Third class medical and substance abuse history

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Hi All,
I received my SEL PPL in 1992. At that time, when applying for my medical, I lied on my application and withheld the fact that in 1985 I had voluntarily attended a 28 day residential alcohol / addiction treatment facility. Prior to withholding this information I had discussed the situation with an instructor, and his advice was "what big brother doesn't know won't hurt him". Of course that was a different time in terms of access to information, for all of us. FYI I have been clean and sober for going on 28 years.

I remained active with my PPL for several years, lied more than once on my third class medical application, and no one was ever the wiser and nothing ever came of it.

Now, after being inactive in aviation since the mid to late '90s, I am facing this issue again as I consider getting current. A lot has changed and the first order of business is to decide how to handle this now. It's been a long time, and frankly, before doing anything else, I'd like to get this all behind me and not worry about it anymore.

Anyone have any insight, experience or advice on the potential outcome of coming clean with such a situation?

Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks, I am inclined to do so, should have to begin with. What can I expect once it's all out on the table with the FAA?
 
You might first try to see if it's even possible to dig up that information in the first place. Records of that nature from 1985 are unlikely to be discoverable on any electronic information system.
 
Sac Arrow said:
You might first try to see if it's even possible to dig up that information in the first place. Records of that nature from 1985 are unlikely to be discoverable on any electronic information system.
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You could. But that's like a young man, "what can I get away with" , and in many databases, inpatient stays were exactly what was appended onto cuurent date in about 1990.

But the agency will realize that 28 years ago is just not relevant.

Levels of urgency:
(1) First/Second Class- need to send in a 28 year traffic search and afelon seaerch, letters from people known in the community on letterhead, "he's reliable, shows up, no last minute cancells".
(2) Third Class: the 28 yr. DL search and a felony search.

If you have been clean this long and can show it, this will be a nonissue. Have someone prepare the file for you and when it's good, send it in. You'll get a letter of warning and eligibility.

We were all, in some ways, stupid when we were young. Glad you are clean now and have had a useful life :)
 
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Thank you, that's what I was looking for. Even if the the info is not available to the FAA about my history, the application still asks if I have EVER IN MY LIFE experienced a number of things, including substance abuse, and being dishonest there brings about the potential repercussions should an incident of some sort prompt further investigation. And besides that, I just don't want to worry about it.
 
Unregistered said:
Thank you, that's what I was looking for. Even if the the info is not available to the FAA about my history, the application still asks if I have EVER IN MY LIFE experienced a number of things, including substance abuse, and being dishonest there brings about the potential repercussions should an incident of some sort prompt further investigation. And besides that, I just don't want to worry about it.
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Amen. If you need further pointers, email works from this site....
 
steingar said:
Be honest on your medical.
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not without talking to Dr. Bruce first - who may recommend you speak with an aviation attorney concomitantly . . .

[edit] saw Dr. Bruce chimed in - no lawyer - good work if you can get it - meaning that there is some FAA common sense out there -
 
Well, here's what I was thinking. Let's say you did come clean about some reportable legal or medical event that isn't accessible to the FAA. Is there a chance that they may want paperwork backup that you may not be able to produce, since it isn't available to you either?

What would be the fallout if you couldn't produce the paperwork?
 
Sac Arrow said:
Well, here's what I was thinking. Let's say you did come clean about some reportable legal or medical event that isn't accessible to the FAA. Is there a chance that they may want paperwork backup that you may not be able to produce, since it isn't available to you either?

What would be the fallout if you couldn't produce the paperwork?
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None, if negotiated by the proper person. In this instance, all you have to prove is 20 years of clean. Very easy to do. Do it at your State DL Bureau.

But, as you say, I'm arrogant. When you have an opportunity like in the previous paragraph, your advice is really off the mark.
 
bbchien said:
None, if negotiated by the proper person. In this instance, all you have to prove is 20 years of clean. Very easy to do. Do it at your State DL Bureau.

But, as you say, I'm arrogant. When you have an opportunity like in the previous paragraph, your advice is really off the mark.
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Okay. Thanks for setting the record straight.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I have no doubt your advice is spot on. I'm not one of those that argues with you on medical topics.

I'm arrogant too, by the way.
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I have the decency not to post that about someone else, especially that person is gone. Try to acquire some decency. It'll be becoming.
 
comanchepilot said:
not without talking to Dr. Bruce first - who may recommend you speak with an aviation attorney concomitantly . . .

[edit] saw Dr. Bruce chimed in - no lawyer - good work if you can get it - meaning that there is some FAA common sense out there -
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I would still recommend getting an aviation attorney involved up front. The fact that Aeromedical may be OK with this situation doesn't mean the Chief Counsel will be, too. I think the legally safest course might be to retain an aviation attorney and have that attorney approach the FAA Regional Counsel without using your name to negotiate an agreement in advance not to take any enforcement action against you for your past sins, regardless of what Aeromedical decides to do.

Note that the six-month clock on the "stale complaint" rule does not start ticking until the FAA becomes aware of the offense, so the fact that your lie occurred 20 years ago doesn't mean anything here -- just when the FAA finds out you lied.
 
Ron Levy said:
I would still recommend getting an aviation attorney involved up front. The fact that Aeromedical may be OK with this situation doesn't mean the Chief Counsel will be, too. I think the legally safest course might be to retain an aviation attorney and have that attorney approach the FAA Regional Counsel without using your name to negotiate an agreement in advance not to take any enforcement action against you for your past sins, regardless of what Aeromedical decides to do.

Note that the six-month clock on the "stale complaint" rule does not start ticking until the FAA becomes aware of the offense, so the fact that your lie occurred 20 years ago doesn't mean anything here -- just when the FAA finds out you lied.
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If the A/M wants to, I work with those guys, too. But I've done about ten cases nearly identical to this and if the DL search is negative, we get a "thank you, we'll issue the letter of eligibility, and warning, next case please". It is actually WORK for a medical examiner to refer a case to the I.G (rep. of the Chief counsel), and they are fundamentally not interested.

The AAM 300 counsel can really only handle about 500 cases per year, so they really don't want to waste time on this sort of fish. They'd rather save their energy for example, on David Riggs.
 
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