Decided to come clean to the FAA.
02-07-2024, 06:37 AM
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2017
Position: NYC 7ERA
Posts: 2,054
They need to revamp mental health, and an amnesty period probably needs to be part of that.
I'm not advocating that bi-polar, etc be allowed to fly but garden variety *mild* depression/anxiety which is treated should be something an AME can issue. FAA could develop a standard protocol, allow mental health providers to fill out a form checking off said protocol then AME reviews and approves.
I'm not advocating that bi-polar, etc be allowed to fly but garden variety *mild* depression/anxiety which is treated should be something an AME can issue. FAA could develop a standard protocol, allow mental health providers to fill out a form checking off said protocol then AME reviews and approves.
"You have mild PTSD from something that happened 20 years ago? Please have a counselor fill out this form, and AME Can Issue"
You had minor depression after your dad died and your wife ran off with her Miata mechanic? Treated with x y or z ?
Cool. Here's your medical.
But it isnt that way.
With PTSD you are Sully or Ted Stryker. Nothing in between.
02-07-2024, 11:02 AM
#42
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jan 2024
Posts: 42
They need to revamp mental health, and an amnesty period probably needs to be part of that.
I'm not advocating that bi-polar, etc be allowed to fly but garden variety *mild* depression/anxiety which is treated should be something an AME can issue. FAA could develop a standard protocol, allow mental health providers to fill out a form checking off said protocol then AME reviews and approves.
I'm not advocating that bi-polar, etc be allowed to fly but garden variety *mild* depression/anxiety which is treated should be something an AME can issue. FAA could develop a standard protocol, allow mental health providers to fill out a form checking off said protocol then AME reviews and approves.
02-08-2024, 11:23 AM
#43
On Reserve
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Position: Yes
Posts: 11
UPS is definitely a good option. I know a couple of long-haul truckers that love it, but I suppose everything relevant. Going from flying to driving and much less money, I may think it sucks in the end. I am hoping that I can get on with Flight Safety to be honest. That will be my priority because I already have experience and knowledge in that area. That would be the smart play.
Good Luck
02-08-2024, 12:00 PM
#44
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Joined APC: Jan 2024
Posts: 42
The questions on the application for a DOT commercial driver medical certificate mirror the FAA medical questions! A person can't be truthful on one and not the other! Since FAA is under DOT, it would stand to reason that the database is shared. Even if it's not, by submitting an application for an airmen medical certifiicate, you gave FAA access to your motor vehicle records which I assume would include any medical records held by DOT. Something to consider before dropping money on a school or a tractor trailer.
Good Luck
Good Luck
02-08-2024, 12:03 PM
#45
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jan 2024
Posts: 42
UPDATE!
My attorney has my amendment ready to be filed with the FAA. He is pretty confident in the process as he already wants to schedule the required testing and appointments in order to apply for a SI medical certificate regarding the mental health diagnosis.
I am still VERY cautiously optimistic about the outcome. For now, I will push ahead until I am told not to. I very well may be up and flying within a year or so.
My attorney has my amendment ready to be filed with the FAA. He is pretty confident in the process as he already wants to schedule the required testing and appointments in order to apply for a SI medical certificate regarding the mental health diagnosis.
I am still VERY cautiously optimistic about the outcome. For now, I will push ahead until I am told not to. I very well may be up and flying within a year or so.
02-08-2024, 01:34 PM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 2,277
I will start by saying the reason I am posting this here is that it is my hope that other people can gain from this information, add to it, or just know that there are many of us in this predicament and that we are not alone. I will add to this post as the process moves along.
I understand that what I did was wrong and it has weighed heavy on my heart for a long time, so please spare me with the holier than though rhetoric. Everybody makes mistakes, has skeletons and their reasons for secrets. It is a tough position to be in.
I have decided to self-disclose a prior medical condition and the medication I used to treat it to the FAA. I am a part 121 Airline Captain. I started my aviation career as a helicopter pilot in the Army. Like so many others, I participated in the middle east catastrophe known as "The War on Terror". At one point in my time in the Army I went through some hard times and was diagnosed with Depression. I was grounded for 6 months and received treatment in the form of medication and therapy. After the 6 months I was granted a waiver from the Army and resumed flying while still taking the medication for depression.
I was unaware of the repercussions this would have on my civilian flying career (many of us were and still are). The FAA is much stricter on these matters than the military. I was tired of deploying to the middle east, so I left the Army and had a civilian flying job waiting on me. When I went to apply for my FAA medical, I realized that this would have to be disclosed, likely putting a major delay to my career, if not completely ending it. Out of fear and rationalization that the Army cleared me so it can't be that bad, I omitted this information. I went on with my life and attained a dual ATP, several type ratings, and thousands of hours of experience. I have never been violated, failed a training event, or have any other legal problems. However, over the years this has bothered me more and more. I am tired of the secret and have self-grounded myself. I have attained legal counsel and advised my union and airline of what’s going on and let the "chips fall where they may".
My attorney will gather all information regarding this and disclose on my behalf amendments to my past medicals (come clean). My goals in this process are obvious. 1, avoid criminal prosecution. 2, avoid airman certificate revocation. 3, perhaps attain a special issuance and continue flying at some point in the future. My attorney has all but assured that self-disclosure does not usually result in criminal prosecution or airman certificate revocation. The medical on the other hand will be a different issue and I am okay with that. In fact, I am okay with any outcome here and will move on and do something else, if need be, at least I will be free of this burden I created for myself.
We will see what happens and I am cautiously hopeful that I receive a second chance, and if not that’s okay too. I hope this information can help others or at the very least offer that you are not alone. The FAA medical system is complicated, and many people have things going on in their lives that they fear reporting. Everybody has their reasons, and we all know in a legal sense that it is wrong to not disclose.
I understand that what I did was wrong and it has weighed heavy on my heart for a long time, so please spare me with the holier than though rhetoric. Everybody makes mistakes, has skeletons and their reasons for secrets. It is a tough position to be in.
I have decided to self-disclose a prior medical condition and the medication I used to treat it to the FAA. I am a part 121 Airline Captain. I started my aviation career as a helicopter pilot in the Army. Like so many others, I participated in the middle east catastrophe known as "The War on Terror". At one point in my time in the Army I went through some hard times and was diagnosed with Depression. I was grounded for 6 months and received treatment in the form of medication and therapy. After the 6 months I was granted a waiver from the Army and resumed flying while still taking the medication for depression.
I was unaware of the repercussions this would have on my civilian flying career (many of us were and still are). The FAA is much stricter on these matters than the military. I was tired of deploying to the middle east, so I left the Army and had a civilian flying job waiting on me. When I went to apply for my FAA medical, I realized that this would have to be disclosed, likely putting a major delay to my career, if not completely ending it. Out of fear and rationalization that the Army cleared me so it can't be that bad, I omitted this information. I went on with my life and attained a dual ATP, several type ratings, and thousands of hours of experience. I have never been violated, failed a training event, or have any other legal problems. However, over the years this has bothered me more and more. I am tired of the secret and have self-grounded myself. I have attained legal counsel and advised my union and airline of what’s going on and let the "chips fall where they may".
My attorney will gather all information regarding this and disclose on my behalf amendments to my past medicals (come clean). My goals in this process are obvious. 1, avoid criminal prosecution. 2, avoid airman certificate revocation. 3, perhaps attain a special issuance and continue flying at some point in the future. My attorney has all but assured that self-disclosure does not usually result in criminal prosecution or airman certificate revocation. The medical on the other hand will be a different issue and I am okay with that. In fact, I am okay with any outcome here and will move on and do something else, if need be, at least I will be free of this burden I created for myself.
We will see what happens and I am cautiously hopeful that I receive a second chance, and if not that’s okay too. I hope this information can help others or at the very least offer that you are not alone. The FAA medical system is complicated, and many people have things going on in their lives that they fear reporting. Everybody has their reasons, and we all know in a legal sense that it is wrong to not disclose.
You did the right thing. My situation is a little different and involves law enforcement entanglements (as so eloquently stated by the FAA), however, there's nothing....absolutely nothing like having "A CLEAR consciene and aCLEAN heart." I respect your honesty and transparency. All the best. Blue skies.
atpwannabe
Last edited by atpwannabe; 02-08-2024 at 01:45 PM.
02-09-2024, 05:13 AM
#47
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,992
The questions on the application for a DOT commercial driver medical certificate mirror the FAA medical questions! A person can't be truthful on one and not the other! Since FAA is under DOT, it would stand to reason that the database is shared. Even if it's not, by submitting an application for an airmen medical certifiicate, you gave FAA access to your motor vehicle records which I assume would include any medical records held by DOT. Something to consider before dropping money on a school or a tractor trailer.
Good Luck
Good Luck
1) You sign a release or
2) The have probable cause and a warrant.
The prosecutions to date were triggered by inter-agency sharing of disability payment info (leading to probably cause), not sharing of HIPAA protected medical data.
But congress could easily allowed more (or unlimited) sharing between federal agencies in the future.
02-09-2024, 05:44 AM
#48
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2020
Posts: 379
I came clean a little different than you. About 8 years ago I didnt disclose some items from my military service and I was still in the service. I was a ball of nerves about it. I called the FAA FS office (Chicago I believe) and was 100% honest and said I screwed up not reporting some items. They are not the FSDO and didnt care and they allowed me to report it then by filing some paperwork.
For anyone reading this....that is how I would suggest anyone thinking about self disclosure of unreported items to proceed. The FAA Flight Surgeons are not there for enforcement.No lawyer involved, no anything else.
Joye Holmes, M.D.
Federal Aviation Administration
2300 East Devon
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018-4686
Phone: (847) 294-7491
Fax: (847) 294-7808
For anyone reading this....that is how I would suggest anyone thinking about self disclosure of unreported items to proceed. The FAA Flight Surgeons are not there for enforcement.No lawyer involved, no anything else.
Joye Holmes, M.D.
Federal Aviation Administration
2300 East Devon
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018-4686
Phone: (847) 294-7491
Fax: (847) 294-7808
02-09-2024, 05:55 AM
#49
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,254
Yeah...
Don't do that without first consulting an attorney.
The regional flight surgeon cooperates quite well with the regional legal counsel, and of course they're not the FSDO...which is a local flight standards office. Don't let the fact that the regional office is not the local office blind you to the potential for enforcement action, which is frequently handled regionally before going higher.
The FSDO, incidentally, doesn't take enforcement action, but makes recommendations, which are acted upon at the regional level and beyond. The FSDO merely initiates it. The FSDO has no monopoly on that.
Don't do that without first consulting an attorney.
The regional flight surgeon cooperates quite well with the regional legal counsel, and of course they're not the FSDO...which is a local flight standards office. Don't let the fact that the regional office is not the local office blind you to the potential for enforcement action, which is frequently handled regionally before going higher.
The FSDO, incidentally, doesn't take enforcement action, but makes recommendations, which are acted upon at the regional level and beyond. The FSDO merely initiates it. The FSDO has no monopoly on that.
02-09-2024, 06:55 AM
#50
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,992
I came clean a little different than you. About 8 years ago I didnt disclose some items from my military service and I was still in the service. I was a ball of nerves about it. I called the FAA FS office (Chicago I believe) and was 100% honest and said I screwed up not reporting some items. They are not the FSDO and didnt care and they allowed me to report it then by filing some paperwork.
For anyone reading this....that is how I would suggest anyone thinking about self disclosure of unreported items to proceed. The FAA Flight Surgeons are not there for enforcement.No lawyer involved, no anything else.
Joye Holmes, M.D.
Federal Aviation Administration
2300 East Devon
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018-4686
Phone: (847) 294-7491
Fax: (847) 294-7808
For anyone reading this....that is how I would suggest anyone thinking about self disclosure of unreported items to proceed. The FAA Flight Surgeons are not there for enforcement.No lawyer involved, no anything else.
Joye Holmes, M.D.
Federal Aviation Administration
2300 East Devon
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018-4686
Phone: (847) 294-7491
Fax: (847) 294-7808
Depending on the seriousness of the issue(s), timing, and personalities involved any uncoordinated confession might merely serve as state's evidence. Even if whoever you talked to on the phone said it's all good.
If you forgot to check the box for hemorrhoids a few years back, yeah OK I wouldn't spend the money on a lawyer either. But for anything potentially grounding, I'd be very careful.
Times and policies change, you don't know where things stand at FAA HQ (to say nothing of DOJ). The VA witchhunt wasn't a thing eight years ago.
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