Do not fill out any MedXpress form on the website.
Find a Senior AME in your area.
Visit the AME for a CONSULTATION.
The AME will then provide direction for you to follow for a Class 1/2/3.
Your other option is to take up sailing.
1. Schedule a CONSULTATION with a senior AME and do NOT fill out any MedXpress application. This keeps it unofficial and no clocks start ticking.
2. For that consultation, bring along a concise, factual summary of the conditions/events you posted above, without any of the editorializing. If you can send that in advance, it will help the AME better prepare for the discussion.
3. Come prepared to the consultation ready to write down what items will be required for next steps. Understand that you are in RECEIVE mode. There is no debating or negotiating with the FAA or AMEs. They don't care what you think makes sense and the AME has a duty to the FAA and the general public, not you.
4. Do not get medical advice on the internet and stop posting medical information in public forums. Sure as hell don't get advice from the festering pit of misinformation that is Reddit.
If the only kind of flying you're interested in is professional, paid flying, then get your medical stuff sorted out before you spend any money on lessons.
If you know you want to be a pilot, even if it turns out that you can only fly recreationally and can't be a paid pilot, then I suggest you look into Sport Pilot, which you can start today with no medical requirement. With the passage of MOSAIC, Sport Pilot is a great choice for recreational flying that you can easily upgrade into higher tiers once your medical is sorted out. Be aware that Sport Pilot ceases to be an option if your medical is denied (which can only occur if you submit a physical in MedXpress; hence the consultation advice).
Stop over thinking it.
1. Schedule a consultation with a HIMS AME.
2. Discuss your situation.
3. Do what he says.
If you are denied you ain’t flying anything but gliders or ultralights
Flying under sport pilot with the new rules is almost the same as a 3rd class anyways.
Sport pilot uses your drivers license. You could do that NOW
You will probably have 6mo at least before you can get the 3rd
If you apply and get denied you’re grounded
OR you start training now under sport, while logging the pee in the cup for 6mo or whatever BEFORE you submit a med express full on application, and you end up not being held up at all in your journey.
If that makes sense
An AME, or at least someone at an AME responded to me, and I followed up in response with this:
Evel Kneivel responds:
"Thank you so much for the response
Just to confirm, as someone who is unknowledgeable about this whole process, I noticed you used the word "examination" to describe a visit.
Just to confirm, do we mean 'consultation'? I have been advised by non-AMEs (i.e., I haven't spoken to professionals) to not do any MedXpress forms anytime soon and not start any clocks counting down.
I believe I have virtually all the documents you could need already ready to go.
I assume whether or not an AME looks at anything I send prior to the hypothetical consultation and/or examination, I could send all the documents electronically ahead of time so they are ready for him at his leisure?
If we moved forward, would I be meeting face to face in-person for exams and stuff super often? I do not live super close to [Insert city], but it is by far the closest location to me. I realize I would likely also have to see third-party providers regularly, AND I would need to be going to LabCorps and/or Quest, and/or someone else for routine alcohol and drug testing, probably. Those are very common and I am not worried about short frequent trips for those sort of things, and I am somewhat prepared for infrequent trips requiring traveling much greater distances."
They responded back:
"The FAA requests that we do not perform “consultations”. We can provide general advice, as per the previous email. Anything that is specific to you would be done in the context of a medical examination for purposes of certification and includes the application on MedXpress.
I am not aware of any AMEs who do perform the kind of personal consultation you are describing outside of the certification process, specifically because the FAA discourages it.
I am not sure what people are telling you about “clocks counting down”, but you cannot progress forward with the FAA without completing the examination. They will not look at any reports, files, letters, diagnostic imaging, etc. on any individual who has not already had an examination. While we can provide some general guidance of what to expect, the FAA will not formally commit to what documentation you must submit or tests you must undergo until you have had an examination. The examination is what starts off the process.
“Not doing any MedXpress forms any time soon” only delays the process, for the reasons noted above. That is bad advice. Waiting will not make the FAA less interested in what happened and how you are recovering from it.
In terms of frequent trips, if the FAA decides that you should be in the HIMS program, there will be frequent check-ins. My understanding is that these can be over Zoom, telephone, etc.
I hope that is helpful."
Evel Kneivel responds:
"It was alleged to me that there is a sixty day period once you file MedXpress, and there is no way to fit in six months or 12 months of HIMS drama into sixty days, so you shoot yourself in the foot if you begin the clock and then you are stuck appealing a denial"
Finally, they said back:
"You’re getting bad advice with half truths.
You will be deferred by the AME at the end of the physical. That is not the same as a denial, but the AME will refuse to issue the certificate and forward your application and exam to the FAA for their consideration.
The FAA will send you a letter telling you either that you are not generally qualified, or that they cannot determine if you are qualified, and what you need to do in order to potentially qualify under the Federal Air Surgeon’s discretion.
That process can take a long time. Six months to a year is not unreasonable.
However, that six months to a year will NOT start until you have an examination by an AME and are deferred by the AME. There is no way to “get ahead of it”. Anyone who is recommending that does not know what they are talking about. The deferral triggers the process with the FAA. No deferral, no FAA consideration. Period.
Your examination remains valid for the statutory duration. So, if you applied for a third class medical certificate, your exam is valid for 5 years. If it takes a year from the date of the exam for the FAA to issue your certificate, you will end up with a certificate that is valid for 4 years. In other words, it will expire on the exact same date as it would have if you walked out of the AME’’s office with a certificate in your hand."
I, Evel Kneivel, said back:
"Thank you so much, sir, for the generous use of your time with these messages. Regardless of the validity of the things I was told by armchair experts and fellas at the municipal airport, I am certain I did not do a great job regurgitating everything I was told, so some or all of this confusion is undoubtedly my fault. I really apologize for wasting your time.
My head is still spinning trying to digest everything I have learned. I think I am very interested in attempting to obtain a first-class medical certificate. I expect this may cost thousands of dollars, and flying is important enough to me that, depending on what the price may ultimately be, I am prepared to spend a lot of money. Although I understand we cannot yet know with certainty exactly how extensive the total damage may end up being.
I still need to carefully reread everything you said and process it all alongside what I have been told by others. I cannot remember whether you instructed me to send over my full chronological history, but rereading your messages will answer that, and I will follow your directions accordingly.
Apologies for the scattered nature of this email; it has been a crazy day.
Again, thank you!!"
And at least for now, that is where the messages end.
I hope by posting what he said here, that isn't a faux pas. If he somehow by chance is incorrect, my goal
IS NOT to defame or otherwise embarrass him in any way. It was incredibly generous of him to speak with me and give me information.
Thank you all!!
thepilotlawyer.com
