Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Pilot Lounge > Pilot Health
FAA Sending Case/Records to Independent Firm >

FAA Sending Case/Records to Independent Firm

Notices
Pilot Health FAA medical; health topics

FAA Sending Case/Records to Independent Firm

Old 02-27-2014, 07:19 PM
  #11  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: May 2013
Posts: 324
Default

Originally Posted by jabr800 View Post
To Outaluckagain,

Xdashdriver has said it very well!
AOPA is a wonderful organization that does many things for many aviators.
Though they speak the language well (of FAA Medical Stuff), my money goes to Dr. Chien every year, and it gets done the first time Everytime.

He is a SPECIALIST that deals with difficult FAA Medicals and Special Issuances.
That is all he does and he is truly the best.

Not just my opinion, that is the opinion of so many if you look outside this forum.
If your situation can be fixed, he can make it happen.

There are other places that lead you to believe they will get results, but the facts are, Dr. Chien has a better than 99% positive result rate, if he takes your case.

He is one of the very few people the FAA Medical folks consult with on some occasions when new language is written into their policies.
My experience is he knows the FAA stuff better than they do and he will stand up to them when they take a wrong turn on your behalf!

Here comes my opinion if it hasn't already emerged, you can use many other services or AME's and get the slower than molasses responses, and often times the wrong responses, or you can just deal with Dr. Chien and get it done in the BEST and FASTEST possible manner.
My issue was a deferral due to an issue that wasn't really an issue at all. Are you saying this Doc Chien may be contacted after a deferral and he takes it from there even if FAA has not denied me?
outaluckagain is offline  
Old 02-27-2014, 07:36 PM
  #12  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Retired 121
Posts: 52
Default

To Outaluckagain,

I don't like to speak on someone else's behalf, when I really don't know how to do their job, but I can say if Another person is allowed to step in on your behalf Dr. Chien is your guy.

He will converse with you for no charge about your case to give you an idea if he can be any help to you.
If he feels there is a likely positive resolution, you then go on the $$$ clock.

By most peoples standards, his pricing is as good as it gets.
His hourly rate is fair, and since he knows the rules so well, you don't have to pay a large amount of research time to him.

Simplest thing for you to do, would be send him a brief email to start to correspondence with him (again no charge typically to get started), and he will give you the straight scoop.

I'm thinking you are close to a point now where you want your answers straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.

He's a great guy to work with, and if you case is truly from some haphazard AME, and not a medical issue requiring much more follow up and testing, he will probably be able to help you out.

Good luck.
You should have a lot of answers after 2-3 emails!
jabr800 is offline  
Old 03-23-2014, 12:06 PM
  #13  
Gets Weekends Off
 
atpwannabe's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Math Teacher
Posts: 2,273
Default

Give it another month or two. The FAA is going to leave no stone unturned to determine your that your medical condition doesn't impair your judgement.


To Starscream: Love the avatar! I'm a huge fan of the TRANSFORMERS.



atp
atpwannabe is offline  
Old 03-23-2014, 01:03 PM
  #14  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Starscream's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Position: B757/B767
Posts: 180
Default

Originally Posted by atpwannabe View Post
Give it another month or two. The FAA is going to leave no stone unturned to determine your that your medical condition doesn't impair your judgement.


To Starscream: Love the avatar! I'm a huge fan of the TRANSFORMERS.



atp
Thanks for the input. My matter isn't so much a 'condition' as it is a 'history' -- and a one time event still qualifies as 'history.' I had bleeding -- it was cured by surgery. I've been good as new for over a year now.

Also 'judgement' isn't the concern -- it's incapacitation.

Next week will be 4 months since my stuff was sent in. I'm fully expecting at least another month of waiting.

And yes -- The Transformers ruled!
Starscream is offline  
Old 03-31-2014, 09:58 PM
  #15  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: May 2013
Posts: 324
Default Much Appreciated

Originally Posted by jabr800 View Post
To Outaluckagain,

I don't like to speak on someone else's behalf, when I really don't know how to do their job, but I can say if Another person is allowed to step in on your behalf Dr. Chien is your guy.

He will converse with you for no charge about your case to give you an idea if he can be any help to you.
If he feels there is a likely positive resolution, you then go on the $$$ clock.

By most peoples standards, his pricing is as good as it gets.
His hourly rate is fair, and since he knows the rules so well, you don't have to pay a large amount of research time to him.


Simplest thing for you to do, would be send him a brief email to start to correspondence with him (again no charge typically to get started), and he will give you the straight scoop.

I'm thinking you are close to a point now where you want your answers straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.

He's a great guy to work with, and if you case is truly from some haphazard AME, and not a medical issue requiring much more follow up and testing, he will probably be able to help you out.

Good luck.
You should have a lot of answers after 2-3 emails!
Thanks for the input on the issue of deferral. I actually resolved this through AOPA and they called today and said the medical cleared. Glad I called AOPA!!!

Dr. Chien did chat and agreed AOPA was the one for this since my case was so simple. Thanks.
outaluckagain is offline  
Old 04-02-2014, 11:59 AM
  #16  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Retired 121
Posts: 52
Default

Nicely done "Outaluckagain" !!!
It's all in how you play the game.

jabr800
jabr800 is offline  
Old 04-20-2014, 10:24 PM
  #17  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 11
Default

Originally Posted by Starscream View Post
Thanks for the input. My matter isn't so much a 'condition' as it is a 'history' -- and a one time event still qualifies as 'history.' I had bleeding -- it was cured by surgery. I've been good as new for over a year now.

Also 'judgement' isn't the concern -- it's incapacitation.

Next week will be 4 months since my stuff was sent in. I'm fully expecting at least another month of waiting.

And yes -- The Transformers ruled!
Hi Starscream,

Any latest update on your case?

Did you get Dr Bruce involved? What was the outcome?
hannanmike is offline  
Old 04-21-2014, 12:39 PM
  #18  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Starscream's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Position: B757/B767
Posts: 180
Default

Originally Posted by hannanmike View Post
Hi Starscream,

Any latest update on your case?

Did you get Dr Bruce involved? What was the outcome?
I did email Dr. Bruce, asking how long it would take. His response was basically that I'm screwed. If the new batch of Neurology Consultants had their way, no one would ever fly again even after so much as bumping their head getting out of the car.

My denial letter came a week ago.

Long story short, to answer my own question, from the time I got the notice that my case was being forwarded to a consultant until I got a response, 50 days had elapsed.
Starscream is offline  
Old 07-08-2015, 08:11 AM
  #19  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Starscream's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Position: B757/B767
Posts: 180
Default

Hey all,

An update for anyone who is browsing the threads searching for anything neurological:

Contrary to the advise of certain individuals, I kept on pursuing ways to minimize the damage by working with the Consultant in OK. I had also recontacted Dr. Chien, who had me get my Blue Ribbon file from the FAA which contains all internal notes on me (very interesting reads) as well as the report from the other FAA Consultant who recommended a denial. His report was very, very over the top and he has a horrible (i.e. horrible for any pilot seeking certification) reputation with regards to being conservative.

Dr. Chien's recommendation was to stand down, comply 100% with their outrageous demands for follow-up testing, and at the 2 year mark we should be able to get this done.

The FAA Consultant in OK wrote a rebuttal letter to the FAA, arguing against the other Consultant's report. FAA's response was, "Yeah, all valid points. We're going to go with the more conservative opinion. Denial sustained."

Cog screens can be very pricey, however my airline allows our pilots to take the test at no cost at HQ. Given that fact, the Consultant in OK recommended I get a fresh Cog screen done. Even though the FAA indicated that no testing would be accepted before a certain date, we figured there was no harm in getting testing done if it cost nothing.

Did the Cog Screen and this second round of testing was dramatically and exponentially better than the previous one that raised concerns. The Consultant in OK wrote yet another letter, reiterating his original arguments against further imagining studies, and indicating that, at his recommendation, I had done another Cog Screen and the results emphatically indicate normal/above average cerebral function.

Got another letter back from the FAA that began with, "We are unable to establish your eligibility at this time," as apposed to the usual, "We invite your attention to our previous denial letter dated....."

The letter went on to request 2 single items: an MRI and an EEG. That was it. No need for another Neurological evaluation (which we had already done, just not sure they would accept it), no need for further cognitive testing (HUGE win, since the original denial letter demanded a Cog Screen AND full core battery Neuropsychological testing. Finally, they now wanted 1 EEG as opposed to 2. To request 2 was unheard of to begin with, and that was at the recommendation of the Consultant who recommended denial.

That's when I got in touch with Dr. Chien again. We had something to work with, now. He guided me through the final steps. His attention to detail is amazing. He really is a pro at this. I finally went to see him for the 1st Class Exam at the 25 month mark, and he had my paperwork and the discs containing the EEG and MRI studies sent off to OKC that same day.

He followed up with them/me pretty regularly, and my case ended up being sent to the FAA's quarterly Neurology panel (as opposed to just a lone consultant reviewing and opining). I follow up by calling the "Interest Airman" number every other day, and finally the good news came that I had been cleared.

I had them fax me the Medical. No Special Issuance -- was a straight unrestricted. The hard copy plus their letter of eligibility stating the terms/conditions of continued certification (i.e. symptoms of our event re-present and/or you need treatment for anything related to this you are to self-ground, etc. etc.) finally came in the mail some 2 weeks later.

I just completed sim training and my first flight back is in a few days -- some 2.5 years after this all started.

This is really, really a very VERY condensed account of the last year. There was much more to it than this, however the full story could go on for pages. It'd be a short novel. Some impressions on the ordeal.


1. Dr. Chien should be strongly considered by anyone with a potential "difficult case." I didn't think my case was all that "difficult" until reading the denial recommendation by the FAA's other consultant. He certainly made it a "difficult case."

2. AMAS was very helpful in gathering the required info. Naturally, if you've never gone through this, you're going to need help. If you have access to AMAS services through your union, by all means use them to get the ball rolling. You could have Dr. Chien get you started on all of this, as well, but that may end up raising your bill with him since he does charge for his time (except to assess your situation initially).

3. NEVER, EVER take formal Cognitive testing on any level without knowing what you're getting yourself into. These tests are, for the most part, totally unlike anything we're used to and a poor performance, even on one of the sub-tests, can raise all sorts of red flags. Spend a lot of time with Lumosity or other types of Cognitive testing first. I bombed the deductive reasoning part of the test because I didn't get what was going on, and that just led to problems. Being familiar could have saved me a lot of headache.

If I could go back, would I do anything different? Oh hells yea. Without a doubt. I followed some not so great advice along the way and it possibly ended up costing me time/money. Is there any way to get around the 2 year wait? Perhaps -- but it's clearly become very difficult if not damn near impossible. During a time when the FAA has become more liberal with certain conditions (i.e. increased freedom for AMEs to issue on-the-spot as opposed to deferring), they have become much tougher on Neurology cases.

Anyhoo, hope this helps anyone that's unfortunate enough to go through this or anything similar........
Starscream is offline  
Old 07-08-2015, 10:42 AM
  #20  
Gets Weekends Off
 
atpwannabe's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Math Teacher
Posts: 2,273
Default

Starscream:

That's good news. Now get back out there and do what you do best.....FLY AIRPLANES!

atp
atpwannabe is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
vagabond
Safety
2
03-26-2011 10:36 AM
NGINEWHOISWHAT
Major
24
04-09-2009 03:34 AM
forgot to bid
Major
15
11-25-2008 09:21 PM
jared4271987
Flight Schools and Training
10
09-18-2008 07:22 AM
CRM1337
Major
1
10-02-2005 07:12 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices