Do most primaries know what could cause trouble on the FAA medical exam? Why is it bad to just go get the FAA medical exam "blind"? What can go wrong?
Unfortunately, many students don't get the advice we discussed in that other thread and "bomb" into the AME's office unaware that past DUI infractions, run-ins with the law, getting fed Ritalin as a kid, and other items are issues that the FAA has a high concern about. So yes, many do report the the AME "blind" as you say.
When they have knowledge going in (aka "own your medical" as Dr. Bruce Chien likes to say) then the process is easy and even if the situation requires a Special Issuance, the process can be expedited and you walk out with a medical certificate.
When you don't have the knowledge, and bomb in, you run the risk of having the medical denied. And when denied, you flying plans are pretty much done for. There is an appeals process, but it's time consuming and can be a big dollar cost.
When you are denied, you also loose access to flying under the Sport Pilot rules.
Unfortunately, most of the "bombing blind" airmen don't find out about all of this until they have spent 15-20 hours of aircraft and instructor rental (perhaps as much as $3000 and more) and are ready for solo. All because training before solo does not require a medical certificate, and the CFI was (unfortunately) clueless in advising them of the medical requirement, nor did the CFI ask questions related to 18a-18y on the medical form.
For many of the "young-uns" these days, they don't visit their doctor as often as the perhaps should be. "I'm young, appear healthy, and feel fine" sort of ignorance. Sure, you might actually be okay, but what if there is an underlying something hiding itself? Something that one day could do real harm.
For me, my pre-AME doctor visit discovered Diabetes Type 2. And fortunately at a very early stage of the disease. This is a condition that is not certifiable right out of the box, but can be a Special Issuance as long as I prove proper control, which I am.
So for me, my desire to learn to fly saved my life, limbs, and eyesight.
As said in the other thread, the objective of visit your family doc first is to preserve your priviledge of flying under part 91 or Sport Pilot rules. Let your family doc find the item that the FAA says
to and help bring it under control so that when you do visit the AME, you bring all the required documentation that makes the FAA happy.
If it is a DUI or law enforcement encounter thing, you have time to go get the required police and court documents, again, being able to bring a complete set of records that will make the AME and FAA happy.
To summarize, do the medical items as we have discussed here and in the other thread, and it's a much simpler event. Go bombing in blind, and you run the risk of making this much more difficult than it needs to be.
This was a great question.... Keep asking more like that!!
