FOCUSED ON HEALTH. WE ARE THE PILOTS ADVOCATE.

While our focus is on helping pilots stay healthy, some pilots will experience disqualifying medical conditions. The FAA has made provisions for many pilots with disqualifying conditions to maintain their medical certification through the Authorization for Special Issuance, commonly referred to as a Waiver.

We are here to help you present your case to the FAA

Different diagnosis have different reporting requirements, self-grounding requirements and wait periods prior to application for waiver.

The first step is to sign a medical release allowing your treating doctors and/or hospitals to provide documentation to us. Packets detailing information required by the FAA on reporting common conditions are listed to the below.

As your advocate, we will review your case with you, ask for additional information necessary for your particular case and present it to the FAA. Throughout the process we will keep you informed as to what is happening with your case.

FAA Mindset for Authorization for Special Issuance

The FAA’s over-arching mission is to ensure operational flight safety. As this applies to the health of the Pilot, or “Airman”, the Office of Aerospace Medicine is tasked with preventing sudden or subtle incapacitation while operating the aircraft. In minimizing this risk, this FAA Office is extremely conservative when allowing pilots to fly with specific medical conditions, while taking certain medications and/or after surgery.

Overview and Health Concerns

Heart Attack
The FAA prohibits medical certification for any pilot with severe, acute or chronic asthma with frequent exacerbations.

Stent
The FAA prohibits medical certification for any pilot with severe, acute or chronic asthma with frequent exacerbations.

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Overview:
Cancer, also called malignancy, is characterized by an abnormal growth of cells. Symptoms vary widely based on the type of cancer. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

FAA Concerns:
The risk of sudden or subtle incapacitation can arise from the primary cancer itself, the side-effects of cancer treatment and the effects of metastases. The primary concern regarding metastases is the risk of brain metastases, which can cause headache, behavior change, neurocognitive defects and seizures.

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Overview:
If you have a cardiac event, your case will need to be reviewed by the Cardiac Review Board (CRB). The CRB meets every other month. The sooner a complete case is provided to the FAA in Oklahoma City, the better the chance of it being reviewed by the upcoming Board. In preparing a case for review by the Board, “the devil is in the details”; we need to ensure all documentation is provided in the package sent to the FAA or it could delay review of your case.

The FAA requires for certification a complete cardiovascular evaluation. This evaluation includes: medical history, family, personal and social history, records of previous medical care, general physical exam, lab data, resting EKG and Bruce protocol exercise stress test.

FAA Concerns:
The FAA concern with any cardiovascular issue is sudden incapacitation.

FAA Thresholds:
After a cardiac event, a pilot is “downed” for a minimum of six months. The FAA cardiac board meets every other month. Once medically stable, being proactive can help you get your medical certificate back closer to the six month mark rather than eight or more months.

If you do not have all the documentation required by the FAA your case will not be reviewed.

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Overview:
Defined by the FAA as a fasting blood sugar greater than 140mg and a two hour post-pranial glucose of 200 mg or greater. The most recent information suggests that a single fasting blood sugar of 120mg is an indication of diabetes.

FAA Thresholds:
Hgb A1c less than 9.0.

Overview:
Use of the FAA form 8500-7, “Report of Eye Evaluation”, is strongly encouraged for reporting. The FAA form 8500-14 is recommended for Pilots with a history of glaucoma.

FAA Concerns:
Visual acuity and field of vision.

Overview:
A kidney stone begins as a tiny piece of crystal in the kidney. Almost half of all people who get kidney stones will get more stones within seven years unless they take preventive measures. Managing diet and hydration, medication use, and nutrient intake can help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Aermedical Concerns:
Should a stone become dislodged in the colleting system of the kidney and enter the ureter, the thin muscular tube connecting the kidney with the bladder, you’re “in for a treat”. The resultant pain (ureteral colic) is significant and can incapacitate anyone, let alone a Pilot. Further, retained stones residing in the substance, or paranecyma, of the kidney are a concern given that they could grow and/or migrate to the collecting system.

FAA Thresholds:
For the first occurrence of a kidney stone, if the Pilot is stone free (of all stones and stents if placed) and off all FAA prohibited medications (narcotic pain medications), they may returned to flying.

If the Pilot has had a kidney stone event within the previous ten years, and/or has retained kidney stones, they must seek a Special Issuance Authorization (SIA or “waiver”) before they can resume flight duties.

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Overview:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a significant medical problem affecting up to 4 percent of middle-aged adults. The most common complaints are loud snoring, disrupted sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness. Patients with OSA suffer from fragmented sleep and may develop cardiovascular abnormalities because of the repetitive cycles of snoring, airway collapse and arousal. Polysomnography is a sleep laboratory is the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis or OSA.

FAA Concerns:
Sleep apnea has been linked to angina, nocturnal cadiac arrhythmias, heart attack, stroke and morot vehicle crashes.

FAA Thresholds:
Pilots with a sleep disorder requiring treatment with medication should not be issued a medical certificate for any class.
Definitive diagnosis and a full explanation of the condition is required.

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