Basic Med

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 6:47 pm

Definitely not what it was supposed to be. At best it seems to be a lateral move.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:05 am

It will help some people. I don't think it will make life worse for many so I think there is a small net gain. The downside is that it will close the door on real reform for a very long time, if at all.

Undaunted · Post by **Undaunted** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:20 am

It is not what it was projected to be, nor is it likely to be what most understand it to be....

The FAA makes no bones about the fact that liability now rests on the MD who signs off on BasicMed. I have talked to several docs in the area, none have read the AME guide (which is referenced as the basis for the decision making) and have not looked up the med list also referenced in the physician sign off links. When a MD signs off on this they are saying they understand the above references and based on all this and the patients condition, they are fit to fly.

Having said that, the upside is that perhaps it will be cheaper for some with a few less hoops to jump thru. In my opinion, if the FAA wanted they could have just moved 3rd class to every 4-5 years for all. I have not ever been unable to get the FAA to approve a 3rd class, when the pilot was safe to fly. I have however had plenty of people who should not be driving, let alone flying, try to game the system in either not reporting real conditions, or unaware of their medical deficiencies (ie vision of 20/70, visual field cuts, poorly controlled insulin dependent diabetes etc). These are not people I want to be sharing airspace (or roadspace) with.

my $0.02

Michael
AME in WI

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:31 pm

OK, I thought this was all done when my AME issued me my medical certificate with no deferral to the FAA. The FAA evidently doesn't even trust it's own AME's to make medical decisions for pilots. Now, months later, I get a nastygram from the FAA demanding I provide them with additional documentation under the threat of legal action and/or revocation of my medical certificate.

These asshats have way too many fingers in my business. I'm looking for a doc that will do basic med and I am going to wave my middle finger at the FAA with a smile on my face. Anyone know MD's in or around Anchorage doing Basic Med?

FAA: We are not happy until you are not happy.

TomD · Post by **TomD** » Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:50 pm

Maybe there is something I am missing, but I think the Basic Med missed the whole point. I thought the idea was to allow one to fly if he had a valid driver's license, implying that the medical conditions for the driver's license should suffice for flying.

Happily Basic med does not imply the above. The Great State of Georgia issued my 94 year old father a drivers license. He was essentially blind in his left eye and could not see all that well out of his right, couldn't hear thunder if the lightening strike hit outside his door, and had the reflexes of a lethargic sloth, but they issued him a license anyway. It was tough wrestling it away from him for his good and that of others.

When I asked my internist about the Basic Med and that part of her decision would be if I was capable of flying, she replied she was not comfortable making that decision.

AME's have been the gate keepers and I really don't see why they should not continue to be. If the FAA wants to extend the 3rd class to well beyond 24 months, do it but don't blow smoke up my ass about it being a better system.

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 12:52 pm

No argument from me. There are definitely people with a driver's license that should never be allowed to drive.. Or operate anything more complex than a dull crayon. But then, I have problems with folks being able to take a driving test in any language other than English as well. I would definitely support increasing the standards for obtaining one.

My point is my AME does believe I am fit to fly and the FAA is still jacking with me. The whole tone of the letter I received from them is very adversarial. I really liked the last sentence which basically says "Any information received from a third party (my AME) may be used against me in court." These are not the words of good people. These are not the words of an organization that gives a rat's ass about my well being or the safety of flight. The FAA is not our friend. This needs to change.

TomD · Post by **TomD** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 1:54 pm

My point is my AME does believe I am fit to fly and the FAA is still jacking with me

Yeah, well it is the Gubment.

Sometimes a call to your local Aerospace medicine office can help working things out. I talked to them before my knee replacement and when I had a retina tear. Both times they were really helpful and gave me directions as to what I would need to satisfy their needs for my return to flight status.

For you:

Marcel V. Dionne, M.D.
Federal Aviation Administration
222 West 7th Avenue #14
Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7587
(907) 271-5431
Fax: (907) 271-3769

Link to page:

https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificat ... n/rfs/aal/

Good luck.

BamaMaule · Post by **BamaMaule** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 3:21 pm

Crbnunit, I fear that you may have a problem with your plan. Now that you have tried the AME class medical route and have gotten a "letter" I'm not sure Basic Med will work for you until you resolve this issue with the FAA. I'm certainly no authority and you may have already gotten the question answered and if so, that's great. If not, you might want to check.

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 6:05 pm

I'm just at the bitchy stage. There is no real reason for them to deny or revoke my medical. I suspect I will be just fine and still qualify for Basic med next time around. It is just the principal of the thing. There is no reason for this process to be the contentious pain in the butt it is.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:04 am

Most AME's are not dicks. Many are/were pilots themselves. Some ARE dicks, but to be honest I've not come across those personally.

The FAA, on the other hand, as it applies to us, the 'little guy' ARE adversarial.

As an AME I get hate mail from them regularly. I'd have resigned my AME certificate a long time ago Most AME's are not dicks. Many are/were pilots themselves. Some ARE dicks, but to be honest I've not come across those personally.

The FAA, on the other hand, as it applies to us, the 'little guy' ARE adversarial.

As an AME I get hate mail from them regularly. I'd have resigned my AME certificate a long time ago except there are many local pilots who need me to keep it, so I do.

Still 90% of the pilots I see nowadays are going for a 2nd or 3rd Class medical, not Basic Med.

The ones I see for Basic Med, many are sketchy if they are fit to fly.

Puts a large burden on us docs.except there are many local pilots who need me to keep it, so I do.

Still 90% of the pilots I see nowadays are going for a 2nd or 3rd Class medical, not Basic Med.

The ones I see for Basic Med, many are sketchy if they are fit to fly.

Puts a large burden on us docs.

Andy Young · Post by **Andy Young** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:49 am

Mountain Doc,

Looks like your keyboard is off it's meds.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:08 pm

I know it!!!

I saw the problem but did not have the time to correct it so I just hit 'Post' anyways.

I figured you all are up to the challenge!!!

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:41 pm

I haven't met an AME I didn't like. There is one I didn't go back to but for a different reason. My AME chooses not to do basic med. I don't like it but it is his decision and I don't hold it against him. If I did, I would have told him no to the offer of the third class and found someone else. He is a good guy. Not a pilot, but OK!

I have a few medical issues. Stable issues that have not changed in the entire time I have been flying but issues none the less. Certainly nothing that would disqualify me from basic med or a third class but evidently enough to make the FAA itchy.

I honestly don't mind having to provide info to them. I'm seeing the doc's anyway and have the paperwork to back it up. What really irritates me is the feeling they would love to find a reason to deny me a medical and ground me. This is evidenced by the very language and tone they use in every interaction I have ever had with them. They are the bad guys. They are not looking out for us. We are the enemy. THAT bothers me a lot.

BamaMaule · Post by **BamaMaule** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 2:41 pm

crbnunit wrote: I have a few medical issues. Stable issues that have not changed in the entire time I have been flying but issues none the less. Certainly nothing that would disqualify me from basic med or a third class but evidently enough to make the FAA itchy.

Sounds like you would be the perfect Basic Med candidate. Not sketchy, just don't want the hassle of having to wait on the FAA to determine you are fit to fly when a qualified physician can make that call on the spot with Basic Med.

One thing I find curious is that some of the same doctors that won't do Basic Med exams have no problem doing a physical on kids to qualify them for high school athletics or physicals for drivers of 80,000lb semi rigs. Is it that "aviation" word that scares them? I don't see a significant difference in the liability exposure vs Basic Med.

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 1:24 pm

Temporary conclusion to the saga. Received a reply from the FAA after sending in the additional info they required. More quickly than I expected, for what that is worth.

They issued me a replacement third class medical certificate, as I knew they would but limited me to one year, rather than the two year certificate issued by my AME. I have been flying for roughly 12 years now. Nothing has changed. Nothing.

Of course they ended the communication with a threat of legal action if I did not comply with all of their rules...

Shakes head sadly. I will be looking for an MD who will perform a Basic Med exam before this certificate expires.

Basic Med

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