the amnesty part of the SSRI announcement

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So I'll come out and say it, one of the estimated 10,000 pilots with "closet" depression. Long story short, I was leaving aviation anyway due to a pretty severe reoccurence and then the announcement came out like a week later, and before I go I wanted to "come clean" with the FAA.

All the news reports said "pilots must disclose to the FAA within 6 months." What is the process for doing this? Can I send my medical certificate back to the FAA (AAM 300?) for cancellation with my history for entry into the file? Do I do this same thing with an AME or am I supposed to submit a new application with the previously undisclosed info and just wait for the final denial to come in the mail?

Please no flamers. I have felt terrible about this since the beginning, but I had rationalized it under the delusion that I couldn't live without aviation. Well, I've suffered enough and I just want to have my conscience cleared. :(

Thanks for the help.
 
The Amnesty portion was published today. It only makes sense to come clean if you have a certifiable condition.

An example would be transient reactive depression treated with an SSRI but unreported. With a letter from a psychiatrist (which you would have needed anyway had you come clean) you can get this reported, recertified, with no fear of prosecution!

The mechanics: After you are off fro 180 day, go to a state licensed Clinical Psychologist and get a 4 axis evaluation, what you want is "no current diagnosis, history of reactive depression, resolved". If you get that, and you send it in with a letter coming clean, before Sept 30, you'll get a warning and a letter of eligbility, and that's that.
 

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Thanks. So it is only through applying for a new medical. If I know there's no way that I'm going to be recertified and I'm not really looking for that, just the reporting part, do I need to bring any records with me other than the history?
 
Disregard the above post. I reread the doc's and answered my own question. Just stressed enough I'm messing up all over the place.
 
Unregistered said:
Thanks. So it is only through applying for a new medical. If I know there's no way that I'm going to be recertified and I'm not really looking for that, just the reporting part, do I need to bring any records with me other than the history?
Click to expand...
No, it's not necessarily through reapplication. If you have a current certificate, and you get the eval (abnd it's favoarable), and certify return receipt it in, along with a statement of when you were taking the meds.

If you have a few months left on a current certificate, they will process it.

OR, you can go and reapply.

PS I have a request for an opinion from the GA pilots' legal counsel on just this application of the amnesty. I'll let you know what is said.
 
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Thanks. I look forward to the reply.

I'm pretty positive I won't get a favorable recommendation, due to recent events, which is pretty much why I'm leaving aviation altogether. The situation I had envisioned was cancellation of the medical certificate, so that in 5-10 years if I decided I wanted to come back I could just reapply then through whatever means was set up, without anything hanging over my head.
 
To accomplish cancellation all you have to do is let it expire. If you think the situation is that you will end in denial, letting it expire or sending it back without comment will do the job.

Whatever you omitted will still have been omitted, but you never know, maybe in 10 you do sport pilot.....(I know, I know, "toy airplanes" but they are a LOT of fun).
 
That was my main (unspoken) concern about Sport Pilot.

If I let it expire/cancel without comment, I should be able to fly sport pilot later. However, if I wanted to risk getting a medical later down the road, and I reveal the previously unreported stuff, then I'm liable for legal action without the amnesty protection of this 6 month period.

If I reported this stuff at the same time for cancellation, I'm guessing the cancellation would be considered a "revocation" for sport pilot ops?
 
Unregistered said:
That was my main (unspoken) concern about Sport Pilot.

If I let it expire/cancel without comment, I should be able to fly sport pilot later. However, if I wanted to risk getting a medical later down the road, and I reveal the previously unreported stuff, then I'm liable for legal action without the amnesty protection of this 6 month period.

If I reported this stuff at the same time for cancellation, I'm guessing the cancellation would be considered a "revocation" for sport pilot ops?
Click to expand...

They have looked in the past favorably on this sort of cancellation. Why? there is no enforcement to be done. The airman typically gets a letter saying, "as you are not flying now no action will be taken at this time". Then we get guys who reapply next week and get action taken...real smart, huh...looks, quacks, etc? But if you wait five years, they'll just ask for a current status report when you reapply 5 years from now- essentially what you would need anyway for an SI. You would be risking SP at that time, too, anyway.

And the risk is NONE to the pilot cert during the amnesty period.
 
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It doesn't expire until 2013.

So theoretically I could surrender if for cancellation and wait for the cancellation to take effect and then report all the other stuff.
 
Doc,

Just noticed the "edited" changes and just wanted to make sure I'm following this okay. So it wouldn't be a problem to include both the cancellation and the disclosure on the same letter.

Thanks so much.
 
Generally, if you don't reapply promptly....wait until pretty long after your cert would expire.....it results in the mentioned letter.
 
Thanks. So that's the route I'm going to take--sending the cancellation with disclosure off, will be mailed tomorrow, probably won't ever risk reapplying, I didn't do more than sport pilot flying as it was.

You have been such a tremendous help and I greatly appreciate it.
 
Other than questions of conscience what is the advantage to the OP for sending anything in? Wouldn't a better tactical decision be to just let the medical expire and move on and if flying fly stuff that a medical isn't required?
 
The advantage would be not having the sword of Damocles hanging over his head with a false statement to the feds in his past, that if discovered could put the OP into a world of hurt in the absence of an amnesty program.
 
JeffDG said:
The advantage would be not having the sword of Damocles hanging over his head with a false statement to the feds in his past, that if discovered could put the OP into a world of hurt in the absence of an amnesty program.
Click to expand...

Exactly. By doing this, in the future should he qualify for a medical certificate and wish to resume flying with one, he will probably be able to do so.
 
Thanks Tim. In the capable hands of the US Postal Service and the FAA now. Certified return receipt...probably the best $5.54 I've spent in a long time....
 
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