Rasfetch

Thanks for sharing. Good to hear a story from someone with direct experience here. When you say on the first try, do you mean provide the documentation to my AME when I go to my first class medical or when the FAA reaches out for more info after the AME defers it?

JohnBurke

AMAS is an advisory service; they hold a different category with the FAA, outside of the AME categorizaton, called IMS physicials (independent medical sponsors). These are not to be confused with HIMS (human intervention motivation study); HIMS AME practitioners will be mentioned here with some frequency, and are needed when on is working through certain substance issues (alcohol, etc) and mental/emotional issues with regard to the FAA medical. Independent medical sponsors are not authorized to issue FAA medicals; they advise patients, and advocate on their behalf to the FAA. You can seek a consultation with them at any time, even before you begin the process for your medical certificate with the AME, so you can go in as informed as possible. The FAA won't begin special issuance until after the deferral, however. You may be able to get a headstart on the process by consulting with, and developing a relationship with AMAS, first. When I say "develop a relationship with," it has a similar connotation to a legal relationship: it means in their case reetaining them with their fee.

Keep in mind that the deferral process is not quick. Turn-around for the FAA can be anywhere from eight weeks to a year, depending on what's needed. The initial delay is the FAA backlog, but a lot of that time often comes down to the airman (pilot) trying to work through it on his own. The FAA writes back to say "we need more data," and the process gets delayed, over and over. One of the chief benefits of using a service like AMAS is that you get everything collected and submitted as completely as possible, minimizing the chance of a delay from the FAA needing more data.

The time frame can also be reeduced in some cases. For example, someone begins the process between medicals, and one is in a state of deferral (grounded, medically) when it's time to get one's new medical. If it's been long enough, one may be able to go to one's AME for the medical exam, and the AME can call the FAA to get a verbal authorization. This requires the FAA to pull the papework, moving it to the front of the line; if a verbal authorization is given, the AME then issues the medical ceretificate on the spot, and a short time later (hopefully) the FAA sends a new medical, which supersedes the one just issued, along with the Special Issuance. This is not standard practice, but can be done in certain cases, and it shortens the wait time considerably. It's something you'd due under counsel with AMAS.

Again, AMAS does not issue medicals; they counsel you through the process, collect your paperwork and data, and submit it to the FAA with their comments and recommendations.

Droopy

I did my first SI by myself and a subsequent one using a service similar to AMAS. I highly recommend using AMAS since, as John Burke mentioned above, they have a different status than us and our AMEs.

Given that, if you're going it alone, make sure you have everything the FAA will want when you go to your AME. Here's my simplistic view on why it matters. The FAA is primarily a bureaucracy with a checklist for most simple SIs. You (your AME) submits your stuff to the FAA. It goes to the bottom of the pile. 3 months later it finally gets seen. They start going through the checklist of things they need. As soon as they hit something that you didn't submit, they stop working on it and request whatever they needed for that checklist item. (An EKG maybe). You get the letter, see your doctor, get the EKG, send it in, and it goes on the bottom of the pile. 3 months later they continue the checklist and the very next thing is maybe some blood work. You get another letter, another appointment with your doctor, and another 3 months of delay. If you get them everything they need first try, it's just much quicker. (I obviously WAY oversimplified their process and there are also things where they make judgment calls, but generally speaking, most delays I'm aware of was people not doing their homework prior to submitting.)

When I used one of the services, they knew exactly what I needed, they were able to let me know the status of my application through their channels, and they had my medical to me literally the same day it was signed.

it's not impossible by any means to do it yourself (my AME was actually asking me what was needed), but the services make it so much easier and greatly reduce the chance of unexpected delays. But they cost more unless your union already pays for them.

Good luck!