New AME - Old DWI Previously Reported, No Change

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guest

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Hi and thanks for any advice you can give on this. Back in 1999 got a DWI after a work happy hour. Not my finest hour, for sure. Fast forward to 2018. Applied for and got a 3rd class medical with no deferrals or anything from AME. Got a nice letter in the mail a couple of months after medical was issued from the FAA office of Aerospace Medicine saying -

"Dear Mr.
Our review of your medical records has established that you are eligible for a third-class medical certificate.

The certificate you now hold is valid until the normal date of expiration.

Due to your alcohol related offense in 1999, we are obliged to caution you that any further offenses or evidence of alcohol and/or substance abuse will require re-evaluation or possible denial of your medical certification.

You are cautioned to abide ty Title 14 of the CFR, Section 61.53, relating to physical deficiency.

You are cautioned to abide ty Title 14 of the CFR part 67.403 pertaining to falsification, you are required to answer "yes" to any positive answers listed under item 18 (a-y) on all subsequent medical applications, specifically to item 18(v); however, in the explanations box you may report "previously reported, no change" if that is the case. You are required to provide a written explanation regarding any new medical history and/or offenses/incidents, in the explanations box.

Use of the above reference numbers on future correspondence and/or reports will aid us in locating your file."

When my medical expired in 2020, I went back to the same AME, reported "previously reported, no change" referenced the ID numbers from the letter I got from the FAA and was given a new third-class medical.

Fast forward to now. The AME I saw twice in the past is now retired. He gave me a recommendation for a new AME and I will be seeing him later in July. Anybody have any thoughts on whether or not this is going to be an issue with the new AME? I have zero records from the incident since it was so long ago, so there is nothing I can bring (I didn't bring any records with me the first time I saw the old AME, either... was never asked for).

Should note that there have been zero changes to medical history and of course I have had zero issues with alcohol/offenses since that evening back in 1999.

In the opinion of the group, will this new AME re-issue or does anyone foresee any problems?
 
With two successful issuances in the past, this third round should not be any issue at all. Answer the spot of Question 18 as "Y" and add "PRNC" to the explanation.

You might get asked to tell the story. So do that, keeping it short and to point, making sure to mention that the original issuance and the renewal went through with zero problems.

But if you want to ensure a slam dunk with this new AME, you can request a copy your existing medical records from the FAA using this form: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/media/MedicalRecordsRequestForm.pdf

Then when you visit the new AME, if he/she starts making grumbling noises about your past incident and that you marked it PRNC, you can show him the file demonstrating that the higher ups have no problem, so why should he/she?
 
Do you need a 3rd class for any reason? If not, go directly to Basic Med and never look back.
 
BasicMed does sound like a good option. And I guess there, if the Dr. doesn't want to sign the BasicMed form, that's not like a denial so I could always try again with someone else, I suppose. Or try the AME for the 3rd class. But from what you all said, looks like I could even get the 3rd renewed, and I suppose the BasicMed would be even more of a lock.

Dumb question and I guess I know the answer, but I'll ask it anyway since this is anonymous - if I go BasicMed and then later decide to go back to a 3rd class, I could still do it and could still put the PRNC (and bring the letter) to the AME if I go for a 3rd class a few years from now, correct?

Thanks again for the advice and comments. Really appreciate it. It's an embarrassing thing that I carry around for the last 23 years. Anybody else reading this - don't ever drink/drive even if you think it's a quick trip/haven't had too many/feel fine to drive... so many reasons to not do it.
 
show him/her the letter. As for me I state: no further occurrences in the ame response
 
Don’t have your AME do basic med - he she might accidentally activate your 3rd class application. Don’t touch med express

Just go either your PCP or doctor in a box that does DOT physicals for the Basic Med.

What could there be in the future that would require a 3rd class vs Basic Med?
 
guest said:
Dumb question and I guess I know the answer, but I'll ask it anyway since this is anonymous - if I go BasicMed and then later decide to go back to a 3rd class, I could still do it and could still put the PRNC (and bring the letter) to the AME if I go for a 3rd class a few years from now, correct?
Click to expand...

Correct.
You can always go back to the 3rd class later. (So don't misplace all that documentation!)

I'm on BasicMed and the only thing I wish I could do -- but can't -- with it is fly through Canada.
 
kath said:
Correct.
You can always go back to the 3rd class later. (So don't misplace all that documentation!)

I'm on BasicMed and the only thing I wish I could do -- but can't -- with it is fly through Canada.
Click to expand...

Yet! With the Canadian tourist industry in the dump now into year 3 I suspect we may see some movement on this issue soon.
 
guest said:
BasicMed does sound like a good option. And I guess there, if the Dr. doesn't want to sign the BasicMed form....
Click to expand...

You don't need an AME to sign-off Basic Med. Your primary care doc can do it. There's a checklist that has to be filled-out and signed by the doc doing the physical. Pretty simple and straight-forward.
 
True. I was saying, if the regular (non AME) doctor doesn't want to sign off on the BasicMed for some reason, it's not like a denial that gets reported to the FAA (as far as I know, right?)....

So I could always try to find another Dr. (non AME) that would sign off on the BasicMed.

Point is - if a non-AME Dr. doesn't want to sign off on the form, it's not like a denial that gets reported (thus meaning I would be completely screwed and not be able to get a medical or BasicMed).

Is that right?
 
guest said:
True. I was saying, if the regular (non AME) doctor doesn't want to sign off on the BasicMed for some reason, it's not like a denial that gets reported to the FAA (as far as I know, right?)....

So I could always try to find another Dr. (non AME) that would sign off on the BasicMed.

Point is - if a non-AME Dr. doesn't want to sign off on the form, it's not like a denial that gets reported (thus meaning I would be completely screwed and not be able to get a medical or BasicMed).

Is that right?
Click to expand...


That is correct

The FAA is not involved in basic med, which makes it vastly better than a FAA medical unless you fly for work. The paperwork the doc gives you only is with you, it doesn’t get sent to the FAA
 
The AME fills out the form and gives it back to you. It never goes to the FAA. All you do is enter the date from it into the system when you take the online course so that the FAA can illegally disseminate it to the world in violation of the Privacy Act.
 
You mean the PCP, not the AME? Don’t use an AME for Basic Med. I don’t think you’d find an AME who would do one anyway. They seem reluctant - not worthy of them.
 
Only speaking 4 myself - I do them. My impression is that many regular docs do not feel they know enough about aviation, the FAA, or the basic med program.
 
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I tried every AME in the Atl area. No one did Basic Med. One came out said doing Basic Med was trying to hide something, referencing a person trying to hide heart failure. My PCP didn’t know what Basic Med was either.

But the Doc in a Box urgent care that did DOT exams had no trouble with doing the exam.

Lots of threads on this topic.
 
WDD said:
You mean the PCP, not the AME? Don’t use an AME for Basic Med. I don’t think you’d find an AME who would do one anyway. They seem reluctant - not worthy of them.
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The AME who issued my last medical certificate does BasicMed exams, which is a good thing, because my regular doc doesn't feel that he knows enough about aviation-related issues to do it.
 
You have a great AME - anywhere close to Atlanta?
 
WDD said:
I tried every AME in the Atl area. No one did Basic Med. One came out said doing Basic Med was trying to hide something, referencing a person trying to hide heart failure. My PCP didn’t know what Basic Med was either.

But the Doc in a Box urgent care that did DOT exams had no trouble with doing the exam.

Lots of threads on this topic.
Click to expand...
I first went to my current AME because my old one wouldn't do Basic Med (he mostly does 1st's) and my current one would. But he says he needs a standard to go by, so he uses the basic guidelines for the 3rd class and then applies his judgment. He does them because he likes to keep pilots flying. My PCP wouldn't do it because he had no way to test vision and hearing; he had no other concerns. So positions vary widely.
 
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