Special Issuance-Coronary

[sbussman]

On January 31, 2005, I overnighted my request for an authorization for special issuance due to a heart attack and insertion of a stent. My paperwork should be in order and my prognosis is excellent. AOPA makes inquiries to the FAA every Friday starting 30 working days out. What impact, if any, would Congressional inquiries have on the process? Does the FAA operate on a FIFO system or do easy ones get cleared more quickly? Although I occasionally fly with an instructor, this aviation purgatory is killing me.
In the future, is there anyway to shorten the downtime? Can my cardiologist or AME send my records to a specific person? Is there a list of people reviewing records that my cardiologist, AME or myself could obtain?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bbchien]

Whoa Doggie.
Congressional inquiries will result in heel digging. You may get processed faster but it could be into the out pile, if your ejection fraction is not perfect and the thallium dipyridamole isn't perfect (or the treadmill isn't to 100% of age determined Vmax) the rules can be made to apply quite stiffly to you.

It operates on a FIFO provided you don't have to go to physician review. If you have to go into physician review, then you enter a second FIFO line.

No you can't send records to a specific person. IF you become the AME's "project" case he may be able to get your file reviewed manualy. However, here are some basics.

(1) I have several files that are three weeks old and haven't even been scanned into the Xerox document scanning/mgmt system yet.
(2) It is only by personal intervention by the luck of having met some of these gentlemen face to face in an association venue, that one of these is getting hand reviewed.
(3) No AME dare use his calling card too frequently.

If you are not yet scanned, they can't even talk about your file. Has you file entered the document system yet? Did you have your name and SSN on every page? Are the Dipyridamole images hi resolution color copies?

Senior AME with a whole bunch of tough airmen cases.

 

[CaptainChuck]

If it takes a year to get anything done with OKC it's a wonder anyone with experience is left to fly the airliners.

A retired airline captain told me the pilots had two doctors - one for the regular stuff and one they paid in cash for things that might be of interest to the FAA.

It seems only the clueless and the spring chickens tell all.