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Old 07-18-2010, 12:18 AM
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Ok ive read ALOT of forums trying to find the answers to my questions and havent found anything that could help...So I have a few questions for yall.Any help is greatly appreciated!
Ill give you a little background first so you can get a feel of where im coming from.
Ive been in the army for eight years. Deplyed multiple times to iraq. I have been diagnosed with ptsd. But its not bad ptsd. Just nightmares every once in a while and a little trouble dealing with the loss of some good friends. They put me on anti depressants, but i stoped using them because i didnt need them. I just needed to talk. Ive been off of the anti depressants for about 8 months. And i feel fine. The doctor says im fine..Will this disqualify me from getting my class 1?
I have also had a traumatic brain injury when i was blown up about 3 years ago. My doc diagnosed me with a benign tonsillar ectopia which means my cerebral tonsils are lower than normal by about 1/4mm. I had headaches for a while after it, but now im fine. No frequent headavches or anything. Will this disqualify me from a class 1 med cert?
Should I get the army docs to write me a letter saying that these issues are no longer a problem or should I just not mention them to the ame? I dont know if i will get disability from the va when i get out in 2 months. I dont want to lie to an ame, but all i want to do is fly.. I got accepted to Embry Riddle and everything is looking up for me and i dont want some little stuff to prevent me from living my dream.
ANY advice is greatly appreciated!!
Spc. Marshall
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Old 07-18-2010, 06:43 PM
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Sorry to hear about the post-combat issues, sounds like you're doing pretty good though.

The PTSD should not be a problem I would think, since it doesn't manifest in a manner which might interfere with flight operations.

Clinical depression would be disqualifying until it is resolved. In the past, all psychiatric medications were disqualifying but you could get cleared after being off the meds for six months or so (and the underlying condition resolved). A recent rule change now allows people to fly while taking certain meds for depression, but the underlying condition has to be controlled.

Sounds like you are OK now as far as depression and meds go. Be advised that airlines may have higher standards than the FAA for new hires, but I think most US airlines will be OK if you are off meds and doing fine.

The TBI might be more complicated...the FA will be concerned with it's affect on your psychological health and mental acuity (memory, reaction times, etc). If it was mild and you have no measureable symptoms I suspect they will give you a medical after some evaluation but I cannot say for sure.

For these issue you really should get help from an aviation medical consultant...if you just go to an AME he may not be particularly helpful. A consultant can advise you on your chances and help you prepare your medical record and FAA medical form. They can also walk you through any required specialist consultations (which I'm sure you will have to do). There are several companies that do this, Virtual Flight Surgeons is one (google).

Also be advised that after all is said and done you will want to have a clean first class medical without any waivers or restrictions (except corrective lenses are OK). You might have to fight them on that, depending.

Also note that the FAA has recently compared records with other federal agencies to find pilots who had FAA medicals but were also claiming disability (which they did not report to the FAA). Some of those pilots are in jail now, so I would be very, very reluctant to lie about anything which the government already knows (ie military medical history). In the past, different agencies never shared notes but now that everything is computerized...

Best of luck with this.
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Old 07-18-2010, 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
Sorry to hear about the post-combat issues, sounds like you're doing pretty good though.

The PTSD should not be a problem I would think, since it doesn't manifest in a manner which might interfere with flight operations.

Clinical depression would be disqualifying until it is resolved. In the past, all psychiatric medications were disqualifying but you could get cleared after being off the meds for six months or so (and the underlying condition resolved). A recent rule change now allows people to fly while taking certain meds for depression, but the underlying condition has to be controlled.

Sounds like you are OK now as far as depression and meds go. Be advised that airlines may have higher standards than the FAA for new hires, but I think most US airlines will be OK if you are off meds and doing fine.

The TBI might be more complicated...the FA will be concerned with it's affect on your psychological health and mental acuity (memory, reaction times, etc). If it was mild and you have no measureable symptoms I suspect they will give you a medical after some evaluation but I cannot say for sure.

For these issue you really should get help from an aviation medical consultant...if you just go to an AME he may not be particularly helpful. A consultant can advise you on your chances and help you prepare your medical record and FAA medical form. They can also walk you through any required specialist consultations (which I'm sure you will have to do). There are several companies that do this, Virtual Flight Surgeons is one (google).

Also be advised that after all is said and done you will want to have a clean first class medical without any waivers or restrictions (except corrective lenses are OK). You might have to fight them on that, depending.

Also note that the FAA has recently compared records with other federal agencies to find pilots who had FAA medicals but were also claiming disability (which they did not report to the FAA). Some of those pilots are in jail now, so I would be very, very reluctant to lie about anything which the government already knows (ie military medical history). In the past, different agencies never shared notes but now that everything is computerized...

Best of luck with this.
Thank you for the quick reply!!I definately dont want to lie.. it goes against everything i stand for. Is virtual flight surgeons a legitimate business? Ive heard of some shady ones out there and i definately dont want to get screwed over. I want to get as many of the required tests done while im still in the army so that I wont have to pay for them out of pocket. I really hope the tbi wont be an issue. I havent seen any memory issues or anything like that so hopefully that will be a non issue. I dont even know if im going to get disabilty from the va or not. I dont really think I need disabilty because im going to get a full time job, i dont really see the point in claiming disabilty if its not a life changing issue. But some people out there are trying to get every penny they can from uncle sam..
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Old 07-19-2010, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Stephen1725 View Post
Thank you for the quick reply!!I definately dont want to lie.. it goes against everything i stand for. Is virtual flight surgeons a legitimate business? Ive heard of some shady ones out there and i definately dont want to get screwed over. I want to get as many of the required tests done while im still in the army so that I wont have to pay for them out of pocket. I really hope the tbi wont be an issue. I havent seen any memory issues or anything like that so hopefully that will be a non issue. I dont even know if im going to get disabilty from the va or not. I dont really think I need disabilty because im going to get a full time job, i dont really see the point in claiming disabilty if its not a life changing issue. But some people out there are trying to get every penny they can from uncle sam..
Join AOPA if not already a member. They offer a medical service for something like $39 to help you get through the process. That's the way to go.
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Old 07-19-2010, 02:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Navajo31 View Post
Join AOPA if not already a member. They offer a medical service for something like $39 to help you get through the process. That's the way to go.
I joined AOPA last night. I sent an email and havent gotten a reply yet. How long does it usually take for them to reply?
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Old 07-19-2010, 02:44 PM
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May take a few days, but AOPA is DEFINATLEY the place to go. You can also try calling them.

The PTSD and meds shouldn't be a problem at all. There was a thread on this board in the last few months about the approval for pilots to take anti depressants, but if you're not on them shouldn't be an issue.

As for the injury history, like others have said it may be a non-issue, or you may have to jump through your ass. Just make sure you have copies of ALL of your paperwork and records. AOPA is a great place to start, next would be an AME, and if all else fails, the FAA. Ultimatley, keep banging down doors until you get the answer you want... or everyone is in agreement with the wrong answer. Good luck.
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Old 07-19-2010, 03:29 PM
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I really hope it isnt an issue. I literally have no problems from it. They just discovered it on a ct scan when i got a concusion. So hopefully they will just waive it. The doc said 1/4mm is almost normal. So its not like its a really bad case of it.
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Old 07-19-2010, 03:31 PM
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Thanks again for all of the advice!
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Old 07-20-2010, 03:12 AM
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Dear Stephen,

Thank you for contacting Virtual Flight Surgeons. We appreciate your interest and inquiry. I will provide you some general information, however, it may be best to discuss the particulars of your situation on the phone.

The key to head injury cases is making sure the clinical details and aeromedical issues are all clearly addressed. When information is lacking, the FAA tends to assume the worst case. As background for instance for seizures, the FAA policy for pilots requires a person be seizure free for 10 years and off anti-seizure medications for at least 3-4 years before being considered for airman medical certification if they have had more than one seizure. If they have only had one seizure, the waiting period is 4 years without seizures and 2 years off medications.

The other issue will be whether there was any bleeding within the central nervous system. The FAA generally requires a two year waiting period prior to certification. In addition the FAA may require specific cognitive testing. So as you can see, I would need to know more of the particulars in order to best answer your questions.

PTSD history may or may not be disqualifying depending on the severity and whether medication is required.

Let me assure you we have assisted many professional and private pilots report such issues. If you are interested in this assistance, the fee for our comprehensive services in your case would be $1100. This covers complete records review clarifying any potential Aeromedical issues, drafting an Aeromedical summary, submitting to the FAA and expediting the review process, and one on one physician advocacy with the FAA Aeromedical Certification Division as necessary. We will also assist you with the first year's renewal of your Special Issuance at no additional charge.

If you would provide me a phone number and good time to call I will be happy to do so. There will be no additional charge for the call. Our normal office hours are M-F 9-4 Mountain time and our phone number is 720-857-6117 or 1-866-AEROMED. Thanks again for using our service. I look forward to speaking with your.

W. Keith Martin, M.D.
Virtual Flight Surgeons, Inc.
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Old 07-20-2010, 03:16 AM
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Ok so the last post was the reply i got from VFS and i had some questions about that. $1100 doesnt sound bad for what they are offering but im new to all of this. What do you guys suggest on this? Should I pay the 1100? And will they come back later and tell me I need more money... Also does getting a special issuance medical certificate look bad for when i go for a job? Im supposed to start at Embry Riddle in Jan, so I dont have too much time to wait for waivers and things like this. What are my options here?
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