Advice, please: too old to fly?

Thanks Rich...I wanted to be clear we were talking the same language. I
will investigate flying with diabetes for my dad...

Scott




Rich S. wrote:

"Scott" wrote in message
.. .

Just to be sure I am clear on this, you still have a (3rd class) medical
and do fly or do you fly as a Sport Pilot?


Scott..........

I let my medical expire a couple of years ago and now fly under S.P. rules.
To be clear, I had a valid Class III medical and also had Type II diabetes,
well controlled with oral meds and a stent in one coronary artery.

I can still pass the cardiac tests - the big problem is they will only
validate the medical for 1 year and then I must retest. The test includes
either an angiogram (which is very expensive and carries surgical risks,
i.e. 1% of subjects die during the procedure) or a nuclear imaging study
(which is very expensive and not all that accurate). There are many other
tests involved as well, a maximal treadmill stress test, blood lipid
profile, hemoglobin A1c, statements from your primary physician,
ophthalmologist & cardiologist

The delays in Oklahoma City are such that it takes six months to grant the
waiver. In effect, this results in six months of flying and then six months
of waiting for renewal. Another snag is that by the time your application
arrives at the desk of the person who will review the extensive tests, the
*&^%$ tests are out of date. Then they send back a request for new tests AND
YOU GO BACK TO THE END OF THE LINE!

Without assistance from someone like AOPA, it is likely you will forget to
dot an i or cross a t when submitting all the paperwork. Guess what happens.
They send it back for re-submission AND YOU GO BACK TO THE END OF THE LINE!

For me, it is not worth the hassle. I am happy to fly under Sport Pilot
limitations.

Rich S.