Problematic medical for potential new student?

Doug S wrote:
In news:uzcAe.5205$rx4.2388@trndny05,

As far as the Sport Pilot is concerned, I was trying to avoid that, mainly
because I live in a very busy class B area that has some weird weather
patterns (Detroit Metro); and aside from Plymouth-Mettetal (1D2), there's
not much in the way of uncontrolled airspace around here

Sport Pilots can fly in controlled airspace the same as Private Pilots
if they have a sign-off from an instructor. No big deal.

As for weather, IFR is a whole 'nother ball game. Bear in mind that a
minority of private pilots are instrument rated, and of those who are
rated, only a minority use it actively.

-cwk.

That is a fact: If you have been denied a medical, you can't fly sport
pilot either.

"Fred Choate" wrote in message
...
Dan, you may be right.......

I am reading the FAR's right now, and under 61.23 in section C paragraph 2
there is some language there that may support what you say.

Fred


"Daniel L. Lieberman" wrote in message
...
Before following Fred's advice below I would check the Sport Pilot
medical
info. I think a refusal of a medical may prevent you from using a
driver's
license for light sport.


"Fred Choate" wrote in message
...
I would say to go get the medical and see. If it is denied, you are
only
out $100 roughly, but you may find out that you are qualified.

Also, there is the sport pilot stuff now, where you only need a drivers
license I believe. I actually haven't read all the sport pilot
requirements, but that is an option to look into if you can't get the
medical approved for the private rating.

Fred

"Doug S" wrote in message
...
So, after a few years of putting it off (actually..."after a few years
of saving enough $$$"), I decided I want to get a private pilot cert.
Welllll...from the time that I first wanted to do that (about 10 years
ago) until now, I've had some changes in my medical status, which will
*definitely* require a waiver. The question to the group is, what are
my chances? In other words, I don't want to go through the hassle of
getting all my records together if there's not much of a chance I will
receive the waiver. On the other hand, if people think that the
waiver
is probable, what steps should I take? Should I get the records
together first and then take the medical? See, I don't want to even
start taking instruction (and spend the $$) if there's not much of a
chance that I'll be able to get the cert...

In a nutshell:
31 year old otherwise healthy male (6'3" 190 lbs).

1998 or so, taken to the hospital due to an anxiety attack (severe
heartburn thought to be a heart attack that snowballed). Nothing
serious, haven't had one since...
12/00 - DUI
10/01, 02/02 - Hospitalizations for situational depression. (1 week
each
time) Was prescribed Paxil at the time (see below)
08/02 - Over night observation hospitalization for slip-and-fall with
loss of conciousness. All tests (CT, Xray) negative, no residual
effects apparant.

Since about 1994 or so, I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in
my
knees. I have taken everything from Advil to Vioxx for relief (see
below)

In early 2003, I was taken off the Paxil by my GP, showing no signs of
depression.

Now, within the past year or so, I started getting severe headaches.
Note: I have NOT seen a neurologist; but these headaches have been
diagnosed by my GP as migraine (with aura, by the way, so I actually
know about 10 minutes before they occur). At their peak they were
occurring about 4-5 times a month. This was also about the time that
my
GP put me on the COX-2 Inhibitor class of drugs
(Vioxx/Bextra/Celebrex)
for my knees. We were playing "musical chairs" with the drugs to try
to
find the best acting drug (none of them seemed to be particularly
effective). This was due to..

Fatty liver diagnosis. I need to stay away from Tylenol and
alcohol...

Anyway, back to the migraines. I was NOT put on any prophylactic for
the migranes, but prescribed a triptan for treating the attacks
(specifically Relpax).

About February of this year, my GP put my on Daypro (NSAID class) for
my
knees and took me off the COX-2s. Since then (actually about 2 weeks
later), my migraines have stopped occurring...I have not required a
dosage of Relpax. Now I am beginning to wonder if it was actually the
COX-2 drugs that were partially responsible for the migraines.

So currently, my medical status is:

1) Fatty liver: Stay away from products containing Acetomenaphin , and
also alcohol.
2) Borderline high cholestorol: My GP wants me on Lipitor, but due to
the liver side effects I am wary. I have not started taking the drug,
but am first trying to lower it through diet and exercise
3) History of migraines. Controlled by acute intervention
medications.
No attack in the past four months, could be related to the drug
switching.
4) Osteoarthritis in the knees. Controlled by Daypro with no
discernable side effects except upset stomach if I don't take it with
food.


What do y'all think, is it possible, or just a pipe dream?

Thanks...

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 12:26:26 -0400, "Doug S"
wrote:

So, after a few years of putting it off (actually..."after a few years of
saving enough $$$"), I decided I want to get a private pilot cert.
Welllll...from the time that I first wanted to do that (about 10 years ago)
until now, I've had some changes in my medical status, which will
*definitely* require a waiver. The question to the group is, what are my
chances? In other words, I don't want to go through the hassle of getting
all my records together if there's not much of a chance I will receive the
waiver. On the other hand, if people think that the waiver is probable,
what steps should I take? Should I get the records together first and then
take the medical? See, I don't want to even start taking instruction (and
spend the $$) if there's not much of a chance that I'll be able to get the
cert...


Doug,

I had a similar delima in that I wasn't sure I was going to get my
medical due to an old surgery. You can fly sport pilot currently, but
if you get denied an FAA medical, you can't.

I didn't want to ruin my chances for a sport pilot cert so this is the
procedure that I had to follow....

1) Call AOPA. Join if you haven't already.

2) Get a reference of a good, fair AME. Particularly one that isn't a
full time AME, but is a like a GP and does Flight meds one week a
month. You will need to talk to local pilots. Hang around your
local FBO.

3) Get every record you can find. Everything. Bring it with you. If
you have anything that needs to be reported, you better have the
records. Full disclosure. Since you have been on SSRI's, you need a
note from the prescribing doctor that you are off them, you are OK and
you were never a danger to yourself or other people.

3) Explain to your chosen AME that you want a regular medical, not a
flight medical. Explain also that your interested in a flight med.
but would like an evalauation first so you don't ruin your chances for
sportpilot. DON'T FILL OUT ANY FAA PAPERWORK UNTIL THE DOC HAS SEEN
YOU AND YOUR CHARTS!!!!!! (You may have to pay twice, but it will be
worth it)

4) If your doc says you don't have a good chance of passing, STOP!
Pay him and leave. Go for sportpilot.

5) If everything looks good, go for it. There is always a chance
that Oklahoma will overrule the doc, but that's a chance you will have
to take.


Good luck,


Jim

http://www.unconventional-wisdom.org

Fred Choate wrote:
I would say to go get the medical and see. If it is denied, you are only
out $100 roughly, but you may find out that you are qualified.

Also, there is the sport pilot stuff now, where you only need a drivers
license I believe. I actually haven't read all the sport pilot
requirements, but that is an option to look into if you can't get the
medical approved for the private rating.

If you intend to go the sport pilot route, don't even think about trying for a
medical certificate. If the certificate is denied, you will not be able to fly
sport pilot either.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

Doug S wrote:

What do y'all think, is it possible, or just a pipe dream?

there are far more qualified people than I on this newsgroup
to answer (e.g., Richard Kaplan) but from the point of view of
a 'end user' with a suboptimal medical background (color blind
and paraplegic) who went through the process (currently holding
a class-II) I'd say go for it (document everything, join AOPA,
get in touch with a good AME, etc.)

HOWEVER, before doing that, you might want to also talk about
a knowledgeable folks (AOPA again) about the option of going
for the sport pilot certificate instead (if I understand correctly,
as long as you have not been denied a medical and hold a driving
license you are fine, but as soon as you have been denied the
medical, then you have to go through the whole thing of getting
waivers and all that);

what do you guys think?

--Sylvain

George Patterson writes:
If you intend to go the sport pilot route, don't even think about
trying for a medical certificate. If the certificate is denied, you
will not be able to fly sport pilot either.

So this I don't understand.

My understanding of the sport pilot is "this is for folks who don't
want to invest the time, money, and effort it takes to get/maintain a
private pilot certificate."

On the other hand, many folks seem to think that the sport pilot
license is the license for folks who can't or think they can't pass a
medical.

Isn't one of the requirements of flying sport pilot that you swear you
are in good health? If you think you may not pass a medical, can you
honestly say you think you are in good health?

Chris
--
Chris Colohan Email: PGP: finger
Web: www.colohan.com Phone: (412)268-4751

Isn't one of the requirements of flying sport pilot that you swear you
are in good health? If you think you may not pass a medical, can you
honestly say you think you are in good health?

"Good" has different values for different endeavors. One of the things
about the sport pilot is that he is restricted from flying certain
aircraft, certain weather, stuff like that, whereas a private pilot
would not have those restrictions. So, one doesn't have to be in as
"good" health to be good enough for sport pilot as one would need to for
a private pilot.

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Chris Colohan wrote:

Isn't one of the requirements of flying sport pilot that you swear you
are in good health?

Not that I know of. If you're healthy enough to drive, you're healthy enough to
fly under sport pilot rules.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

Jimbob wrote:

I didn't want to ruin my chances for a sport pilot cert so this is the
procedure that I had to follow....

Excellent advice, IMO.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

Three years off medication and no symptoms of depression will be the big
hold up at this point.
Michelle

Doug S wrote:

So currently, my medical status is:

1) Fatty liver: Stay away from products containing Acetomenaphin , and also
alcohol.
2) Borderline high cholestorol: My GP wants me on Lipitor, but due to the
liver side effects I am wary. I have not started taking the drug, but am
first trying to lower it through diet and exercise
3) History of migraines. Controlled by acute intervention medications. No
attack in the past four months, could be related to the drug switching.
4) Osteoarthritis in the knees. Controlled by Daypro with no discernable
side effects except upset stomach if I don't take it with food.


What do y'all think, is it possible, or just a pipe dream?

Thanks...