1st Class Deferred “DUI”

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Doctor Doolittle

Filing Flight Plan
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Oct 8, 2021
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Doctor Doolittle
Well guys I’ve done a lot of reading on this forum along with various other places these past couple months doing my research about how to handle my DUI that I got back in 2016. “One and only” Rest assure I don’t plan on making that mistake ever again and have since put down drinking.

Currently I’m a student pilot training here in Oklahoma working on my PPL, Aviation is something that I’ve always wanted to do for a career so that’s why I went ahead and pursued on getting my 1st Class Med. Well I went in for my medical today with all my documentation that I’ve collected over the past couple months with the help of the AME Guide. “That definitely helped a lot”

Well I felt like I had a decent chance that I was going to be able get issued my Medical that day since my BAC was a 0.09 and I had everything on the list the FAA required the AME have to issue me my medical same day:
  • Court Records
  • Police Report with BAC “had to do some hunting for that”
  • Personal Statement
  • 10 yr MVRs for the states that I’ve been licensed in “Only was able to the obtain a 3 yr from Oklahoma since I guess they do not do history MVR’s”
  • Also did the liberty of obtaining my NDR report “Which was kind of weird since my DUI didn’t show up on it only my suspension from when I missed a court date for a ticket back in 2013 dummy move I know”
Well how wrong I was lol. The medical examination part actually went by pretty fast and smooth I was under the assumption it was gonna be an all day operation maybe some EKG bicycling or maybe a couple rounds in the G-force simulator “didn’t know if I needed to wear my jet suit or my cycling suit”. But anyways it finally came down to talking bout my DUI which I told him about it how I made a very poor decision that I have learned my lesson from it and then told him I have all the documents pertaining to it in my folder that I brought with me. Well he didn’t even bother to look at my packet and said he’s gonna have to automatically defer my medical and documents to OKC he said and I quote “he doesn’t have the authority to issue my medical since I have a DUI”. Which I didn’t argue with the man if that’s the case then so be it. But he did give me words of encouragement that I had a 99.9% chance the FAA will issue me my medical granted that I had everything I needed. As my man from “19 years sober and 21 year old DUI” would say “famous last words”...”laughter turning into a slight whimper”

Well to keep a long story even longer I guess my first mistake was going to an in experienced AME, good man but I don’t think flight medicals is what he does very often which is probably the reason why he didn’t feel comfortable issuing me a medical that day and decided to leave my fate up the FAA Lords and forcing me into the FAA limbo. I guess I would asked how long this process might take but after reading 19 years sober and 21 year old dui it’s not looking very promising even with only one DUI and it being under 0.15. I guess I’m really making this is to keep a log about the process for anyone who might stumble upon it that faces the same problem I have and maybe learn from my mistake and hopefully, fingers crossed another happy ending and the “key to the airspace kingdom”

My CFI did give me the number to the RFS office and told me to give them a call Monday to see if they have received my paperwork telling me “the squeaky wheel get greased” so I guess I’ll check back in then to drop off an update.
 
AMEs don’t exercise personal judgement here. Your deferral was automatic. Even if you had gotten a signed medical, the FAA would have withdrawn it as soon as they reviewed your file and then they would have questioned the AME about why he didn’t defer it.

Nothing to do now but wait for the letter asking for something and then be on top of getting it. Call every other business day to be identified as an interested airman.

I do agree there’s a high chance to get you medical.
 
Thanks Flynn, I kind of figured it sounded a little to good to be true when I was reading the AME guide under the drug/alcohol section stating if the airmen has “X” Documents and a BAC under a certain limit then the AME can issue the airmen the medical. I guess all I can do now is play the game.
 
Doctor Doolittle said:
My CFI did give me the number to the RFS office and told me to give them a call Monday
Click to expand...

You need to thank and perhaps reward your CFI. Not many know to do this or offer it as part of a solution.

Definitely make contact with the RFS, tell your story, seek guidance.

Also have all your documents ready to send to them by email. The RFS has the capability to “inject” them into your file. So there if the RFS is a helpful office, then you may get the required documents in with your application ahead of the curve.

On each page, in the upper right corner, do something that adds your name, DOB, and any other identifying number assigned to you by the AMCD (Airman Medical Certification Division). The RFS can supply this if you ask.
 
Yeah he’s been super helpful thus far, I’ll start working on getting all my information put on all my documents and have it ready for them by Monday if they can do what you say, seems like a pretty wise idea anyways one I haven’t thought of, sounds like things get pretty hectic when the paperwork finally gets to OKC.. lol
 
Actually, if the AME knew what he was doing, and you had the arrest papers, DMV record, personal statement, and a DSM4 CADC evaluation, he could have issued.

DUI single event , blew and BAC under 0.15, is the ONE condition in which he can, on the “Alcohol Status Report”.

But this will likely work out well anyway.
Some of my brethren may not be not quite up to speed as it were :(.
 
Doctor Doolittle said:
Yeah he’s been super helpful thus far, I’ll start working on getting all my information put on all my documents and have it ready for them by Monday if they can do what you say, seems like a pretty wise idea anyways one I haven’t thought of, sounds like things get pretty hectic when the paperwork finally gets to OKC.. lol
Click to expand...
Not hectic... think glacier speed.

AMCD is a significant part of the FAA machine. But not as well funded or staffed as it needs to be. And the various Covid-19 ripple effects aren't helping.
 
Yeah that’s what I was hoping for, but wishful thinking I suppose oh well time to see what this process is all about, and maybe a learning experience none the less. I have some distant family that used to work for the FAA and now are retired not too sure what department though, might get ahold of them to see if I can pick their brain bout the process.
 
Doctor Doolittle said:
My CFI did give me the number to the RFS office and told me to give them a call Monday to see if they have received my paperwork telling me “the squeaky wheel get greased” so I guess I’ll check back in then to drop off an update.
Click to expand...
Call Tuesday. Nobody will be there Monday. Federal Holiday (Columbus Day).
 
bflynn said:
AMEs don’t exercise personal judgement here. Your deferral was automatic. Even if you had gotten a signed medical, the FAA would have withdrawn it as soon as they reviewed your file and then they would have questioned the AME about why he didn’t defer it.

Nothing to do now but wait for the letter asking for something and then be on top of getting it. Call every other business day to be identified as an interested airman.

I do agree there’s a high chance to get you medical.
Click to expand...

You really do not know what you’re talking about. A single dui under 0.15 with no aggravating factors can be issued in office.
 
Hey guys figure I’d give everyone an update on my Medical, well firstly and most importantly I was issued my 1st Class Medical! Whole process took a little under a month which honestly I figured it was gonna take a whole lot longer then that “ hope for the best, prepare for the worst”. I gave it 2 weeks before I started calling them every other day to check on the status of my medical. All I have too say is every time I called or should I say finally getting through after the 30th attempt of calling them they were always super helpful and very nice to talk to.
So for anyone that might stumble upon this and is in a similar situation “hopefully not” just make sure you have everything prepared documentation wise, in all it took me in total of about 3 months getting all the paperwork together and the AME guide is definitely a valuable tool to use to find out exactly what paper work the DME and the FAA are going to require.

(Or to avoid all this nonsense just don’t drink and drive period $12 UBER ride is a heck of a lot cheaper then what you will be rightfully put through if you get caught for a DUI)
 
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