Oops. Meant to be a response to Kevin above.

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 04:16:43 GMT, Steve
wrote:

Mine was deferred for the first time four years ago. Luckily I had a
very experienced AME who listened to AOPA's advice and sent everything
to the regional flight surgeon who reviewed all of the supporting
documentation and issued my medical in about one month. I was given a
class 2 medical but it specifically stated that it was not good for
any class after one year.

The next two years my new AME (other one retired) sent everything to
the regional flight surgeon and it took two weeks each time for the
medical with the same restriction to one year. At that point in time
I wondered why everyone was whining about how long it takes to get a
special issuance medical. This year I learned how lucky I had been.

Saw the AME on 8/19/03 and his office really screwed up. In spite of
my directions and the letter they get from the regional AME every year
they sent all of my paperwork to Oklahoma City. As I type this over
three months later I still do not have a medical. My condition has
not changed at all in four years and I'm sure it would have only taken
the regional flight surgeon two weeks to issue again.

I understand from my weekly call to Oklahoma that my paperwork is now
with their "correspondance department". This means something is being
typed up to send to me but they won't tell me what. I am assuming it
is the letter that goes along with my special issuance medical every
year because the airmen registry was updated online last week to show
I have a current third class medical. I applied for a second class
and I can't wait to see what this is about. I don't NEED the 2nd
class. I very rarely ferry airplanes short distances (only thing I've
ever done with my commercial cert) and will have no problem not doing
that until next year but there isn't any reason why I wouldn't qualify
for a 2nd class.

I recommend starting to call Oklahoma City after two weeks and calling
them weekly after that. I also recommend calling your local
representative and having their office call. Talk to AOPA and make
sure ALL possible supporting documentation you will need is sent right
away. If it is not too late and there is any way to convince your AME
to send your application to the Regional Flight Surgeon ask them to do
that.

There is absolutely no reason at all for it to take three months to
review even 100 pages of medical records and make a decision about
whether you qualify. This is a basic regulatory function the FAA has
and they should be embarassed with how poorly it is done. Their
beuracrcy is only matched by the 1970's Soviet Union. (Do I sound too
bitter?

I don't want to bring you down, just want you to be prepared for the
wait and for how aggressively you may have to follow up on this.

Steve


On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 04:09:14 GMT, "Kevin Young"
wrote:

(Also posted to rec.aviation.student - apologies if you're reading it a
second time!)

My class 3 medical has been deferred to the FAA. I'd be grateful for any
advice on how to proceed and what to expect. Is this really as long and
convoluted a process as I've heard?

There are 2 companies that provide expediting services - Virtual Flight
Surgeons and Pilot Medical Solutions ... I've contacted both of them. VFS
seemed upbeat about my chances, PMS (hmm - that doesn't abbreviate well)
made it sound a lot more ominous, though I'm not sure how much that was to
encourage me to use their services. Neither are cheap. Does anyone have
experience with either of them or have any opinion on how much they can
help with the process?