Any Hope to Fly Again

D

dairborn

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Dec 15, 2023
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Display name:
Devon
Hello all, New here, but certainly not new to the Aviation world at the age of 42. Been around, flew since I was 16 and I have served as a controller, supervisor, and now and Air Traffic Manager with an FAA Tower in Indiana. Haven't flown in many years for various reasons, but now that my kids are older, they are starting to ask me why I have never taken them flying. Mainly, they were too young, and it's just been so expensive to rent, and I just had other stuff going on. Living a different life at the time and I felt like flying was too expensive for man with family obligations. A couple of years ago after I got COVID, I was diagnosed with depression. Was really a rough go as I got the illness pretty badly. With all the stresses that go through life as a controller, it was like my body just said "THATS IT" and everything went nuts. I did everything I could do, but I had to get medication to help myself. I knew that my job as a controller/supervisor was in jeopardy. I had to report everything. Luckily, I was able to take care of myself and I was able to move on to a job that didn't require the need of a medical any longer being hired for two separate jobs as a tower manager before landing permanently here in Indiana. So back to the flying. I hadn't flown in many years, but I always updated my pilots medical anytime I got my ATC medical done. I really didn't think anything about the "flying" consequences about reporting my condition as a controller. It actually took the FAA awhile to figure out I was a pilot too and held two medical qualifications. Well, once they learned I had a pilot's medical, you would have thought I was now labeled as a terrorist. I got the nastiest letter. I hadn't flown in years, yet I was being deemed a threat to the general public and they requested that I surrender my medical immediately. Considering I was in the agency, I wrote them a letter myself with my disappointment on how they handled the situation. The treatment is totally unwarranted and unprofessional and on behalf of the agency, I want to extend my apologies if any of you have every had to experience that. Totally not needed threating legal action. Just ridiculous.

So now here I am with my children asking me if we can ever fly again. I got my hopes up with the creation of basic med when reading it. I thought wow, well here is a way to get back in the air. Well unfortunately from what I am reading, it looks like since I had to surrender my medical because of my medication, I am sunk. I can't get basic med, heck, I can't even do light sport aviation. There doesn't seem to be any hope of getting back in a plane at PIC. I am on the lowest dose of the medication I can take. I have actually reduced way down, as at one point I was on two antidepressants. I could go off of it, but sometimes I have issues falling asleep and this particular medication helps with that. So, is there any way to get my wings back? Can I ever spin my kids around the pattern again? I function normally, I still have reflexes like a cat. Not sure that matters to the FAA. Every doctor that's not in the FAA is always shocked to hear that my flying privileges were taken away. Blows their minds as it's there to make you feel like yourself again. Which I have done. Thoughts? Any similar stories. I'd be happy just to be able to jump in a cub again and have fun, but from what I can tell, I won't be able to do that again and based on what I have already done, even if I was able to be Antidepressant free, they still would deny me. I have heard it's a MAJOR process, and I am not sure it would even be worth it to try.

Thanks ya'll
 
dairborn said:
Hello all, New here, but certainly not new to the Aviation world at the age of 42. Been around, flew since I was 16 and I have served as a controller, supervisor, and now and Air Traffic Manager with an FAA Tower in Indiana. Haven't flown in many years for various reasons, but now that my kids are older, they are starting to ask me why I have never taken them flying. Mainly, they were too young, and it's just been so expensive to rent, and I just had other stuff going on. Living a different life at the time and I felt like flying was too expensive for man with family obligations. A couple of years ago after I got COVID, I was diagnosed with depression. Was really a rough go as I got the illness pretty badly. With all the stresses that go through life as a controller, it was like my body just said "THATS IT" and everything went nuts. I did everything I could do, but I had to get medication to help myself. I knew that my job as a controller/supervisor was in jeopardy. I had to report everything. Luckily, I was able to take care of myself and I was able to move on to a job that didn't require the need of a medical any longer being hired for two separate jobs as a tower manager before landing permanently here in Indiana. So back to the flying. I hadn't flown in many years, but I always updated my pilots medical anytime I got my ATC medical done. I really didn't think anything about the "flying" consequences about reporting my condition as a controller. It actually took the FAA awhile to figure out I was a pilot too and held two medical qualifications. Well, once they learned I had a pilot's medical, you would have thought I was now labeled as a terrorist. I got the nastiest letter. I hadn't flown in years, yet I was being deemed a threat to the general public and they requested that I surrender my medical immediately. Considering I was in the agency, I wrote them a letter myself with my disappointment on how they handled the situation. The treatment is totally unwarranted and unprofessional and on behalf of the agency, I want to extend my apologies if any of you have every had to experience that. Totally not needed threating legal action. Just ridiculous.

So now here I am with my children asking me if we can ever fly again. I got my hopes up with the creation of basic med when reading it. I thought wow, well here is a way to get back in the air. Well unfortunately from what I am reading, it looks like since I had to surrender my medical because of my medication, I am sunk. I can't get basic med, heck, I can't even do light sport aviation. There doesn't seem to be any hope of getting back in a plane at PIC. I am on the lowest dose of the medication I can take. I have actually reduced way down, as at one point I was on two antidepressants. I could go off of it, but sometimes I have issues falling asleep and this particular medication helps with that. So, is there any way to get my wings back? Can I ever spin my kids around the pattern again? I function normally, I still have reflexes like a cat. Not sure that matters to the FAA. Every doctor that's not in the FAA is always shocked to hear that my flying privileges were taken away. Blows their minds as it's there to make you feel like yourself again. Which I have done. Thoughts? Any similar stories. I'd be happy just to be able to jump in a cub again and have fun, but from what I can tell, I won't be able to do that again and based on what I have already done, even if I was able to be Antidepressant free, they still would deny me. I have heard it's a MAJOR process, and I am not sure it would even be worth it to try.

Thanks ya'll
Click to expand...
Really a shameful situation in many ways.
You can always have a PIC/CFI in the plane, and you can fly it with your kids in the back. A bit more expensive, but may be OK a few times a year.
 
61.23 states

“
  • Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn;”
If OP surrendered medical voluntarily as he stated, he may still be eligible for sport pilot? I don’t think a voluntary surrender qualifies as suspended or revoked.
 
Pilot99B said:
61.23 states

“
  • Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn;”
If OP surrendered medical voluntarily as he stated, he may still be eligible for sport pilot? I don’t think a voluntary surrender qualifies as suspended or revoked.
Click to expand...
Hmmm pretty sure I was told by the FAA turn it in or else. So I think they were telling me the party is over. Now, this is where I say “come on FAA? Really?” I can get in some fancy motor glider and fly but I can’t Jump in a J-3 or Champ and fly? Why? This is the dumbest thing? Really what’s the difference. It’s still stick and rudder? What genius came up with this? This is just where stuff makes ZERO sense. I should be forbidden to drivea car if this medicine impairs me that much. The FAA trusts me to act as a tower chief but nope, you can’t fly a plane. There needs to be more evaluation with how you interact with the meds. Test reflexes and cognitive abilities. I assure you there is no drop off and I could fly and there would never be an issue. Plus I am not flying for hire. This is just out airport hopping around to show my kids what it’s all about. It’s just ridiculous and I am in the profession. There needs to be a whole new way FAA medical deals with medicine. Like taking NyQuil, 60 hour no fly? It was a joke when I was a controller and I still feel stupid telling controller they have to wait that long to get back on the boards. It’s obsurd!
 
Pilot99B said:
61.23 states

“
  • Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn;”
If OP surrendered medical voluntarily as he stated, he may still be eligible for sport pilot? I don’t think a voluntary surrender qualifies as suspended or revoked.
Click to expand...

I believe that's what's known as "betting against the house" ...
 
This wasn't a voluntary surrender. They demanded it back. They had hence already have revoked the medical. The letter has the scare that if you don't send it back they'll pursue legal action to get it.

Of course this scare stuff all dates to the days before the FAA decided that the privacy act doesn't apply to them and disseminates everybody's medical status to the entire world on computers sort of obviating the chance you could misuse the physical certificate.
 
dairborn said:
Hmmm pretty sure I was told by the FAA turn it in or else. So I think they were telling me the party is over. Now, this is where I say “come on FAA? Really?” I can get in some fancy motor glider and fly but I can’t Jump in a J-3 or Champ and fly? Why? This is the dumbest thing? Really what’s the difference. It’s still stick and rudder? What genius came up with this? This is just where stuff makes ZERO sense. I should be forbidden to drivea car if this medicine impairs me that much. The FAA trusts me to act as a tower chief but nope, you can’t fly a plane. There needs to be more evaluation with how you interact with the meds. Test reflexes and cognitive abilities. I assure you there is no drop off and I could fly and there would never be an issue. Plus I am not flying for hire. This is just out airport hopping around to show my kids what it’s all about. It’s just ridiculous and I am in the profession. There needs to be a whole new way FAA medical deals with medicine. Like taking NyQuil, 60 hour no fly? It was a joke when I was a controller and I still feel stupid telling controller they have to wait that long to get back on the boards. It’s obsurd!
Click to expand...

You're trying to apply logical reasoning to FAA Aeromed. Don't waste your time. Life is short and we all have to be selective about windmills at which we'll tilt. The solution to this sort of ca-ca was supposed to be Basic Med, but it got tied to an initial 3rd class by a congress critter.
 
Half Fast said:
You're trying to apply logical reasoning to FAA Aeromed. Don't waste your time. Life is short and we all have to be selective about windmills at which we'll tilt. The solution to this sort of ca-ca was supposed to be Basic Med, but it got tied to an initial 3rd class by a congress critter.
Click to expand...
What sucks is if I had just left my pilot medical alone and let it expire since wasn’t flying for a number of years, I guess technically I could qualify for basic med as then I wouldn’t fall under any of the suspensions or revocation definitions. I definitely could do sport pilot, but even that’s off the table. That’s where this whole thing is flawed! I just hope this is reviewed again at some point. It’s just not right.
 
dairborn said:
There needs to be a whole new way FAA medical deals with medicine.
Click to expand...
Pilots have been saying that for years.

The emergence of Basic Med was a congressional response to remove the FAA from the process, but there are still pitfalls - as the OP has found. I suspect that ultimately getting a medical certification is possible, but NOT by trying to convince the FAA that you don't need to go through their expensive and time consuming process.
 
Well… it’s a long shot, but ya never know. You are in a corner, with nothing to lose. Talk to a lawyer, this is an administrative word parsing exercise…

The FAA (as you well know), likes to say no WITHOUT a reason. They recently lost a case over that. Use that and see if they can cough up a valid reason.

I get about 2 legal threats a year from these idiots, over INTERNALLY lost paperwork. My doc says ignore it, I do, it goes away…. Point is, all the legal posturing doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an involuntary whatever. See what a LAWYER thinks.

Funny, all the legal posturing (all over medical stuff) never finds its way into my medical file… it’s like they don’t want a record of it… geesh.

Get you medical file, see what’s in it, go from there.
 
Sign over the door at OKC:
Abandon_All_Hope_by_Hjoranna.png
 
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