New guy

ice_burg

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Oct 30, 2007
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Ca loom by ah Tennessee
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ice_burg
Hello everyone. I just got personally introduced to flying a light sport aircraft 5 days ago. I have a question I would like opinions on. Now I have been introduced to "Doc. Bruce" and "Just Kevin" and they have been a tremendous help. A BIG THANKS to them. :)

I signed up for the 6 month trial thing at AOPA and was going through turbo medical. This is where my question comes in.

1.) Do AME's really require documentation from all hospital visits, no matter how long ago it was for initial certification?

I have had several instances where I was in the hospital for one thing or another as a youngster. And not to mention just normal doctors visits for anything from Diabetes, to the Flu

I am just trying to get a feel for what all I may have to track down information wise, which in turn will let me know when to schedule an AME visit or consultation.

With the things I have dealt with it is easy for me to think I may not qualify, but I am hoping that is just me being anxious about getting to fly on a regular basis.

Thanks for your help.

This is a great place!!
 
1.) Do AME's really require documentation from all hospital visits, no matter how long ago it was for initial certification?
No -- just that all hospital admissions/surgeries (even outpatient surgery), and visits to medical practitioners in the last three years, be listed on the form. If the condition which sent you there leads to further questions, the AME or the FAA will tell you what they need.
 
Welcome aboard Tommy. Ron hit the nail on the head with his answer. You have my number so feel free to give me a call if you have any more diabetic questions. :yes:
 
Thanks for the welcomes everyone. I look forward to future conversations here. I have an endocrinologists appointment at the end of the month and I am going to talk to the Dr. at that time and try to round up everything from that place. I just started to an Ophthalmologist there so I may have to wait a while, unless i can track down my previous one...which has been a while..Then once I have the info, I will make a consultation appointment with an AME and let them look it all over to see how to proceed.
 
Sorry, I missed the part about diabetes. If you are a diagnosed diabetic, you should consult with your AME (or Dr. Bruce if you can get him) prior to applying for the medical certificate. There are extra hoops through which a diabetic has to jump, and you would be wise to show up prepared when you go in for your aviation medical exam and fill out the FAA form for that.
 
Are you planning on flying Light Sport Aircraft only? If so, don't do the medical. If you're going for your private pilot license, then by all means, make contact with Dr. Bruce and hash out all the details. He'll give you the straight and brutally honest answers that you need.
 
Regardless of LSA or Standard category, diabetes requires special handling. Talk to an aviation medical expert before doing anything else.
 
I certainly will. I spoke with Doc Bruce yesterday and he gave me some good information. I will make some more contact with him before my appointment on the 29th. He was very informative and said I could in fact do it. I would like to go for the private license, just so I have the freedoms to pursue IFR and twin ratings after the PPL.

So you guys say talk to Dr. Bruce... I will do that again. He was going to get me in touch with someone but I have yet to receive that information..
 
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Tommy, I'm on the road and my email server is just hiccoughing. I have an email into Allen, but he may be away.

HAve you digested the 172--ff. pages in the AME guide? Get ALL that stuff together BEFORE you go to an AME, really.....you can zap it all to me as you don't want to get denied.

The thing that trips up most of the applicants is "proof of diabetes education". The Surest fire way to get that dealt with is to go to the classes (usually 4 in a row) at your local hospital and get the certificate.

The Opthalmologist visit is a MANDATORY, with a dialated exam, report it on an 8500-7, available on the AOPA site.

You'll need a baseline EKG, a statement of no evidence of coronary disease, and if you're older than 40, a Bruce Protocol treadmill run to 9 minutes or >90% of
(220-less your age) for heart rate.

Then to meet testimony that you can manage a recording glucometer in flight, a letter from a CFI who has watched you do this is the best way to satisfy THAT requirement.

Just punch everything on the list, but DON'T go to an AME until you have. You need TWO hbA1cs, get one now and one after you have the whole package together, so it falls in the "90 days prior to application" period.
 
Yes, I read the document you sent to me and that has helped a lot. I have an appointment with the endocrinologist at the end of this month and I will request they do another A1C at that time to go along with the previous ones.

I am 32 years of age so the EKG thing should be a non-issue, I went to the cardiologist earlier in the year so I should be able to get a copy of those records, though I do not remember them doing an EKG at that time..

Is the treadmill a requirement for everyone or is that only for 40+ yr. old people?

I utilize an insulin pump in case you were not aware. I am not sure if that changes anything or not....

How recent does the Ophthalmologist's visit need to be? I went earlier this year, so if I need to schedule to go back in sooner rather than later, then I will.

At this point I think I just need to collect the physical paper work for most of this stuff.

Now the Diabetes education thing is a sore spot with me because I have been dealing with it for 23 years and controlling it at that. I would prefer to let the test results speak for themselves but I digress. I will if I HAVE to but not if there is a suitable alternative. Which needs to my next question.

What type of documentation is needed to explain all of these answers to the questions for the FAA/AME to review? Are we talking a Dr's letter or just a written statement or Dr's notes or lab results or all of the above? For example, I can log into Vanderbilt's website and download and print all of my A1C and various other protein scans etc for the last several years, but it would not have a Dr's sig. on it...

Once I have what I need i may send the results to you for you to look at before I go.

Can a person schedule a consultation with an AME prior to going on for the actual exam and 8500 form filing?

Thanks for all the help Dr. B

Tommy
 
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Yes, I read the document you sent to me and that has helped a lot. I have an appointment with the endocrinologist at the end of this month and I will request they do another A1C at that time to go along with the previous ones.

I am 32 years of age so the EKG thing should be a non-issue, I went to the cardiologist earlier in the year so I should be able to get a copy of those records, though I do not remember them doing an EKG at that time..

Is the treadmill a requirement for everyone or is that only for 40+ yr. old people? Over 40

I utilize an insulin pump in case you were not aware. I am not sure if that changes anything or not.... Not a thing with me, my first 2 medicals were on shots, the last one on the pump.

How recent does the Ophthalmologist's visit need to be? I went earlier this year, so if I need to schedule to go back in sooner rather than later, then I will. I'll defer to Dr. B as I just don't recall

At this point I think I just need to collect the physical paper work for most of this stuff. Yep

Now the Diabetes education thing is a sore spot with me because I have been dealing with it for 23 years and controlling it at that. I would prefer to let the test results speak for themselves but I digress. I will if I HAVE to but not if there is a suitable alternative. Which needs to my next question. My endo wrote a letter stating I have been educated, no problem. YMMV

What type of documentation is needed to explain all of these answers to the questions for the FAA/AME to review? Are we talking a Dr's letter or just a written statement or Dr's notes or lab results or all of the above? For example, I can log into Vanderbilt's website and download and print all of my A1C and various other protein scans etc for the last several years, but it would not have a Dr's sig. on it... They will want to see Dr. notes from each visit as well as the lab work

Once I have what I need i may send the results to you for you to look at before I go.

Can a person schedule a consultation with an AME prior to going on for the actual exam and 8500 form filing? Yes

Thanks for all the help Dr. B

Tommy

I'm not Dr. Bruce but the red writing above is my experience. Disregard anything I said if Bruce overrides. With most everything we deal with Tommy, YMMV.
 
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Thanks, Kevin. I know you re-hashed some of what we talked about the other day but I was just trying to clarify and get my mind all wrapped around what Dr. B said.

As far as next Saturday goes, i have to be at work at 11:30 PM until noon the following day for some electrical maintenance here at the data center. So, I will have to think about the time I need to be back in by if we are still planning on meeting at the Columbia air port. let me know what you hink

Tommy
 
Yes, I read the document you sent to me and that has helped a lot. I have an appointment with the endocrinologist at the end of this month and I will request they do another A1C at that time to go along with the previous ones.

I am 32 years of age so the EKG thing should be a non-issue, I went to the cardiologist earlier in the year so I should be able to get a copy of those records, though I do not remember them doing an EKG at that time..

Is the treadmill a requirement for everyone or is that only for 40+ yr. old people?

I utilize an insulin pump in case you were not aware. I am not sure if that changes anything or not....

How recent does the Ophthalmologist's visit need to be? I went earlier this year, so if I need to schedule to go back in sooner rather than later, then I will.

At this point I think I just need to collect the physical paper work for most of this stuff.

Now the Diabetes education thing is a sore spot with me because I have been dealing with it for 23 years and controlling it at that. I would prefer to let the test results speak for themselves but I digress. I will if I HAVE to but not if there is a suitable alternative. Which needs to my next question.

What type of documentation is needed to explain all of these answers to the questions for the FAA/AME to review? Are we talking a Dr's letter or just a written statement or Dr's notes or lab results or all of the above? For example, I can log into Vanderbilt's website and download and print all of my A1C and various other protein scans etc for the last several years, but it would not have a Dr's sig. on it...

Once I have what I need i may send the results to you for you to look at before I go.

Can a person schedule a consultation with an AME prior to going on for the actual exam and 8500 form filing?

Thanks for all the help Dr. B

Tommy
Tom, do all the A1c's --just a printout is fine. But the doc's letter has to say just what was in the document. The opthalmologist's report has GOT to be current (90 days prior). Retinopathy can occur within a year.

The treadmill is only if you're 40, or if the cardiogram is abnormal. And your application will hang up without the certificate. Yes, we know you know but the FED want a piece of paper saying you know. If your doc is very interested and good with english, and can write a paragraph, "I have taken care of Tom for the last eight years and he is extremely knowledgeable as to the long term complications, the need of excellent control and the warning signs of poor control. He manages his insulin dosage well and is without a single spell of hypoglycemia in the last four years (or whatever he can say). The problem is this: you doc is NOT a certified Diabetes Educator! I guess I can't educate a patient, only a nurse can. Sigh.

The pump if just fine. They like the medtronic pump. Its' not a net positive, though, the endorgan negatives and HbA1cs are more important, as are the testimonials as to your ability to manage a glucometer in flight. Now if you have the second part of the medtronic system, which displays your value, it'll only take one flight to get the CFI's letter....but you will still need the download of the values quarterly to qualify.

Bruce
 
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Thanks, Kevin. I know you re-hashed some of what we talked about the other day but I was just trying to clarify and get my mind all wrapped around what Dr. B said.

As far as next Saturday goes, i have to be at work at 11:30 PM until noon the following day for some electrical maintenance here at the data center. So, I will have to think about the time I need to be back in by if we are still planning on meeting at the Columbia air port. let me know what you hink

Tommy

No problem, if I was in your shoes (I was about 7 years ago) I'd want a second and third opinion as well. Dr. B has been a lot of help to me when I have questions.

Just send me a PM or give me a call and let me know what will work for you and I'll try to work around your schedule.

Good luck!
 
No problem, if I was in your shoes (I was about 7 years ago) I'd want a second and third opinion as well. Dr. B has been a lot of help to me when I have questions.

Just send me a PM or give me a call and let me know what will work for you and I'll try to work around your schedule.

Good luck!
ice_burg, Kevin is a great resource. Besides, he brings nice beer.
 
Thanks guys, things are starting to become clearer now. I will talk to my endo in few weeks and see what he is willing to help me out with. I will have to get that baseline ekg thing some how and will probably have to have another opthalmology appointment too. I think the 90 days will be over by the end of this month. That is no big deal though. I do use the Medtronic Paradigm pump. I am not using the new stuff just yet that monitors the sugar level too but may soon. My endo. and I work very closely on things like that and he always tells me when to pull the trigger on something that is worth using or not. I ask him about any new treatments or advances in the research and he has been pretty straight forward with me since day 1. He has earned my trust. Now when I go to see him he always asks me to help him with technical problems with their computer systems, usually that he has caused. It is pretty funny. i really can't thank you guys enough for helping me through this. After that first ride in the plane i was just kind of hooked and can't get it out of my mind. I have flown on planes for years but never in a pilots seat...What a totally different experience!!
 
Greetings and Welcome to POA

Good luck and best wishes for the medical road!

You've found a great resource here.
 
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