Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

My medical was denied because of sleep anemia.  I am appealing it but it appears my flying career is at the end of the road.   I have a 1995 Ovation that is in pristine condition and am looking for advice on where to take it to be sold.

Norm Clemmer 

N995K

Posted

I have sleep apnea and got an SI. I also had heart failure (now in great shape), type 2, and was able to get a third class medical, then do basic med. You can overcome this for sure. 
 

-Don

  • Like 3
Posted

I flew Part 121 with crew members who had an SI for sleep apnea. They just had to use a CPAP machine with data logging and provide that data each 6 months. No big deal. You can do it Norm!

  • Like 1
Posted

Don’t sell Norm! Have a sleep doctor issue you a CPAP that records data, get at least a month of usage data (check with AME or AOPA medical for guidance on how much), send data along with letter from the sleep doctor saying the sleep apnea is under control to the FAA medical examiner requesting a Special Issuance certificate. It is no big deal to have one issued and continue enjoying your bird.
Regards -Hank


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, FLYFST said:

Don’t sell Norm! Have a sleep doctor issue you a CPAP that records data, get at least a month of usage data (check with AME or AOPA medical for guidance on how much), send data along with letter from the sleep doctor saying the sleep apnea is under control to the FAA medical examiner requesting a Special Issuance certificate. It is no big deal to have one issued and continue enjoying your bird.
Regards -Hank

Once your SI arrives, stop getting Class 3 and change over to BasicMed. Life is very good on this side!

  • Like 2
Posted
6 minutes ago, Hank said:

Once your SI arrives, stop getting Class 3 and change over to BasicMed. Life is very good on this side!

This, zero reason to get anything else.   

  • Like 1
Posted

Zero reason to appeal; it'll just get denied.

Get a CPAP, and go get the SI, then Basic Med!  This is NOT hard.

Posted

There might be more to the OP's situation but, from recent research, treatable OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) alone has a defined path for a special issuance. 

I've heard a few stories recently about people who had an interaction with an AME where they took a conclusion as final or read it more broadly than they needed to. Worth finding a good ally to work through this with. 

Again, there might be more to your situation. 

  • Like 2
Posted

First need to clarify if the OP simply has obstructive sleep apnea, or actual anemia interrelated with some sort of sleep problem.

If it's "only" OSA, the special-issuance medical has become very common and arguably trivial compared with other denials (I speak from experience, I've been carrying a 2nd class SI medical with OSA for years).  Make an appointment with a sleep clinic.  Meet the doc and pick up the at-home-sleep-test-equipment (make sure it's "Type II", see https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/media/OSA_FAQs.pdf).  Wear the test equipment one night, send results to the clinic.  For better or worse, you're essentially guaranteed to receive a diagnosis for OSA and a recommendation to treat with CPAP therapy.  Buy the CPAP equipment and get used to sleeping with it (this is the hardest part, but you can do it).  As soon as you and your doc agree you are "tolerating therapy", you can apply for the SI.  Downtime on this is measured in weeks, not years, and you can fly with a PIC-current qualified pilot and/or instructor while waiting on the process.

There are treatments other than CPAP such as dental devices, but I can't speak to that personally.

Posted
22 hours ago, Little Dipper said:

My medical was denied because of sleep anemia.  I am appealing it but it appears my flying career is at the end of the road.   I have a 1995 Ovation that is in pristine condition and am looking for advice on where to take it to be sold.

Norm Clemmer 

N995K

I assume you mean sleep apnea - one should be able to get around that.  But remember the FAA Medical Branch is a bureacratic meat grinder that will casually end your flying career for no real justification at all.  It is run by bottom barrel physicians with almost zero incentive to understand the detailed reality of any medical situation.   

They will not do the right thing unless forced to do so.    GET A LAWYER WITH EXPERIENCE IN AEROMEDICAL MATTERS IN DEALING WITH THE FAA.  I can recommend a couple of excellent ones and share my related experience with the medical branch if you want to PM me.   THIS CAN CERTAINLY WORK OUT IN YOUR FAVOR, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PROACTIVE IN DEALING WITH THE FAA.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.