he was really dumb, thought the three years rule (which does work for doctor's appointments and the like) applied to everything, and never read the actual form.

I personally would not just leave it alone and hope nothing happens like some have suggested, but I also don't believe in tweaking or omitting the truth if it makes things easier. It will be much more difficult now to fix this, but I think it's the best option, especially if you're going for a career pilot flight path.

I don't mean to sound rude, but your parents are simply not informed enough to have any opinion about this. The FAA won't care if you have an incident later in your career and ask why you lied on your medical and didn't fix it, and you tell them your parents said you didn't have to fix it. You can bring your parents with you to a consult with a good AME, but they don't know anymore than you do at this point and possibly less. You're reaching the point in your life where you actually do know more about something than your parents and you have to think and do things not because they said to, but because you know how it is supposed to be done and they may not.

 

[TCABM]

…
Both of my parents don't want me to try to fix this since they think the FAA for some reason won't care about medical issues that happened to me when I was pre-18.

Stop freaking out. Take a big deep breath. Unless you do nothing it’s very likely you will neither go to jail nor be assessed civil money penalties.

The people providing you advice are giving your really bad advice, and none of them are liable for the actions you took based on their advice. You really should make a decision who to listen to. The people that got you into this mess or people who’ve given you the path ahead.

In this thread, you have an a really competent attorney advise you legal and medical experts should be guiding your response to situation you find yourself in. You’ve been given the name of a another expert AME who cam guide you through this AND Dr Lou Fowler literally said contact him for advice if you weren’t engaging with Dr Chien. Dr Fowler is an expert AME, too.

Make your choice wisely and please, if you choose to do nothing, don’t keep coming back here expecting sympathy.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Man take a chill pill, and do nothing. Enjoy college flight training and an airline career. Nobody is going to get access to your medical records from when you were a child let alone look at them.

For the OP, I will say it. This is the single worst piece of "advice" here. Two top reasons.

1. We're not talking about hiding something from 1962 for which there may be no records nor anyone who remembers. Health insurance. School records. Social media. Very little in our lives is truly secret.
   
2. The error you made may have been unintentional. A correctable mistake with good professional advice. But this "chill pill" advice tells you to intentionally lie on every future medical application.

 

[Half Fast]

OP, if this is freaking you out, how will you react when you’re over the mid-Atlantic with two engines on fire and a couple of hundred lives depending on you?

You want to be a pilot. Once the basic stick and rudder skills are learned, most of being a pilot is problem solving. Here you are facing a problem. You’ve been advised on how to solve it. So what are you going to do? Ignore it and hope for the best, or get busy fixing it?

Only one of those choices is appropriate for someone who seeks the cockpit.

 

[midlifeflyer]

You can bring your parents with you to a consult with a good AME, but they don't know anymore than you do at this point and possibly less

At the start of my professional life I practiced juvenile law. My SOP was to sit down with parents and child and explain the charges Then I would tell the parents that the child, not they, were my client; that my communications with their child were confidential, including from them. And tell them to leave the room.

 

[Half Fast]

I do wish colleges would provide some sort of material or briefing about FAA medicals to their aviation applicants. Colleges examine all sorts of information as part of admissions; shouldn’t they look at an aviation applicant’s chances of getting the medical certificate?

 

[dbahn]

I am the OP

This is the first reply I've made, and I'm freaking the hell out right now.

I told him, I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and had been on antidepressants for 2 years after the diagnosis. And he asked something along the lines of "how long ago did you stop taking them?", and I said about 3 years ago. And he said I didn't have to disclose the diagnosis. I also asked him about a minor surgery I had in 4th grade, me passing out during a dissection demonstration in 5th grade, and an allergy to an antibiotic. To which he said I also didn't have to disclose any of it since it was so long ago. He also said to only put in the last 3 years of doctor's appointments only if I remembered them, which I didn't. So, my form didn't list any doctor's appointments either. The whole thing was blank. I don't know how that didn't raise any red flags.

Both of my parents don't want me to try to fix this since they think the FAA for some reason won't care about medical issues that happened to me when I was pre-18.

To me there is ZERO LOGIC in trying to get by without doing anything if your goal is to fly professionally. The consequence of this being disclosed somehow (and don't discount an angry spouse or other person seeking revenge) once you spent the time and money for all of the training is simply not worth it. Your career is doomed at the discretion of the FAA, in addition to you potentially being personally liable in the event of a tragic accident with you as PIC.

 

[bbchien]

Well, this is how you fix it. Start here.

 

[Hang 4]

At the start of my professional life I practiced juvenile law. My SOP was to sit down with parents and child and explain the charges Then I would tell the parents that the child, not they, were my client; that my communications with their child were confidential, including from them. And tell them to leave the room.

I suggested that the OP include his parents for two reasons; 1. He seems to look to them for advice, perhaps more than he should and 2. The advice they are providing is well intentioned, but coming from a place of ignorance, specifically how the FAA medical process works and how the OP has a chance to fix it by getting out ahead of it.
Not contradicting your approach, but the parents aren't helping the OP and unless they understand what he's up against, they will continue to be unhelpful.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I suggested that the OP include his parents for two reasons; 1. He seems to look to them for advice, perhaps more than he should and 2. The advice they are providing is well intentioned, but coming from a place of ignorance, specifically how the FAA medical process works and how the OP has a chance to fix it by getting out ahead of it.
Not contradicting your approach, but the parents aren't helping the OP and unless they understand what he's up against, they will continue to be unhelpful.

I agree with you. That's why it was an explanation before asking them to leave. The goal was 2-fold. I needed the parents to be comfortable with me and to understand why they were being excluded. But more importantly, and the issues were a bit different, I needed to give the child/accused a reason to feel comfortable relying on me knowing I was listening to them and not to their parents.

 

[Anonymous5837]

If you have managed to contact Dr. Chen or are planning to and begin correcting this let us know. Otherwise I may jump in.

Hi, this is the original poster.

I haven't contacted any ame's or lawyers yet and I would like to begin correcting this. How would you me like to contact you? (ie: email, phone, or though this forum).

Thank you so much for offering to help with this, it really means a lot.

 

[lbfjrmd]

lbfjrmd@gmail.com

your age now
where you live
all correspondence you have from the FAA
a copy of the errant medical certificate
the school you attend