Getting a private pilots license after 60

John Baker said:
[snip]
The lesson I learned was a major one. No matter how great a pilot you think you may now be, you probably aren't. If your not a 100% positive, take someone with you.

[snip] so it will be a few weeks before I'm good to fly on my own again.

I'll probably have that one eyed guy do the pattern with me a few times first.

John
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And there is the judgement that makes you fit to be PIC! Congratulations again!

John
 
I opened my mail tonight and found that elusive little green piece of plastic from the FAA. It really is official now.......I finally are one. :)

John
__________________
 
Look closely at the pictures on the back. If one of them ain't you, it's a fake.

John Baker said:
I opened my mail tonight and found that elusive little green piece of plastic from the FAA. It really is official now.......I finally are one. :)

John
__________________
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John,

I read this entire thread with bated breath. When you said you might quit and sell your plane I was devastated. Then you got your PPL done and I, literally, had tears in my eyes. I can't congratulate you enough.

My best friend and I both started working on becoming pilots in middle age. I was 48 and he 52. While it was hard work, we not only had each other to practice and commiserate with, but we had nothing like the kinds of obstacles you mentioned. I don't have quite your hours (just under 300 for me) and I have PPL, IA. and ME. Even with those, I doubt that I am as solid on "all the bases" as you. I have nothing but admiration for you.

FYI: Flying was on both our checklists as things to do before we cashed in. My friend died of cancer in 2006 at the age of 54. We had many adventures together and most of our flying was done together. I miss him deeply. I am so glad he got to fly before the end. He had dreamed of taking his wife on certain special trips and show her what flying was like. He got to do that as well.

You are absolutely right when you say squeeze everything you can out of life. You truly never know what, when or where...

BTW: I am a musician by profession. If you ever get up to Vegas, look me up and I will be happy to give you a few piano or guitar lessons. No charge. You deserve every good thing that comes to you.

All the best.

Be Well,

Jimmy
 
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Jimmy, thank you for that really nice post.

I have now hit another hurdle, even though I have my license, my medical has expired. I went in for my full pulmonary work up and I did not do as well as I previously had in some areas. It also turned out that I have bronchitis. They put my on a bunch of inhaler type medications and will test me again in a month.

The pulmonary specialist I saw was very interested in my flying and asked if I knew a friend of his, a pilot named Larry Marshal. Larry Marshal is my medical examiner. The Dr. called Larry while I was sitting there and had a lengthy consult with him, but I could only hear one side of it.

The next day I put in a call to Larry to find out what he thinks I should do, but I have not heard back from him yet. I figure he is waiting for the results of my tests.

As it sits now, I am not so sure about my medical status as far as flying goes. I was surprised he said I had bronchitis because I feel just fine overall. I thought I had a slight cold is all.

I have a buyer for my airplane, but I told him I want to wait while I play this out to the absolute end before I sell.

Your offer to teach me how to play a piano is very generous. Vegas is not all that long a hop from San Diego as the crow flies, so if I work my way through this successfully, I may just take you up on your generous offer.

Thanks again for your very kind words.

John
 
Good luck with this John. I sincerely hope they don't ground you for minor bronchitis.
 
steingar said:
Good luck with this John. I sincerely hope they don't ground you for minor bronchitis.
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Actually, I have had since the beginning, mild COPD and have been flying on a waiver from the FAA. I am not sure what a small downturn in test results will do to my status. Bronchitis can be cured, not so with COPD. :confused:

John
 
Good for you John. Good for you :) :) :)

A small downturn at worst will requrie a treadmill run 6 minutes with pulse oxymetry.
 
John Baker said:
The pulmonary specialist I saw was very interested in my flying and asked if I knew a friend of his, a pilot named Larry Marshal. Larry Marshal is my medical examiner. The Dr. called Larry while I was sitting there and had a lengthy consult with him, but I could only hear one side of it.
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They may be colleagues, but I would have had a big problem with him discussing things with an AME without my explicit consent. Did he ask for your consent? I'm sure he was just getting guidance, but this is your trigger to pull.. not his.

I have nothing to hide, but this is MY medical certificate we are dealing with... and not every doctor is correct, nor is medicine an exact science. Nor does every non-AME physician realize the implications of their diagnoses and therapies - treating a potential/marginal condition aggressively or with certain therapies can cost you a medical where conservative (yet appropriate) might not.
 
Doggtyred said:
They may be colleagues, but I would have had a big problem with him discussing things with an AME without my explicit consent. Did he ask for your consent? I'm sure he was just getting guidance, but this is your trigger to pull.. not his.

I have nothing to hide, but this is MY medical certificate we are dealing with... and not every doctor is correct, nor is medicine an exact science. Nor does every non-AME physician realize the implications of their diagnoses and therapies - treating a potential/marginal condition aggressively or with certain therapies can cost you a medical where conservative (yet appropriate) might not.
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He asked for my permission, I gave it. Whatever I do in this aviation thing, I want to do it properly and honestly. My primary care doctor feels I should have no problem flying, but then, he is not a pilot. The specialist feels the same way, and is also not a pilot. He said he will provide a supporting letter to the FAA with my test results. I have yet to talk to my FAA medical examiner, that would be Larry, who is a pilot.

The FAA medical chief in OKC will be the one who makes the final decision, he is also a pilot. These pilot MDs are going to have a much better understanding of who should be driving a few thousand pounds of aluminum over peoples heads than MDs who are not pilots.

There are probably more issues than me chasing hamburgers in my warrior that goes along with a private pilots license and a medical for it.

In the meantime, I will take all the tests and medications the MDs feel I need until this is resolved one way or another.

No matter what happens, I will know I will have tried my best, and did it without any shenanigans on my part. I will know that should I be sitting in the left seat, I really will belong there.

John
 
I had a bout of bronchitus a couple years ago....a week of antibiotics and I grounded myself until I was happy.

This should serve as a warning to all - don't go for your FAA medical unless you feel really good - even if you think the slight sore throat or tiny cold is irrelevant.
 
John Baker said:
He asked for my permission, I gave it. Whatever I do in this aviation thing, I want to do it properly and honestly. My primary care doctor feels I should have no problem flying, but then, he is not a pilot. The specialist feels the same way, and is also not a pilot. He said he will provide a supporting letter to the FAA with my test results. I have yet to talk to my FAA medical examiner, that would be Larry, who is a pilot.

The FAA medical chief in OKC will be the one who makes the final decision, he is also a pilot. These pilot MDs are going to have a much better understanding of who should be driving a few thousand pounds of aluminum over peoples heads than MDs who are not pilots.

There are probably more issues than me chasing hamburgers in my warrior that goes along with a private pilots license and a medical for it.

In the meantime, I will take all the tests and medications the MDs feel I need until this is resolved one way or another.

No matter what happens, I will know I will have tried my best, and did it without any shenanigans on my part. I will know that should I be sitting in the left seat, I really will belong there.

John
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Just keep in mind that the NON-AME doctors might do things that make your case much more difficult then it should be at nearly no increase in safety. Whereas the AME MD can help steer you in the direction that decreases your hassle while keeping you safe.
 
jesse said:
Just keep in mind that the NON-AME doctors might do things that make your case much more difficult then it should be at nearly no increase in safety. Whereas the AME MD can help steer you in the direction that decreases your hassle while keeping you safe.
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True, there is the possibility here that the non AME cardiologist was consulting with the AME on exactly these matters. If you really have issues, it is not necessarilly in ones best interest to keep your practitioner separate from your AME. It would be better expending that energy making sure you have top notch both.
 
Henning said:
True, there is the possibility here that the non AME cardiologist was consulting with the AME on exactly these matters. If you really have issues, it is not necessarilly in ones best interest to keep your practitioner separate from your AME. It would be better expending that energy making sure you have top notch both.
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I have to agree with that. I do not believe anyone wants to ground me if I am safe to fly, including the folks in OKC.

John
 
John Baker said:
I have to agree with that. I do not believe anyone wants to ground me if I am safe to fly, including the folks in OKC.

John
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Agreed. The Aero-News podcast special feature on 10/4/10 was a discussion with a pilot who needed to get a new medical unexpectedly, and his surprisingly (to him) positive experience with OKC. http://www.aero-news.net/news/featu...1b3390c-2175-4943-a2bd-3c754ed166af&Dynamic=1 It was also informative because I learned that apparently there is no way to get a copy of your medical if it is lost or stolen. You need to go to your AME, retake the medical exam, and get a new one.
 
A few hours ago, I called the medical standards office in OKC. They told me my medical certificate is in the mail, and I should be receiving it this week. I can hardly believe it, I am finally a full fledged private pilot, er.....begining pilot. My medical expired three days after I passed my check ride. I've had to go through several hospital level pulmonary work ups during that time, and a whole lot of anxious waiting.

I've been flying regularly with my instructor, so I am completely current except for night landings. I flew my Warrior (with my instructor) at 12,300 feet for over thirty minutes a few weeks ago, just to see for myself how my lungs are, nothing changed, I'm fine. I rarely fly above eght thousand five hundred anyway.

It appears to be over, for now. I guess it still means nothing until I have it in my hand though. What a ride, almost seven years and countless dollars. I don't know if I'm just stupid or stubborn, probably both. It is finally almost done.

John
 
John Baker said:
A few hours ago, I called the medical standards office in OKC. They told me my medical certificate is in the mail, and I should be receiving it this week. I can hardly believe it, I am finally a full fledged private pilot, er.....begining pilot. My medical expired three days after I passed my check ride. I've had to go through several hospital level pulmonary work ups during that time, and a whole lot of anxious waiting.

I've been flying regularly with my instructor, so I am completely current except for night landings. I flew my Warrior (with my instructor) at 12,300 feet for over thirty minutes a few weeks ago, just to see for myself how my lungs are, nothing changed, I'm fine. I rarely fly above eght thousand five hundred anyway.

It appears to be over, for now. I guess it still means nothing until I have it in my hand though. What a ride, almost seven years and countless dollars. I don't know if I'm just stupid or stubborn, probably both. It is finally almost done.

John
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Congratulations!!!! Your persistence is an inspiration.
 
Good to hear. You should go get music lessons from that guy in Vegas. And do all the other stuff folks do in Vegas. Problem is, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. You don't want your Warrior to stay in Vegas. I had a plane stay in Fostoria once.
 
Baby steps. I had already planned to go up with my instructor this Sunday, so that is what I am going to do. The weather is not going to be all that wonderful anyway, so we can still go IFR if it's not too thick. I haven't flown in three weeks so I think this is probably a good idea. I'm old, I don't have to prove how brave or great I am anymore. Sides, I've already done that dance, a long time ago.

John
 
Congratulations, John! I know that was an extremely hard fought battle, and it took a lot to persevere!
 
Well, I got it in the mail last night. It is only good until November 30, this year. At least I have most of the year I can chase after hamburgers. They want a whole passel of new tests around October 1st. I guess this is the way it's going to be until I hang it up for good.

I'm working by myself now, so I only get Sundays off, or I can fly for a little after work. I'm not big on single engine night flying in this area.

Years ago, when I bought my first sailboat, it rained every weekend through most of the summer. This is San Diego, that never, ever, has happened before, but it did the year I bought a boat. I went sailing anyway.

So, in all probability, crappy weather will prevail in San Diego every Sunday from now to November 30. Just doing my little part to help end the drought.

John
 
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