pvermilyea1

Thanks for your response. I wasn't expecting thousands of people to see my post, but rather if anyone else was having the same troubles I was and searched online then they would find my post, and know if this is an isolated problem, or a trend.
My son's vision is about 20/80 in the bad eye with correction (20/200 without), but normal uncorrected vision in his good eye. So it seems plausible to get a class 2 license with a special issuance. Unfortunately his AME never mentioned that, and recommended he apply for a class 3 license. Now that we read about the special issuance option, we want to change it to a class 2 application. I was hoping Leftseat would have guided me better from the start on all this so I wouldn't be in this position.
So now we can either:
1) Abandon the current FAA application for the class 3 license and PI number and start all over again from scratch to apply for class 2. (but would this confuse the FAA?)
2) Complete the class 3 license request and if approved, the next day begin the class 2 application with another medical exam, and possibly have to pay another consulting fee to Pilot Medical Solutions for the new submission.
3) Complete the class 3 license request, and then try for a class 2 approval on my own.

It has been difficult getting guidance on this from Pilot Medical Solutions, and in fact getting emails or returned calls has been somewhat problematic. I wish they had advised us more carefully on this process.

Yes, you guessed it- he took 2 weeks of ADHD meds when he was 7 or 8 years old. So we just flew to Oakland, CA and spent $3,500 on a neuropsych exam from someone who specializes in FAA documentation. By the way, she was very good (www.absoluteceiling.com), and wrote in her report he is good to fly and he's normal.
But maybe I should have contacted this forum first for advice on how to proceed instead of getting frustrated waiting to hear back from leftseat on what i should do about the class 3 vs. class 2 application. Any advice you have would be appreciated, though.
This process has been mentally exhausting for me!

pvermilyea1

Thanks for the comments. I posted this not expecting thousands of people to see it, but rather if other people experience the same problem I have with a consulting firm, it would be good to document it so others searching for information can find it. It's also good to know if I'm an isolated case or a trend.
My son's vision is 20/60 or so with correction in one eye (20/200 uncorrected), but normal vision in the other eye. I wish Pilot Medical Solutions had advised us that he could get a special issuance for this and could still possibly qualify for a class 2 (or 1) license. But since they didn't say anything, my son's AME recommended a 3rd class license, and we went along with that suggestion. Now that I've read online about monocular pilots with 1st class licenses, we are at a crossroads as to what to do.
I think we have 3 options:
1) Abandon the 3rd class application with the FAA and PI number, and see the AME for a 2nd class application, starting all over again. This might confuse the FAA though why he is starting over.
2) Complete the 3rd class application, with the help of Leftseat, and if approved, then the next day get another AME for a 2nd/1st class license, and possibly have to pay another fee to Leftseat for a new application.
3) Complete the 3rd class application, then start working on a 2nd/1st class permit on our own with no consultant.

Yes, you were correct - my son took ADHD meds for about 2 weeks when he was 8 (they didn't do anything), so we flew to Oakland to get a comprehensive neuropsych exam ($3,500) from someone who specializes in FAA testing. He passed with no problems, and she gave him a positive review and recommended him to fly.

Maybe I should post my question elsewhere on the forum, but i thought it was important to let others know of my disappointment with Pilot Medical Solutions so far. If they hit a home run and impress me with their service, I can always provide an update, but so far communication and guidance has been disappointing.

Maybe some readers on the forum can help me make the best move going forward. Thanks for your help.

Excargodog

I'm going to send you a personal message. Won't cost you a dime and probably worth every cent of it, with what I WOULD do in your case. Feel free to do that or ignore it. It won't hurt my feelings a bit,

atpwannabe

HSLD...."if truer words were never spoken!" Man, that's a tough pill to swallow. pvermilyea1...hang in there buddy! You're in for the fight of your life. Stick with it though.


atp

pvermilyea1

Yes, thanks for the words of encouragement. So far this process hasn't been cheap. (but no one has ever said flying is a cheap hobby, right?) It has cost about $5,000 for clearing up medical issues alone (several erroneous childhood diagnoses).
But he's got 18 hours of flight time so far and he's loved every minute of it, and if we can get through all this it will be very cool, and if he can be a pilot for a profession, that will be even cooler.

rickair7777

Go for a first class, it's almost impossible to have a decent career without one. Airline FO's can fly with a 2C, but will need a 1C to get hired (airlines desire to hire future captains, never career FO's). If he get's a second as a consolation prize, then he can consider career options in 91.

MugsyMD

Getting a medical back can be a trick - but NOT really. Essentially as long as there is a case history of someone else having had a SI - special issuance - then you can get your medical back through a SI - and honestly do NOT be concerned - granted some issues can be a pain such as being on an Antidepressant medication, having had a DUI, .... these issues do require certain FOLLOW up conditions - and honestly this should NOT be a problem - because the FAA sends YOU the pilot a letter - and you just need to follow the letter to the 'T' and follow every numbered item on that letter -

PLUS, you want an AME that has been trained to deal with the FAA - and if you did not already know - most of the FAA docs are AEROSPACE MEDICINE Resident trained - and this is a SMALL bunch of people - so KNOWING an AME who is ALSO Aerospace Medicine trained - LIKE ME - those are the docs you want to see.

So, IF you want to know and you NEED HELP - come see me - I am opening a FAA medical practice in Orlando - LAKE NONA - just south of the airport - a 5 minute uber ride - and hopefully I can help

see https://FAAaeroMed.com

I am here to help and to make things work for you so that if you can get an approved SI - then you can get your class 1 med certificate back.

Brad
aka Mugs from my F-14 flying days - yes I am one of you

atpwannabe

My financier, my Dad, spent about 22K & I still got denied. I was diagnosed by the Chief Psychiatrist with ASPD, anti-social personality disorder, which is a permanent disqualifier. He said that my law enforcement entanglements were drug related. I wrote back and told him that that was "ludicrous and absurd". One of my HIMS evaluators said, Marcus, you NEVER tell the Chief Psychiatrist that his findings are ludicrous and absurd. But, I did. What gets me is that he suggested that I go the SI route, and I went above and beyond what was needed. Personally, I think he made a personal decision concerning a professional matter. JMO though!

Moving forward, I just re-petitioned the new Federal Air Surgeon to review my file. Not interested in flying for a living anymore. Just wanna get my 3rd Class and do some pleasure flying. We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, stay focused, think logically and sequentially. All the best my friend.


atp

Pilotchute

Hello everyone.
I just got a a special issuance for one of the mentioned conditions above.

I have the right to work in the US but never have. Do I have to tell my employer I am on the HIMS programme? My issue wasn't drugs or alcohol.

Thanks

rated

Medical issues are rarely satisfying and the federal government guarantees aggravation. Since this post, I have had several friends who have used David Hale's Pilot Medical in Oklahoma. They all said they would use Pilot Medical again; and they all said it was a painful process that would have been much worse if they had to do it alone.