Bad medical examiner postcript

Friends:
You may have seen my earlier post about the issue with my AME's office
screwing up my student certificate. Well, he straightened it out, and
now I can't fly. Rather than editorialize, I will just lay out the
chronology and let you make your own judgments. It starts in 1965,
believe it or not, but isn't TOO long...


depressing story snipped

This is another excellent example of why the medical certificate system for
private pilots is totally broke. You in effect self certify yourself to fly
every day. I have always and will continue to advocate to friends and
students for 3rd class medicals: Get regular checkups from your regular
physician to pronounce yourself healthy and safe. Go to a doctor you don't
know and have no history with for an aviation medical, and don't tell them
anything they don't need to know. If you need a 2nd or 1st class medical,
this advice does not apply.

Don't bother replying that somebody was recently prosecuted for lying on
their medical application, I know all about it, and I don't care.