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3 Answers

Im super worried about my 3rd class medical.

Asked by: 4978 views FAA Regulations, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

I just got back from my first AME exam. Everything went pretty well until we came to the mental health. When i was 6, i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. At 14 i stopped taking meds and im 17 now and havent showed any signs of bipolar or any mental problems. My parents think it was even a misdiagnosis. Anyways, the AME wants me to send my mental medical history to the FAA for their decision. Im super scared and worried that my whole life plan and future career as a commercial pilot might go down the drain. Im super worried. This is my whole life revolving around getting this. Is there anything else i can do to ensure it passing?

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3 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Nov 16, 2013

    Chris,

    First, ABSOLUTELY do not talk about this issue on a public forum.

    Second, get some professional advice on handling this. There are legal and medical consultants available to help with the process.

    Your problem is that, while your parents think it’s a misdiagnosis, the FAA will likely require you to prove it was wrong.

    There is an unfortunate amount of this stuff going on. There was a period during which it was almost a fad for doctors to over diagnose bipolar disorder, ADD and other mental diseases. I haven’t been involved with one of these for a few years, but the FAA response I’m familiar with is not good.

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  2. Bob Watson on Nov 16, 2013

    Check the AOPA’s web site and look for the medical forum. There you’ll find lots of good advice and some experts as well. You might need to join the AOPA, but in the grand scheme of aviation expenses, that membership is one of the best values you’ll find.

    http://www.aopa.org

    Good luck!

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  3. John D Collins on Nov 16, 2013

    Contact Dr. Chien for advice. He is a senior AME and offers a service to manage difficult medical situations. He can be contacted at http://home.comcast.net/~bbchien/site/?/home/
    His rates are very reasonable and he will tell you exactly what you need to provide and review it before it is submitted to the FAA. He is the absolute best at this subject and I highly recommend his services.

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