Lobbying for SI reform

AlphaWhiskey

AlphaWhiskey

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AlphaWhiskey
10 weeks after the FAA confirmed receipt of all of my paperwork for my two year SI renewal for taking an SSRI that I've been stable on for a decade, still no response. My AME, who has done this for years and been very successful at SIs, admits he is feeling "helpless".
As a physician myself, I am utterly disgusted with how I have been treated throughout this process. I call OK and they say call DC. If the DC guy isn't there, I can't leave a message. When I do reach him, he says it is "in review". The appointments and testing cost thousands of dollars a year.
I'm hoping 3rd class medical reform helps, but I'm posting to ask whether anyone can suggest an individual who is lobbying on our behalf for SI reform that we can get behind and add our voices, maybe someone at AOPA or EAA?
Thanks in advance, and sorry for the rant.
 
Are you familiar with Dr. Bruce Chien? www.aeromedicaldoc.com. He's a senior AME as well as a CFII, and was part of the team that WROTE the current SSRI rules. Prior to his input any history of SSRI use was completely disqualifying. If there is any way to speed your process or fix what may have been screwed up to this point, Doc Bruce can do it. I strongly recommend contacting him at his web site, or he also maintains a confidential help form on the AOPA Web Site if you are a member.


I'm not sure, based on reading his latest info on the web site, if he can do anything to speed this up, but it might be worth a try.
 
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Another vote for the aeromed branch being one of the worst in govt. Unresponsive, capricious, ever-expanding, and ineffective.

My few interactions have been 100% bad. The civvie pros who work with them regularly have zero respect for the group.
 
I would launch a separate campaign for release from the SI from your actual SI renewal. It was after one of those that I got a statement from my AME (who termed it literally "a bull**** diagnosis" and once again a simple layout of the supporting evidence that I never had (despite an initial screening test that was false) the condition for which they had me on SI. Mailed it in separately and low and behold mid cycle I got a letter back saying "OK, you don't have X but if you ever do get X stop flying and let us know immedia tely" (like that was a likely event, but that is the closest the stooges in Joklahoma city were going to come to admitting they misunderstood the original submissions five years earlier (coupled with an AME that I found out from talking to Dr. Bruce should have probably had his designation whacked for some of the things he did).
 
I could have a conversation with you about how to submit the SI. Blindly sending to OKC is a mistake. You'd be better served by a regional flight surgeon's office. Work with that office's program analyst from the start to keep your file from entering the mill.
 
Once a file has been picked up by the OKC reviewer rotation you're kinda stuck. The key is to prevent that from happening.
 
Best thing that happened to me and my migraine SI (actually cluster headache, but FAA keeps calling it migraine...) was having a cluster during my PP check-ride, and the examiner never knew about it. Pretty clearly establishes that I can continue to fly to an appropriate level while impacted by the headache.

When I sent in my SI paperwork that year, I added a letter to that effect, and instead of renewing my SI, they sent me a Letter of Eligibility, releasing me from my SI entirely.
 
JeffDG said:
Best thing that happened to me and my migraine SI (actually cluster headache, but FAA keeps calling it migraine...) was having a cluster during my PP check-ride, and the examiner never knew about it. Pretty clearly establishes that I can continue to fly to an appropriate level while impacted by the headache.

When I sent in my SI paperwork that year, I added a letter to that effect, and instead of renewing my SI, they sent me a Letter of Eligibility, releasing me from my SI entirely.
Click to expand...

Is that different than SODA? When you do your renewal do you continue to disclose the past SI or how does that work?
 
mrkbbd said:
Is that different than SODA? When you do your renewal do you continue to disclose the past SI or how does that work?
Click to expand...

Previously reported, no change...have the letter from FAA that says "you are eligible..." too
 
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