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Medical Certification of Certain Small Aircraft Pilots; physician's statement

I passed the 3rd class medical exam 3 weeks ago with AME I have been using for years.

This week I get a letter from OK City requesting more information on need for thyroid pill and a comprehensive eye exam because using lumigan eye drops to control pressure.

FAA has long history of missing thyroid, it was surgically removed 25 years ago due to mysterious enlargement. No cancer, just had to be removed because it was 5 times larger than normal. No medical explanation. I surmised it was due to sucking in epoxy fumes building LEZ and Cozy. I've been taking .025mcg levoxyl ever since with very normal panel each time checked every 6 months.

In any event, I flew with !st class medical under Part 141 after that with FAA approval. Now they want more information about need for thyroid pill? AME will provide it, blood tests are perfectly normal.

The eye exam was done 4 years ago, form 8500-14, no issue. Now get to jump through that hoop again.

Are they out to ground a senior pilot just because he is old? I really don't know what's going on.

Regarding new program, evidently it was written by congress, not FAA, to get it passed. There were members of congress not in favor of granting any relieve on the this matter and as it turns out, if insurance carriers balk, there will be no relief.

It's beginning to look like EAA, AOPA and we have been suckered.
 
scsmith said:
I just got my class-3 done two weeks ago. I mentioned to the AME that this might be my last one, and he said, 'don't be so sure'. I expressed the concern that physicians that are unfamiliar with flying GA aircraft might be reluctant to sign that statement, and he replied that he had heard that Kaiser and Providence, both large health-care providers in the west, had instructed their doctors not to participate in BasicMed. The AME went on to say that the likely sticking point would be if malpractice insurance underwriters exclude coverage for BasicMed exams.

If this happens, the whole scheme is going to collapse.
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I think we may be back to my comment from last July -

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1096483&postcount=34

See an AME, but as a physician only.
 
RV7A Flyer said:
IF the AME will do that, that's fine. But as my AME pointed out, he may not have the same level of liability protection if he signs the BasicMed checklist as if he issues a Class III medical, and his insurance may not even allow it, so he he or she may not be willing to do what you're suggesting.
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My AME told me this very same thing.
 
Lets discuss hard facts and not rumor, speculation or hearsay.

Anyone got any hard facts that can be backed up?

One fact: Dr's all over the country sign off on similar statements every day for similar types of physicals. In many cases these sign off's have many times more risk associated with them than me and my puddle jumping homebuilt airplane.

If we perpetuate the fear mongering that seems for the most part to be coming from a specific group of people, we will assist in destroying the benefits that we hope to gain from this new medical reform.
 
I agree with Brian. Everything negative I've heard seems to be coming from AMEs.

I've discussed the issue with several family practitioners in the Dallas area and none of them have seen a problem with the new system.
 
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Brantel said:
Lets discuss hard facts and not rumor, speculation or hearsay.

Anyone got any hard facts that can be backed up?

One fact: Dr's all over the country sign off on similar statements every day for similar types of physicals. In many cases these sign off's have many times more risk associated with them than me and my puddle jumping homebuilt airplane.

If we perpetuate the fear mongering that seems for the most part to be coming from a specific group of people, we will assist in destroying the benefits that we hope to gain from this new medical reform.
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OK, so here's a fact to throw into the mix. For several years now, not just *any* doctor, but only those who have been approved by DOT, can sign off on the commercial driver's medical exam (I got this from the DOT website), just so we can avoid the "doctors sign off on commercial drivers all the time" part of the discussion.

Other similar things, to some extent, might be school sports medical certs, but I don't know how "similar" those are...
 
Brantel said:
Lets discuss hard facts and not rumor, speculation or hearsay.

Anyone got any hard facts that can be backed up?

One fact: Dr's all over the country sign off on similar statements every day for similar types of physicals. In many cases these sign off's have many times more risk associated with them than me and my puddle jumping homebuilt airplane.

If we perpetuate the fear mongering that seems for the most part to be coming from a specific group of people, we will assist in destroying the benefits that we hope to gain from this new medical reform.
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While I would like to feel the same as you, you have to factor in the term "aviation." I can think of numerous areas of business that routinely exclude anything aviation related due to perceived liability risk. How many times have we seen "not for avaiation use" in the products that we purchase. There seems to be this general belief that anything aviation related is a higher risk. There is just such an ugly litigation history associated with our hobby.

Also, let's compare BasicMed to CDL. Would you expect every estate that losses a family member to a Trucking accident to sue the truck manufacturer or their Dr. for Millions of dollars? We know that most any aviation accident resulting in death will drive at least one lawsuit. While I have no data, I believe that Aviation is somewhat unique in this regard. If you run a truck off the road, I would expect it to be difficult to prove that Peterbilt was negligent. However, run out of fuel in a plane and some poor manufacturer is going to pay. Remember, about the only Tort reform, outside of the Pharma industry, ever to make it through Congress was for Aviation because it was so out of control.

Today the AME's are pretty well insulated, as outlined by the other posters. It's really the FAA certifying, not the AME. Because the standard is set by the FAA, not the AME, the FAA would be the negligent party in any lawsuit. Under BasicMed, the Dr sets the standard for certification and therefore they take on the liability. In the future, I would expect the Dr's signing off on BasicMed to quickly become named plaintiffs. The lawyers know there is good money from the medical insurance companies and likely much easier to get then from airframe or parts manufacturers due to the higher liability coverage and history of settling in medical malpractice area.

In the end, the success or failure of BasicMed will be driven by the Insurance industry, not the Drs. Either the will allow BasicMed under their coverage or they won't. If the former is the case, we should be able to find Drs that will do the exams.

Larry
 
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Any regrets I have of taking advantage of light-sport have pretty much disappeared.

But to be honest, I really don't see the logic that I'm an unsafe pilot in an RV-7 (my doc, bless his heart, would never sign the statement; he knows that I could wake up tomorrow with a Meniere's attack), but am safe in an RV-12.

In light sport, I can't know of a condition that make me not operate an airplane in a safe manner. That's easy, if I wake up dizzy, that's a condition that makes me illegal to fly.... that day.

My doc on the other hand would likely see having Meniere's as potentially making me not safe, and would be unlikely to say he knows of no condition that meets that definition. Heck, he wasn't keen on me flying when i was first diagnosed and still got a 3rd Class Medical.

I hope there's a really aggressive education campaign for the docs.

Good luck. I'll be here flying at 117 knots.
 
Mel said:
I agree with Brian. Everything negative I've heard seems to be coming from AMEs.

I've discussed the issue with several family practitioners in the Dallas area and none of them have seen a problem with the new system.
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I also discussed this wth my Dr last week and he said he would have no problem signing me off. They do a similar sign off for State controlled (CDL)commercial drivers licenses. I would assume that a CDL which carry much higher liabilities.
 
lr172 said:
Also, let's compare BasicMed to CDL. Would you expect every estate that losses a family member to a Trucking accident to sue the truck manufacturer or their Dr. for Millions of dollars?
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Actually... yes. My father was chief engineer and VP of product development for a large trailer manufacturer. Dad spent a good share of his time when he was working, and made a very good living during retirement, serving as an expert witness for trailer manufacturers in lawsuits. Many arose from accidents that were clearly the result of operator error or negligence. No matter -- if there was a wreck, you could bet the trucking company, tractor and trailer manufacturers and anyone else the plaintiffs could think of were going to be sued. I heard and saw the stories, some were hard to believe. He's been gone over a decade now, and Mom still gets an occasional call from a lawyer wanting to know if he can help them out.

So... no, I really son't think the aviation world is unique in this respect.
 
Completed 3rd Class Today

My current 3rd class expires at the end of this month. I was planning to fly on Basic Med starting May 1, but, the online test still isn't available and the final form that the physician must sign isn't either. I spoke with AOPA folks and they said that the FAA has not told them when these requirements will be available. It will be interesting to see if the FAA issues everything needed for Basic Med by May 1...I'm not holding my breath.

The physician that gave me my 3rd class today said the he would be glad to sign off on a Basic Med physical once the Fed issues the appropriate forms. That was good to hear.

It will be interesting to see how this whole Basic Med thing shakes out.
 
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