Recent content by allPrimes

When I was kicked into HIMS and asked to do random monitoring, I simply googled "drug testing labs in [my city]." I found several, contacted one, told them what was up, what I needed, and they said "no problem. We've done this for other pilots, too." Because I had to do so many tests, they even...

Have you gotten any information back from CAMI about your alcohol abuse? I don't know what you can "expect" but I suspect that the FAA will probably want you to continue the random monitoring (i.e., "trust, but verify.") Good luck!

Maybe? My guess will be they'll give you the "we can't give you a 3rd class medical but you can apply through the HIMS program." That will kind of restart the clock and you'll have to find a HIMS AME, get on the FAA's bandwagon (with 13 years' sober, maybe "get your sheet signed" at AA meetings...

OP did NOT do the trip. The university my (then fiance) wife attends changed that meeting to an online-only function because of COVID fears. Bummer for us because we were going to make a fun trip out of it, but it negated the entirety of my (fun) flight planning exercise. We still have hopes...

Great information here and a lot of input from a number of different folks. Thank for all of the thoughtful contributions. I'm doing my first BFR this month and my (relatively) new CFI (who is also the person responsible for connecting me with the club of which I am a member) is taking his CFII...

A personal anecdote: I have a single DUI from 1999. In 2008, I travelled to Canada for a professional conference, the first time I had travelled to Canada since my DUI. I was concerned I was going to be turned away at the border but the border officer didn't even bat an eye. It's possible that...

Great info here. Thanks for sharing. This definitely does help. I chatted with the owner of the school where I got my PPL. They mentioned that they have a shortage of instructors and have been having to turn students away. Hearing that, I made the decision to just focus on getting the written...

There's a TON of great information here. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Again, it's surprising how similar they all are, which is definitely not the norm for POA. I infer, then, that this REALLY IS the best way to do things. I've reached out to the Part 61 school where I got my PPL and...

Thanks for this. I'm not quite sure what to expect. Reading others' experience, I'm not expecting a walk in the park but thinking about timing for this is challenging. Which begs the question of whether or not I should start the rating now or wait until spring 2024? I live in the northern...

When the first two respondents agree on a board like PoA, it must mean that this is, by far, the best way to do things. Thanks to you both!

I have 212 TT, 152 PIC, and 87 XC and I'd like to start instrument training. I'm aware of the hours required in 61.65 but am wondering how best to handle the mix of under-the-hood-with-safety-pilot hours vs training with a CFII. Is it best to start out with some initial instrument training...

I think that working with a knowledgeable senior AME is your best path forward. Hopefully Dr. Bruce can help out. However, I'm pretty sure that the FAA will want monitoring, at a minimum, and will defer you into HIMS. If they let you do things from another country, great! If not, like you said...

You don't have to speak at all at an 12-step meeting. No lying required. All you have to do is drop your log sheet into the basket as it goes around. Or get the chairperson to sign it at the end. The FAA required that I go to AA meetings when I was in HIMS (I am an alcoholic in recovery (> 22...

To OP: Good luck! The medical process can be challenging to navigate. Find a good HIMS AME and let them guide you. @redbaron is right though: 0.9865 seems very high, especially considering that the LRPV is an "estimated probability of brain dysfunction." For comparison, I was required to do the...

My layperson's understanding is that the neuropsychologist is more quantitative (e.g., administers tests, interprets scores, etc) while the psychiatrist is more qualitative. The former is the person that administers the full HIMS battery of testing, including the COGSCREEN-AE. The psychiatrist...