PsubS
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2004
- Posts
- 137
The FAA has decided that any pilot who:
-refused to take a DUI/DWI test, or
-blew at or above a .15 BAC
will have their next medical deferred for review.
Per the FAA's official policy for that review, your friend will have to have:
-A substance abuse evaluation from a HIMS-trained evaluator
-A 10 year driving history report, including from every state that person has lived in for the past 10 years.
-A written statement of the facts surrounding the DUI stop and his drinking habits
The paperwork can be sent to either the regional flight surgeon, Oaklahoma City Aeromedical, or the FAA's Chief Psyciatrist in Washington for review and approval of the deferred medical.
Assuming the psych report indicates no drinking problem other than the DUI itself, the paperwork should be sent to the lowest possible level for approval to issue the medical. There is no telling how long the review will take--it depends on the work load of the docs at the region or Oak City. Don't expect anything faster than 3 weeks, though.
If the psych eval shows any DSM IV indicators of either alcohol abuse or dependence, or a recommendation from the evaluator that the pilot "should not continue drinking," then the paperwork might as well be sent directly to Washington, because that's exactly where the regional or Oak City docs will wind up sending it anyway once they read the eval. In this case, your friend will very likely go into the HIMS program or something very similar for non-121 pilots.
By the way, any pilot who blows a BAC of .20 or above during a DUI stop will automatically be placed in the HIMS program for a minimum monitoring period of three years.
Once it's in DC, the evaluation process moves sequentially (and veerrrryy slloooowwwly) through three different psychiatrists, ending up with the Chief. If they agree on the issue, they send the package and "ok" to Oak City, who issues the special issuance medical.
The whole process will take approximately 8 weeks once the package gets to DC.
-refused to take a DUI/DWI test, or
-blew at or above a .15 BAC
will have their next medical deferred for review.
Per the FAA's official policy for that review, your friend will have to have:
-A substance abuse evaluation from a HIMS-trained evaluator
-A 10 year driving history report, including from every state that person has lived in for the past 10 years.
-A written statement of the facts surrounding the DUI stop and his drinking habits
The paperwork can be sent to either the regional flight surgeon, Oaklahoma City Aeromedical, or the FAA's Chief Psyciatrist in Washington for review and approval of the deferred medical.
Assuming the psych report indicates no drinking problem other than the DUI itself, the paperwork should be sent to the lowest possible level for approval to issue the medical. There is no telling how long the review will take--it depends on the work load of the docs at the region or Oak City. Don't expect anything faster than 3 weeks, though.
If the psych eval shows any DSM IV indicators of either alcohol abuse or dependence, or a recommendation from the evaluator that the pilot "should not continue drinking," then the paperwork might as well be sent directly to Washington, because that's exactly where the regional or Oak City docs will wind up sending it anyway once they read the eval. In this case, your friend will very likely go into the HIMS program or something very similar for non-121 pilots.
By the way, any pilot who blows a BAC of .20 or above during a DUI stop will automatically be placed in the HIMS program for a minimum monitoring period of three years.
Once it's in DC, the evaluation process moves sequentially (and veerrrryy slloooowwwly) through three different psychiatrists, ending up with the Chief. If they agree on the issue, they send the package and "ok" to Oak City, who issues the special issuance medical.
The whole process will take approximately 8 weeks once the package gets to DC.
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