Mentone Memorandums

[StanFoster]

Jennifer Gilmore asked me to post that anyone bringing a rotorcraft to Mentone....either flying or as a static display...will receive a memorandum for this. They have 100 of them to give out. This is a nice gesture!


Stan

 

[enewbold]

Stan, do you have Jennifer's phone number? The PRA.ORG web site is blacklisted by my company and I can't get thru to get their phone numbers.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

PRA Headquarters

All PRA correspondence - memberships, changes of address, etc should be sent to this address.

Popular Rotorcraft Association
P.O. Box 68
Mentone, IN. 46539 USA

phone: (574) 353-7227
fax: (574) 353-7021

e-mail: [email protected]his e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Office Manager:
Office Hours: 8am-5pm Central Time MON-FRI

 

[enewbold]

Mentone Withdrawal

Mentone Withdrawal

I have some bad news. I have currently lost my medical and am grounded. The FAA denied my medical due to my insulin prescription.

The bad part about all of this is I don't have an insulin prescription. My family doctor issued to me an emergency insulin auto-injector when he first diagnosed my Type II diabetes, because he didn't know at what level I was. After six months of medication (non-insulin medication), my blood-sugar levels are almost at a normal non-diabetic level. He has written the FAA stating as much.

However, until I get word from them (the Feds) officially, I have been forbidden to fly, as outlined in a certified letter from the FAA to me.

Unfortunately,
Ed Newbold
Columbus, OH

 

[Gyropilot007]

Sorry

Sorry

Ed:

I'm really sorry hear about your situation. I think we all have a little fear everytime we take that aviation physical. I hope everything gets cleared up and you're up and flying soon.

Bob

 

[All_In]

Ed
That sucks! I kinda of know what your going through as my brother is in the same boat!
Let us know what happens and I'll let you know what happens in my brothers case he is waiting too.

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

Aerospace Medical Dispositions Item 48. General Systemic - Diabetes

Aerospace Medical Dispositions Item 48. General Systemic - Diabetes

Information on the FAA web site concerning Diabetes.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...de/app_process/exam_tech/item48/amd/diabetes/

 

[Hognose]

Stan --

what sort of "memorandum" is this? You mean like the proverbial "certificate, suitable for framing?" -- if so, like you said, very nice gesture from the PRA.

Ed --

the link Jeff posted is the straight skinny from the FAA. I also rely on the Virtual Flight Surgeons website when I have questions about this. The FAA takes diabetes mellitus terribly seriously because it can cause sudden incapacitation and it has done so, resulting in accidents. But the disease has a wide range of consequences and so FAA has a wide range of responses.

Here's VFS's diabetes page:

http://aviationmedicine.com/article...layArticle&articleID=34&navID=67&contentID=67

It gets quite involved, but the gist of it is:

• If you control it with diet and exercise, you will not need a special issuance. Even for Class I or II. (CFI only needs Class III). You probably won't get there first time -- they'll want to be sure your disease is under control, firsy.
• If you take oral meds and your diabetes is stable and under control, you can get a Class I or II on special issuance, or a Class III (right now, those are borderline special issuance or not).
• If you require insulin they would not issue any medical a few years ago. Now a Class III special issuance is available, but it comes with a lot of strict requirements.

For those of us who do not have diabetes, the best thing is to be young, and when that option's gone, lose weight and keep the weight off. Overweight is strongly correlated with both onset and seriousness of diabetes, and while the FAA is gradually liberalizing many requirements, this is one that is going to be with us for some time, because any problems with blood sugars can make someone zonk out in very short order.

Once you have diabetes, my understanding is that you've got it for good and all you can do is manage it and control it.

Finally, you can still exercise some privileges without a medical (yes, even if one's denied). For example, an instructor can still teach IF his student is already rated on the aircraft and can act as PIC, say, if he's pursuing an advanced rating. I said "some" things, I didn't say they were very useful... plus, I'd discuss any plans to do something like that in advance with my ops inspector because it may be legal, but the FAA might still violate you, and they have the last word.

I hope that this was helpful.

cheers

-=K=-

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

I had heard of a aerobatic pilot doing a routine while monitoring his glucose level and injecting insulin through a pump while performing. Wish I could remember the name.

From the FAA point of view, it is not the crippler it used to be. Some are able to obtain a waiver and continue to fly.

 

[Resasi]

Kevin searched the link for rulings on kidney transplants but nothing. Any ideas how they view those. CAA over here has two commercial licenced transplants on the register.