Medical certificate question

[Jester2]

I am a Marine that was going through jet flight training and was NPQ'd from flight training due to medical reasons. More specificaly, I had to start taking anti-depresants which was an automatic medical disqualification. Before I joined the Marines I earned my commercial pilot license and instrument rating but am not current with either and have let my medical certificate expire. I want to continue flying in general aviation with the hopes of buying an airplane in the not to far future. I will be getting out of the Marines pretty soon and want to get recurrent. I have been reading through part 67 and have found nothing stating that being diagnosed with depression and taking anti-depressants would disqualify me from getting a second or third class med cert. You obviously can't be bi-polar, but it doesn't mention regular depression. Are there any Medical examiners or pilots in similar situations on here that could give me some information on this? Is it a case by case situation, or do I not have to worry. The FARS aren't very specific, they're pretty straight forward. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sydeseet]

Your best bet is to call an AME. The bad news is that he is going to tell you that a history of clinical depression and/or the use of most anti-depressants is disqualifying. This has been discussed here several times so running a search will net you some more information.

Sorry about your situation.

 

[Jester2]

Yeah, I should have done that before I posted the question. I have found some FAA websites that state the regulations regarding this subject pretty clearly. Right now I just need to decide if I'm ready to get of the medication and start the waiver process. When going through previous posts on this subject I was suprised to discover how many other pilots have been in similar situations, in a way it's comforting to know I'm not the only pilot that is or has had to take anti-depressants. All I know right now is that I'm going to play by the rules and hope that everything works out for the best. Aviation has been a part of my life for so long I'm going to feel kind of empty inside if I can never fly again.

 

[apcooper]

You will not be permitted to fly if you are on anti-depressants. You will need to be off the meds for at least 90 days and then get a letter from your doc stating you are stable and no longer require the meds. Should not be too bad if you are able to function without meds. Keep us posted.

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

Jester,

Sorry to hear about your situation. I agree with what has been said above but I'm going to make a suggestion. If you consult an AME, consult an AME other than your own. Just get some advice anonymously. I'm not suggesting that you lie on a app but there is nothing wrong with self-regulation either. Figure out your problem, take care of it, and then renew your medical. I had a friend with a disqualifying problem. On advice, she consulted her AME and then, shortly thereafter, received a letter from Oak City asking her to surrender her medical. She ran out of money getting tested to get her medical back... never did. Also, you might try AOPA or one of these sites:

http://www.aviationmedicine.com/index.html
http://www.leftseat.com/

There is another that I'm thinking of that might be of use to you but I can't come up with the name right off. If I think of it, I'll pass it along. Best of luck to you!

cc

 

[apcooper]

Jester,

she consulted her AME and then, shortly thereafter, received a letter from Oak City asking her to surrender her medical
cc

Why did she get a letter asking her to surrender. According to FAR 61.53 you are only required to notify to FAA and get permission if you plan to fly with a specifically disqualifying condition. If you have a DQing condition and choose not to act as PIC then there is no need to notify the FAA until you renew your med after it expires. As the previous poster rightly stated, please do not lie on any FAA forms.

A word about surrendering your certificate. If the FAA asks you to do this you actually do not have to do this unless it is done under emergency revocation or voulintarily by you. Many a pilot has gotten burned by this. If you get a letter asking you to surrender an airman or med cert it would be best to consult an aviation law attorney and discuss the matter. Please read these series of articles about this subject. You might learn a lot.


Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. Do not use anything I say as a legal advise. I easily could be wrong about anything I have posted above. Gotta CYA!!!!

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

Why did she get a letter asking her to surrender. According to FAR 61.53 you are only required to notify to FAA and get permission if you plan to fly with a specifically disqualifying condition. If you have a DQing condition and choose not to act as PIC then there is no need to notify the FAA until you renew your med after it expires. As the previous poster rightly stated, please do not lie on any FAA forms.

A word about surrendering your certificate. If the FAA asks you to do this you actually do not have to do this unless it is done under emergency revocation or voulintarily by you. Many a pilot has gotten burned by this. If you get a letter asking you to surrender an airman or med cert it would be best to consult an aviation law attorney and discuss the matter. Please read these series of articles about this subject. You might learn a lot.


Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. Do not use anything I say as a legal advise. I easily could be wrong about anything I have posted above. Gotta CYA!!!!

Well, I'm stretching my memory a bit because this was awhile ago. I'm not going to go into her condition except to say that, if she was in fact properly diagnosed (there was some question about this), it would have been disqualifying. Problem was she wasn't sure. When she consulted her AME the FAA became involved and then the letter came. I never saw the letter but it apparently said something to the effect that she must surrender her certificate or they would issue an emergency revocation and come take it. I wasn't even involved until this point, which unfortunately was too late. My advice to her was the same as my advice to Jester... call AOPA legal. They couldn't do all the same things they could for someone enrolled in their plan, of course, but they did give her some advice and get here in touch with an aviation attorney who tried to help her out. That attorney wasn't free and neither were all the medical tests. When insurance wouldn't pay anymore, that was the end.

As you pointed out, you don't automatically and immediately have to disclose. That, in so many words, is what I was trying to say. Take care of your problem and then renew. And, as you also pointed out, you shouldn't automatically turn over your ticket. I also told her that at the same time I told her to contact AOPA. As I recall, at some point before an emergency revocation was issued, she did surrender her medical. I am assuming it was on the advice of her attorney after she could no longer afford to pay for more tests.

She didn't make a living with her ticket. She wasn't even actively using it. But that isn't the point. The point is it didn't have to go down the way it did. She didn't know the rules, got some bad advice, and set the gov't wheels in motion. I guess this is a long-winded way of saying that it is much easier to keep your ticket than it is to get it back after you've been DQ'd or had it taken away.

BTW, in case you haven't guessed, I'm also not an attorney so I reference you to the disclaimer in the quote above!

cc

 

[Jester2]

Thanks for the responses. Right after I posted the question on here I found my answer at the FAA website. Anyway, I'm not even going to talk to an AME until I have the condition resolved with my pyschiatrist. Only when I 'm off the meds for a few months and can continue without them will I see an AME for a medical. I've only been on them for about six months so it will be a while before I can get off them. I'm just gonna be patient and look forward to eventually getting back in the cockpit. Making flying a career is out of the question now, I just want to fly for the fun of it. It might be a while before anything happens but I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[avbug]

St. Johns's Wort.

 

[TDTURBO]

St. Johns's Wort.

Exactly!

Very good Avbug, now see if you can hold back a smart arss comment because you were, in your past words, "patronized.

In this situation and many others, pilots must seek out alternatives for conditions the FDA deems necessary to classify as diseases. You see, only a "drug" as defined by the FDA can "Treat" a disease. So once it is classified as a disease, you MUST take a DRUG for it.


This is B.S. and a sham in this country, there are many natural alternatives that not only work better, but cure many common ailments. Your M.D. doesn't want you to know about these things.

Refer to my earlier post regarding a medical question "that can ground you" and P.M. me for specifics.


As far as Avbug, he can be very wise at times, too bad he mixes it with "wise arse".

Peace Avbug!