When to call for status inquiry?

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RV1890

Filing Flight Plan
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Sep 18, 2019
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RV1890
Hi All,

After jumping through A LOT of hoops and hurdles my medical packet was finally submitted to the FAA. We're talking about 9 months of multiple and ongoing random drug tests, Cogscreen, Neuro eval, and all sorts of document chasing and waiting. As you can imagine this has also cost me lots of $$.

I want to follow up with the FAA to make sure they received my packet and if its being "scanned" or whatever it is they do, but want to get it right. I hear sometimes doing this improperly can "take you out of line". I want to show that I'm an "interested airman"

From what I can gather I need to call 405-954-4821 on non consecutive days (M-W-F-Tu-Thu-M-W..)
Will this approach help or should I just wait and let them do their thing?

If so, I'm on PST, what time is best to call?
 
06:05 AM, your time.
Bear in mind that FAA psychiatry review, Non-revenue, is currently at 210 days.

(If this was an SSRI case, it needed to be sent to
AAM 240
800 Independence Avenue SW, Building 10A, Room 8W-100
Washington, DC 20591) and not OKC.
 
Thanks.

Yes, it was sent to the Washington address. Is the phone number above still the correct one to call, or is that for OKC only?
 
bbchien said:
06:05 AM, your time.
Bear in mind that FAA psychiatry review, Non-revenue, is currently at 210 days.

(If this was an SSRI case, it needed to be sent to
AAM 240
800 Independence Avenue SW, Building 10A, Room 8W-100
Washington, DC 20591) and not OKC.
Click to expand...

Do all SSRI path 1 and 2 go to DC? Or all 2s and some 1s?
 
S
bbchien said:
06:05 AM, your time.
Bear in mind that FAA psychiatry review, Non-revenue, is currently at 210 days.

(If this was an SSRI case, it needed to be sent to
AAM 240
800 Independence Avenue SW, Building 10A, Room 8W-100
Washington, DC 20591) and not OKC.
Click to expand...

So, if applying for class 1 or 2, do you get priority because you’re earning “revenue”?
 
It's really limited to those with a type rating, and several thousand hours, and whose last application sez for employer. "____airlines". NOT for your neighborhood part time CFI.
 
Have much faster is it for revenue vs non revenue? 210 days is quite the wait.
 
So am I understanding this right? Because of my case and that it’s been sent to the Washington Office there isn’t a phone number to call or any benefit in following up as an “interested airman”??
 
RV1890 said:
So am I understanding this right? Because of my case and that it’s been sent to the Washington Office there isn’t a phone number to call or any benefit in following up as an “interested airman”??
Click to expand...

that is correct. There is no number to call dc to find out about any updates and if you call OKC there’s nothing they can tell you. Interested airman does not help at all in your case so just sit back and wait or you will make yourself extremely frustrated. Faa has had my paperwork for over 7 months and I have had zero updates about my case and there’s no telling when they’ll get to it.
 
Ryans said:
that is correct. There is no number to call dc to find out about any updates and if you call OKC there’s nothing they can tell you. Interested airman does not help at all in your case so just sit back and wait or you will make yourself extremely frustrated. Faa has had my paperwork for over 7 months and I have had zero updates about my case and there’s no telling when they’ll get to it.
Click to expand...

Was this a SSRI case as well? Revenue or non revenue? Good luck, hoping for a positive outcome for you.
 
Pilot 27 said:
Was this a SSRI case as well? Revenue or non revenue? Good luck, hoping for a positive outcome for you.
Click to expand...

mine is for HIMS drug/alcohol first class medical. I’m a student pilot so I think I’m under the non revenue category which I think means no expediting of the medical.
 
My HMS medical is with D&A in OKC for a 3rd class. Not sure how long they will have it but 3 months so far and not a word.

I call every other week and hear the same story...being reviewed.
 
Best of luck to both of you. This process is so ridiculous. They should at the minimum give you a guaranteed date that you will find out if a medical is being granted or denied.
 
bbchien said:
It's really limited to those with a type rating, and several thousand hours, and whose last application sez for employer. "____airlines". NOT for your neighborhood part time CFI.
Click to expand...

Interesting... so, the criteria is nothing official, just “looks like this guy is a career pilot”...
 
So much conflicting information. My packet was submitted because of two DUIS a long time ago. Is this considered the same as SSRI?

My HIMS AME sent it to Washington, which I'm certain is correct.

Heck, it says it was delivered, I just want to make sure it was, and that its at least being processed.

Quite frustrating if there isn't a number to call.
 
RV1890 said:
So much conflicting information. My packet was submitted because of two DUIS a long time ago. Is this considered the same as SSRI?

My HIMS AME sent it to Washington, which I'm certain is correct.

Heck, it says it was delivered, I just want to make sure it was, and that its at least being processed.

Quite frustrating if there isn't a number to call.
Click to expand...

Ssri and dui are both considered HIMS but I believe they are diffferent in the way they are evaluated and approached. It’s probably easier to get certified with duis then under the ssri protocol.
you can still call OKC city to inquire about your case but they will only be able to give you very limited information ie “your files are under review by the federal air surgeons office”
If you are applying for a first class then it was supposed to go to dc. It only goes to OKC for third class medicals.
 
Mines third class but went to DC. I'll talk to my HIM's when he gets back. Thanks
 
What is the basic hang up here? Are these “reviewers” that overworked? Can they not hire more people? Or is that a stupid question, “it’s political, nobody cares about pilots so it’s not in the budget”.

Or is there just zero incentive for these people to turn around reviews? I picture a stack in somebody’s in box while they are yucking it up around the water cooler, and never coming in on weekends to catch up. If I’m wrong, somebody tell me. Maybe they are heroically staying late every night, giving up their weekends and still so backlogged it takes 210 days to review a file.

Or is the holdup something else I’m not thinking of? Are they waiting on some third party input? If passenger demand is rising and there’s a looming pilot shortage why the heck isn’t the government speeding up this process? I think I answered my own question in the last sentence.
 
The only way it stands any chance of improving is congressional action. And the only way that happens is to become friends with your congress critters and urge them to fund additional positions in the FAA to process faster. Good luck with that - the FAA is short handed in other functions (like aircraft certification and airline inspections) and flying is a privilege (meaning plenty of folks in government don't see any urgency in granting access to the sky - revenue is different because there is pressure from the airline lobby).
 
bbchien said:
It's really limited to those with a type rating, and several thousand hours, and whose last application sez for employer. "____airlines". NOT for your neighborhood part time CFI.
Click to expand...

That is the annoying part for me. In a better world once I had completed all the requirements and the AME agrees I have done everything needed, he would be able to issue a limited medical that would at least let me act as “required crew” so I could resume Instrument Instuction while waiting for the FAA to agree I did everything needed.
 
Rushie said:
What is the basic hang up here? Are these “reviewers” that overworked? Can they not hire more people? Or is that a stupid question, “it’s political, nobody cares about pilots so it’s not in the budget”.

Or is there just zero incentive for these people to turn around reviews? I picture a stack in somebody’s in box while they are yucking it up around the water cooler, and never coming in on weekends to catch up. If I’m wrong, somebody tell me. Maybe they are heroically staying late every night, giving up their weekends and still so backlogged it takes 210 days to review a file.

Or is the holdup something else I’m not thinking of? Are they waiting on some third party input? If passenger demand is rising and there’s a looming pilot shortage why the heck isn’t the government speeding up this process? I think I answered my own question in the last sentence.
Click to expand...

it’s probably a combination of everything. They are definitely overworked to an extent but most of it is of their own doing. The moment that clock hits 5pm you know non of these bureaucrats are at their desk anymore and most certainly do not work on Saturday’s. You would think that since the FAA is requiring More HIMS authorizations than ever before they might have a second person reviewing these cases so people aren’t waiting upwards of a year to get an answer.
I doubt there are any incentives for these quacks (FAA docs) to move along any faster than what they are currently doing, but I bet if there was a consequence like being fired for creating such a big backlog then magically we would start seeing a much faster review rate.
 
Has anybody considered that the long wait could be a tool of the FAA psychiatry review. I would think that how an applicant manages the wait can reveal some interesting factors that may be consistent with addictive behaviors.

After all, the definition of patience is: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. IMO, this is critical in the cockpit.
 
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I get calls from the examiners after hours constantly. They know I will answer the phone.

Congress simply never funded the mission adequately.
 
Rushie said:
What is the basic hang up here? Are these “reviewers” that overworked? Can they not hire more people? Or is that a stupid question, “it’s political, nobody cares about pilots so it’s not in the budget”.

Or is there just zero incentive for these people to turn around reviews? I picture a stack in somebody’s in box while they are yucking it up around the water cooler...
Click to expand...

Been to DMV lately?
 
You would think that with a budget of over 15 billion dollars the FAA could have a couple extra reviewers in the areas that are moving so slowly. What would that cost? An extra $80k-100k per reviewer?
 
The budget is going up and the performance is going down. They just care less about regular pilots.
 
I just got off the phone with OKC even though my packet went to Washington. They said they don't have any record of my packet.

Student Pilot, 3rd class medical, Double DUI's. I've done everything my AME and FAA have asked. All reports, cog screen, multiple evals, and random testing.....Big packet

I just want to make sure they received my packet and that its under review. The USPS tracking number shows that Washington received my file on 12/23/19.

Have I not waited long enough? I understand it takes time for the approval part....I just want to make they have received it. It's sort of difficult without a number for Washington.

Any ideas? Thanks.
 
RV1890 said:
I just got off the phone with OKC even though my packet went to Washington. They said they don't have any record of my packet.

Student Pilot, 3rd class medical, Double DUI's. I've done everything my AME and FAA have asked. All reports, cog screen, multiple evals, and random testing.....Big packet

I just want to make sure they received my packet and that its under review. The USPS tracking number shows that Washington received my file on 12/23/19.

Have I not waited long enough? I understand it takes time for the approval part....I just want to make they have received it. It's sort of difficult without a number for Washington.

Any ideas? Thanks.
Click to expand...

You shouldn’t have mailed it in with USPS. Ups and fedex are considered more secure because identification is shown when shipping the package. I think shipping with them will make the faa officially receive your records about a week earlier than with USPS. Then with the holidays they are probably running much slower right now. I’d say call back this coming Monday and they should have a record of it. Then for it to be under review the files have to be scanned into the system which will probably be another 2-3 weeks. You might be waiting for another month before it’s actually under review. Remember, you’re dealing with government employees who really don’t care how long anyone waits and have no reason to move any faster.
 
I had a different medical issue that delayed my certificate, but I was always advised to mail packets of info via certified receipt - which meant via Fedex with delivery notice required. So I always knew when they'd received it. However note that they may take several weeks to actually scan your documents into the system for anyone to review them. My initial packet took 3 weeks to get scanned in then another couple of weeks before they came back asking for more tests /info. Lot's of patience (and a plan B) are required. Good luck!
 
RV1890 said:
Hi All,

After jumping through A LOT of hoops and hurdles my medical packet was finally submitted to the FAA. We're talking about 9 months of multiple and ongoing random drug tests, Cogscreen, Neuro eval, and all sorts of document chasing and waiting. As you can imagine this has also cost me lots of $$.

I want to follow up with the FAA to make sure they received my packet and if its being "scanned" or whatever it is they do, but want to get it right. I hear sometimes doing this improperly can "take you out of line". I want to show that I'm an "interested airman"

From what I can gather I need to call 405-954-4821 on non consecutive days (M-W-F-Tu-Thu-M-W..)
Will this approach help or should I just wait and let them do their thing?

If so, I'm on PST, what time is best to call?
Click to expand...

When calling OKC is it ok to call multiple times on your non-consecutive day to try to get through, or should you stick to only trying one time per day? Thanks!
 
Principal said:
When calling OKC is it ok to call multiple times on your non-consecutive day to try to get through, or should you stick to only trying one time per day? Thanks!
Click to expand...
202-267-0435 (New DC number at which to lave messages!)
 
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