Originally Posted by
dmk1984
What’s the deal, are you the APC police? I didn’t come for random APC warrior’s personal opinion.
Au contraire. That is PRECISELY what you did. It’s a public forum and you told your story, apparently hoping that one or more “random APC warrior’s” personal opinion would reinforce your denial. It didn’t and you are now demonstrating further defensiveness and denial.
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
I was not driving, I stepped on an electric scooter on private property, fell very quickly and injured myself. The police were there, I didn’t get lucky or “get away” with it.
Nobody accused you of breaking a law. Having a serious alcohol problem DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE BROKEN A LAW. Having a serious alcohol problem is a medical condition that happens - unless appropriately and SUCCESSFULLY treated - to be disqualifying MEDICALLY for flying.
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
I never denied drinking far in excess. I am not claiming the BAC was tampered or something. I’m saying it may not be correct, but I was definitely inebriated.
Any lab test “may not be correct.” But TWO lab tests, consistent with your symptoms, are going to BE ASSUMED BY THE FAA TO BE CORRECT absent COMPELLING evidence to the contrary.
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
I am not denying that HIMS is a very real likelihood or else I wouldn’t be here in the first place. My question is does anyone know of any situation like this?
yes. I know of at least three cases of pilots who had drinking problems identified through hospitalizations not involving DUIs or any lawbreaking whatsoever. Two military and one civilian.
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
The three AME’s say HIMS, (however none of the AME’s said it was a certainty, with no other incidents to show this was anything other than what it was - a stupid mistake) but they cite specific ARRESTS and DUI related instances.
They are unable to say ANYTHING with certainty because IT IS NOT THEIR CALL TO MAKE. It is the FAAs call and based upon the information you provided they can do nothing but defer your case to the FAA. The FAA will require full details of the hospitalization and they will judge you by that paperwork
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
This is a situation in which I over-consumed, big time, and injured myself. There was no arrest because there was no crime.
Again, THERE DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN ARREST OR A CRIME. The FAA definition of substance abuse IS NOT the DSM definition. It includes:
Misuse of a substance that the Federal Air Surgeon, based on case history and appropriate, qualified medical judgment relating to the substance involved, finds:
(i) Makes the person unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of the airman certificate applied for or held; or
(ii) May reasonably be expected, for the maximum duration of the airman medical certificate applied for or held, to make the person unable to perform those duties or exercise those privileges
If you do not believe your case meets these criteria, after hearing from three AMEs that it did, then you are deluding yourself.
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
I’m not a fan of your condescension and overall tone. I came for info, maybe a sprinkling of opinion.
Well, you’ve got it. Info AND opinion. Not condescension but simply treating you like an adult and telling you the truth. You may wish the truth were different, but it isn’t. You are in denial.
Originally Posted by
dmk1984
I have a career, and I have a life. However I’m glad people like me exist so you can spend your evenings educating us on “how it is.” You are a prime example why most intelligent pilots don’t use this page.
Except you HAVE used this forum and you have used it in the past, and from your past postings anyone can ascertain where you are currently working in that career, including your own HR people and CP, and it won’t take them 15 minutes to know who you are.
Now you can handle this one of two ways. If they had you down for Head injury with loss of consciousness with TBI you are probably grounded for six months anyway. Now you can continue in denial until the end of that time, try to get your physical back without going through the HIMS process and only then when they turn you down make the decision if you are going to go through the process and yes, as Rickair indicated, probably either have to give up alcohol or give up flying altogether, or make that decision now while your career is on hold anyway. And if the alcohol is more important to you than the career, you might as well put it off.
But if you are going to have a career in aviation you are going to have to stop the denial and stop seeking support for that denial here in this forum where you indicate intelligent pilots don’t go, and deal with your problem in the only manner that gives you a fair chance of actually KEEPING that career you’ve worked so hard to get.
So it’s over to you, your life, your career. Nobody but you can make that decision. I hope for your sake and for the sake of that family that cares for you and who have made the sacrifices right along with you and who - yeah, deserves to enjoy with you the fruits of those labors - that you make a rational choice. And denial is NOT a rational choice.