U
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My ame deferred my medical. Faa sent request for additional information which was timely provided. Any ideas on the current ( April 2014) backlog?
AggieMike88
Touchdown! Greaser!
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
Dr. Bruce posted on the red board that the wait is 135 days and increasing.
If you have a the right AME who is willing to call OKC, he might be able to reduce your wait.
If you have a the right AME who is willing to call OKC, he might be able to reduce your wait.
Good god....when I started flying it was 8 weeks or so, when I had my deferral incident it as 12. This is way beyond any believable amount (and even 8 weeks was beyond the FAA's one stated goal which I think was around 6 weeks).
We need to grab a dozen sane people to go down there and push out the backlog and then set up a procedure to keep things under a reasonable load.
Either that or just do away with the pointless 3rd class medical.
We need to grab a dozen sane people to go down there and push out the backlog and then set up a procedure to keep things under a reasonable load.
Either that or just do away with the pointless 3rd class medical.
gismo
Touchdown! Greaser!
Perhaps this (the long response time plus the potential cost saving to the FAA) should be added to the official reasons to eliminate the Class III medical for airplanes under 6000 lbs GW. It would be interesting to see what percentage of the backlog would go away.
96gs917
Pre-takeoff checklist
My student only had to wait a year.
A YEAR!!!! You are kidding right? I realize we are talking about the government but how could it possibly take a year. I am scheduled to drop off some info my AME requested this week from my regular Doctor. Now I have to wait a year after that. I was planning on soloing within the next few months but my school will not allow it without my class 3.
Am I screwed?
AggieMike88
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
IIRC, this student had a particular situation that got off on the wrong foot and took a while to get the right doc to manage it and help the file gain traction.
As far as being screwed, much depends on the selection of AME and if he or she is a a paper pusher or an advocate for his airmen.
Definition of a Good AME:
Is a pilot himself
Isn't an AME just because it sounds cool to have the additional accreditation on his shingle.
Is a Senior AME (with a closet full of BTDT T-shirts) who will be a true advocate for his airmen.
Has the OKC Offices on speed dial
Knows the all of the Senior examiners (the 5 or 6 big swinging Docs) by first name.
Prefers to take charge and issue the more challenging certificates "in office" rather than defer and let someone else "deal with it".
Is not afraid to use said speed dial to reach out to said senior examiner and obtain permission to complete the said "in office" issuance.
hannanmike
Filing Flight Plan
succinctly put.. I always believe choosing the right AME is the MOST IMPORTANT part of a medical.. and unfortunately, there is no easy way of correcting a misstep..
JeffDG
Touchdown! Greaser!
They could eliminate the backlog much more quickly by saying "No SIs, you fail, you're done. Thanks for coming out."
CFI-Guy
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CFI-Guy
For a hard data point for you, I have a friend who just got his SI and the wait period was exactly 10 weeks. He submitted all paperwork, they came back and asked for a few additional things which he proceeded to send in the same day they asked. Using the phone number Bruce typically provides, he contacted the FAA to politely inquire about the status quite often, I'd guess around twice a week or so and at least to the point where he was on a first name basis with whomever picks up the phone there.
A deferral doesn't necessarily mean a SI (but a decent AME would probably have headed off a deferral in that case, but there are a lot of hack AMEs out there unfortunately).
Still the FAA admits that there is a problem here. The have their own standard for turn around times that they've not **EVER** met since they established them (I think it's something like 4-6 weeks). Amusingly it's all in the initial queue. I've noticed that once you get assigned a case it tends to get resolved rather quickly when you answer whatever questions they subsequently ask.
The thing appears to be a horrendous mishmash of non-medical contractors, some overworked clerical staff, and a shortage of reviewers. It wouldn't probably take much additional funding to have someone with some operations experience to go there and scrap the existing system and come up with one that works.
One of the real annoying things is that from the time the doc said "yes" at least in the old days, it went to "typing" (Doctors can't type) and then to have the certificate issued (took another ten days or so). A decent document system would issue the "Here's your SI, please stop flying and report any changes, report back in a year" or whatever with a single press of a button on the reviewers desk.
retailguy
Line Up and Wait
For a hard data point for you, I have a friend who just got his SI and the wait period was exactly 10 weeks. He submitted all paperwork, they came back and asked for a few additional things which he proceeded to send in the same day they asked. Using the phone number Bruce typically provides, he contacted the FAA to politely inquire about the status quite often, I'd guess around twice a week or so and at least to the point where he was on a first name basis with whomever picks up the phone there.
This is exactly what happened to me. For me, Bruce earned everything that I paid him, (and then some), because he knew how to navigate the bureaucracy and knew what would fly and what wouldn't.
I was certainly not guaranteed an SI, and getting that SI was the only option.
I can sum this entire thread by saying that we all need an AME. If you're healthy and know for certain that you'll pass the exam, you can use any AME. However, that's not true if there is anything out of the ordinary that you need to explain.
At that point, picking the "correct" AME is invaluable. For the rest of my flying career, who I pick to represent me is almost more important than what I put on the form.
Dr. Bruce had my SI issued and to me within 2 weeks of my visit. He had me a FAXED copy that I could use in the meantime in 48 hours. This was during the time of the Government shut down. I don't think the backlogs were as long as they are currently, but they were certainly longer than a couple of weeks.
U
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Guest
I was the first post here. Got medical a few days ago. The trick I think is to do exactly what the FAA asks you to do and do it timely.
So what was the total elapsed time?
U
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Guest
Total time from ame appointment to medical was about 6 weeks
I can heartily recommend an AME in Grand Junction, CO. Dr. Robert W. Rigg, 970.254.2368. An elderly Doc, steeped in common sense and courtesy, he is a pilot, and his son is an air traffic controller at KGJT. He charges $110.00 for class I, II, or III, additionally, he is an opthamologist making the eye exam easy.