Insurance question.

[carusoam]

One thing to keep in mind…

Questions with abbreviations like LTA and CHD… may not get answers like you may expect…. There may be a few people that have similar experience…. You can’t afford to miss them…. 

Not a high percentage of balloon pilots around here…

The few guys with heart-attack histories may not recognize what you mean by CHD….
 

Good news… we have many guys in the over 70 category…. And a few over 80….

 

being able to run 7 minute miles is a great sign of good health…. In your 40s…

But doesn’t say anything about how close to a heart-attack you can be… cholesterol can be an evil killer…..

 

Coming back from a heart attack… is often a class III SI…. (Special issuance)

The SI is problematic to maintain… (long FAA review process….)

Basic Med is a nice alternative to not flying….

Check the rules for Basic Med….

1) eligible if you had at least a class III before…. How long before?

2) Still eligible if you haven’t failed your class III for some reason…  so, don’t go try to pass a class III without knowing your answers in advance….

PP thoughts only, not a doctor…

Best regards,

-a-

[Steve0715]

9 hours ago, carusoam said:

One thing to keep in mind…

Questions with abbreviations like LTA and CHD… may not get answers like you may expect…. There may be a few people that have similar experience…. You can’t afford to miss them…. 

Not a high percentage of balloon pilots around here…

The few guys with heart-attack histories may not recognize what you mean by CHD….
 

Good news… we have many guys in the over 70 category…. And a few over 80….

 

being able to run 7 minute miles is a great sign of good health…. In your 40s…

But doesn’t say anything about how close to a heart-attack you can be… cholesterol can be an evil killer…..

 

Coming back from a heart attack… is often a class III SI…. (Special issuance)

The SI is problematic to maintain… (long FAA review process….)

Basic Med is a nice alternative to not flying….

Check the rules for Basic Med….

1) eligible if you had at least a class III before…. How long before?

2) Still eligible if you haven’t failed your class III for some reason…  so, don’t go try to pass a class III without knowing your answers in advance….

PP thoughts only, not a doctor…

Best regards,

-a-

True on using acronyms.  CHD is coronary heart disease.  The LTA was less relevant to the question but I should be less lazy about how I post.  Something about tapping on the iPad…I tend to abbreviate.

The 3rd class medical issue is based on a 10 year timeline.  I’m well past that so my only option is to go with a 3rd class.  It will be a painful process with no guarantees.  There is also an issue that I’ll put up in a 2nd post.  
 

BTW…i have never had a heart attack even though i have had 99% blockage of my LAD…also known as rhe widow maker.

[40_Year_Dream]

My experience as a 58-year old in getting a 3rd class SI took quite a while: I spent 9 months gathering records from the hospital(s) for cardiac treatments, CPAP, stress test, medications, etc. (You'd think if you're asking for your own records, it'd be simple - but, no!). Once I had all that, I saw an AME, knowing it'd be the SI route, then had an overpriced service (who shall remain nameless) submit the records to Oklahoma City. I then waited 7 months for the specialist at the FAA to approve and issue the SI.

Calls to OKC and the regional flight surgeon did nothing to help the processing time

AOPA may be able to advise - I'd use them, if I had to do it over again.

YMMV (and I hope it's better)

[A64Pilot]

I have a friend who’s had a special issuance for years, took months every time and of course he was down each time.

Then he would ambush the FAA at Sun-N-Fun and it worked, he would get it quickly then

Edited May 26, 2022 by A64Pilot

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, Steve0715 said:

99% blockage of my LAD

Your boy?

[carusoam]

13 hours ago, Steve0715 said:

 

BTW…i have never had a heart attack even though i have had 99% blockage of my LAD…also known as rhe widow maker.

How did you find out fast enough to do something about it…?

The LAD supplies O2 to a very large part of the heart’s pumping capacity….

Blocking 99% of its flow…. Has to start killing off muscle cells for each minute it takes to get to the hospital….

When the heart stops pumping oxygen rich blood around… it is hard to stay conscious….

Making it really difficult to get help….   

This is where your pilot training is really helpful….   You have a TUC of only a few minutes…. Get help before time runs out….   Running out of O2 is really bad….

 

Keep in mind…

The words you use are going to be important….

If you didn’t have a heart-attack…. Or an MI…. Myocardial infarction (?)

Be careful how you fill out any paperwork…

Proper use of honesty is going to be important….

Accidental use of honesty can have a pile on affect that is hard to get out from under….

Pay for good guidance…. Somebody on your team… that wants you to be able to fly….

PP thoughts only…

Best regards,

-a-

[Steve0715]

3 hours ago, carusoam said:

How did you find out fast enough to do something about it…?

The LAD supplies O2 to a very large part of the heart’s pumping capacity….

Blocking 99% of its flow…. Has to start killing off muscle cells for each minute it takes to get to the hospital….

When the heart stops pumping oxygen rich blood around… it is hard to stay conscious….

Making it really difficult to get help….   

This is where your pilot training is really helpful….   You have a TUC of only a few minutes…. Get help before time runs out….   Running out of O2 is really bad….

 

Keep in mind…

The words you use are going to be important….

If you didn’t have a heart-attack…. Or an MCI…. Myo-cardial infarction (?)

Be careful how you fill out any paperwork…

Proper use of honesty is going to be important….

Accidental use of honesty can have a pile on affect that is hard to get out from under….

Pay for good guidance…. Somebody on your team… that wants you to be able to fly….

PP thoughts only…

Best regards,

-a-

I was out at my ranch when I had the initial chest pains.  Drove home..1.5 hours.  Next day had stress echo.  Next day stent.

Scarier was the next event.  I was in Africa.  Tanzania.  Flew a hot air balloon over Kilimanjaro at 22k ft.  I was in Africa for 10 days.  I had chest pains the entire time in Africa.  Got home.  3 days later I drive myself to the emergency room.  Next day stents x 2.  They told me 97% blockage.  Later, the head of cardiology came by and asked me how in the hell am I still alive?  Honestly, until that, I didn’t think it was that bad.

your words are well taken.  
 

steve

[4cornerflyer]

Just to be sure there is no misinformation on this point, one cannot use Basic Med after a disqualifying event without going through a special issuance for an FAA medical. The regulation lists those exclusions, and heart disease which requires treatment is one of them. So even if he had a valid Class III medical the day before the cardiac event, he could not fly on Basic Med without getting a special issuance.

The current time frame for a non-revenue pilot to get a special issuance is approaching a year, and it isn't going to get better anytime soon. The one thing you can do is engage an aviation medical examiner who is well versed in the special issuance process and can make sure everything is submitted properly and in entirety the first time. If they have to ask for anything more, it will add months to the process.

I would suggest not buying any airplane until you have the medical issued. The FAA medical will likely be valid for only one year (from the date of the exam), and may have requirements for testing which your cardiologist may or may not feel are appropriate. As soon as you get the special issuance, you can go to any physician that day and get a Basic Med exam, which will give you four years and not have any ongoing requirements, as long as your doctor believes you are fit to fly.

Jon

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by 4cornerflyer

[StevenL757]

@Steve0715, I sincerely hope you get stronger and stronger and are able to get your 3rd Class Medical.  And I can't say that I've ever run into anyone who has flown a hot air balloon over Kilimanjaro at ANY altitude...much less FL200...very cool.

What I will say about transitioning into an Ovation (if that's truly the way you want to go) is this:  Regardless of what you owned back in the eighties, you need to think of approaching the Ovation as not something in which your friend will "give you a flight review - FR" as you put it, but something that only a qualified Mooney instructor with a history of Ovation-specific training given should be providing you.  Having flown them both, I can tell you that the Ovation is a far cry from a "J"/201.  The "O" requires a heightened sense of attention-to-detail and overall higher level of training and competence to fly well.  Things happen much faster in the Ovation, and it's incredibly easy to get behind the airplane.

Again, echoing many opinions here, I sincerely hope you're able to clear the roadblocks and do what you want to do.

Steve

[Steve0715]

2 hours ago, StevenL757 said:

@Steve0715, I sincerely hope you get stronger and stronger and are able to get your 3rd Class Medical.  And I can't say that I've ever run into anyone who has flown a hot air balloon over Kilimanjaro at ANY altitude...much less FL200...very cool.

What I will say about transitioning into an Ovation (if that's truly the way you want to go) is this:  Regardless of what you owned back in the eighties, you need to think of approaching the Ovation as not something in which your friend will "give you a flight review - FR" as you put it, but something that only a qualified Mooney instructor with a history of Ovation-specific training given should be providing you.  Having flown them both, I can tell you that the Ovation is a far cry from a "J"/201.  The "O" requires a heightened sense of attention-to-detail and overall higher level of training and competence to fly well.  Things happen much faster in the Ovation, and it's incredibly easy to get behind the airplane.

Again, echoing many opinions here, I sincerely hope you're able to clear the roadblocks and do what you want to do.

Steve

Thanks for the encouragement.  Ovation is where I would love to be.  Insurance reality puts me back into a 201…maybe a K.  

Turns out a good ballooning friend was a former Mooney dealer.  I called him because he has extensive contacts into the FAA.  Just getting his thoughts and he thinks I’ll have no problem getting the medical.  I take nothing for granted.

Truth is I like quality whatever I’m into.  A REALLY nice 201 will suite me well.  After reading the NA/turbo discussion, I might look at an MSE.

Ballooning has taken me on adventures all around the world.  Now all I can think about is a $100 hamburger.:)