May I scream yet? or "FAA Medical Division..."

[querist]

I have a friend who is a DPE (not gyros), but a gyro instructor and a physician's assistant who works for an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner - the only people allowed to do medical exams for pilots in the USA). He wants to get back into gyros, and was very excited when I told him I wanted to learn to fly gyros but my medical was getting in the way.

So, on his own initiative (I did _not_ ask him to do this) he called the FAA Medical Division's special number that only AMEs have and found out that I needed to send something else to the FAA. None of the letters I received from the FAA told me this, nor did any one who answered the phone number we little people can call tell me this, even though I'm pretty sure I've talked to every single one of them by now as I've been calling nearly every week for over a year.

So, I'm working on getting that set of "Progress notes" from my regular doctor sent and then, in theory (according to my friend) I could have an answer within a month or so, right in time for school to start so I'll be too busy teaching to have time to learn to fly.

BUT, with the changes the FAA recently made it may be a regular issuance instead of a special issuance, and the AME can issue directly as long as there is no change in my former condition (which has resolved).

Now to get my hands on a gyro that can carry myself, my CFI, and a full fuel tank.

 

[Abid]

I have a friend who is a DPE (not gyros), but a gyro instructor and a physician's assistant who works for an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner - the only people allowed to do medical exams for pilots in the USA). He wants to get back into gyros, and was very excited when I told him I wanted to learn to fly gyros but my medical was getting in the way.

So, on his own initiative (I did _not_ ask him to do this) he called the FAA Medical Division's special number that only AMEs have and found out that I needed to send something else to the FAA. None of the letters I received from the FAA told me this, nor did any one who answered the phone number we little people can call tell me this, even though I'm pretty sure I've talked to every single one of them by now as I've been calling nearly every week for over a year.

So, I'm working on getting that set of "Progress notes" from my regular doctor sent and then, in theory (according to my friend) I could have an answer within a month or so, right in time for school to start so I'll be too busy teaching to have time to learn to fly.

BUT, with the changes the FAA recently made it may be a regular issuance instead of a special issuance, and the AME can issue directly as long as there is no change in my former condition (which has resolved).

Now to get my hands on a gyro that can carry myself, my CFI, and a full fuel tank.

Well how heavy is your instructor? Depending on his weight you may not be able to carry full fuel tank and it is seldom the case in flight lessons where full fuel tank is ever carried. Usually expected duration of flight lesson and 30 minute reserve is carried

 

[Sv.grainne]

Can you loose some weight? When I was training with my CFI We were both in the 160 range, flew with a full tank for first hour then came back, debriefed, pit stop and fueled up.

 

[okikuma]

I have a friend who is a DPE (not gyros), but a gyro instructor and a physician's assistant who works for an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner - the only people allowed to do medical exams for pilots in the USA). He wants to get back into gyros, and was very excited when I told him I wanted to learn to fly gyros but my medical was getting in the way.

So, on his own initiative (I did _not_ ask him to do this) he called the FAA Medical Division's special number that only AMEs have and found out that I needed to send something else to the FAA. None of the letters I received from the FAA told me this, nor did any one who answered the phone number we little people can call tell me this, even though I'm pretty sure I've talked to every single one of them by now as I've been calling nearly every week for over a year.

So, I'm working on getting that set of "Progress notes" from my regular doctor sent and then, in theory (according to my friend) I could have an answer within a month or so, right in time for school to start so I'll be too busy teaching to have time to learn to fly.

BUT, with the changes the FAA recently made it may be a regular issuance instead of a special issuance, and the AME can issue directly as long as there is no change in my former condition (which has resolved).

Now to get my hands on a gyro that can carry myself, my CFI, and a full fuel tank.

Typical speed of government.

Wayne

 

[querist]

Can you loose some weight? When I was training with my CFI We were both in the 160 range, flew with a full tank for first hour then came back, debriefed, pit stop and fueled up.

I've already lost nearly two stone (that's for Bobby, I think) since the beginning of May and I am continuing to lose weight, but it's going to be a long time before I'm down to 160 lbs, if ever, again.

 

[querist]

Typical speed of government.

Wayne

Well, the worst thing is that they never told me. If it weren't for Dustin calling them I'd still not know what they needed. I've emailed my doctor and hope she will be able to put the report together in short order and send it off.

 

[querist]

Well how heavy is your instructor? Depending on his weight you may not be able to carry full fuel tank and it is seldom the case in flight lessons where full fuel tank is ever carried. Usually expected duration of flight lesson and 30 minute reserve is carried

I can tell just by looking at him that he weighs more than I do, because he's about my shape and at least 6" taller.

Also, having anything less than a full tank when storing an aircraft can leave space for condensation to form, and as humid as it is here in East Texas, I'm not going to risk it. Thus, I'll have a full tank when starting to fly.

I'm a big believer in reserve fuel, too. Even though FAA regs only require 20 minutes reserve for rotorcraft during the day (14 CFR §91.151 (b)), I'd rather have at least 30, and ideally a bit more. My wife's Cessna, in theory, has a 4+ hour range but she won't fly more than three without stopping to refuel, and I wholly support this approach.

 

[Vance]

I have a friend who is a DPE (not gyros), but a gyro instructor and a physician's assistant who works for an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner - the only people allowed to do medical exams for pilots in the USA). He wants to get back into gyros, and was very excited when I told him I wanted to learn to fly gyros but my medical was getting in the way.

So, on his own initiative (I did _not_ ask him to do this) he called the FAA Medical Division's special number that only AMEs have and found out that I needed to send something else to the FAA. None of the letters I received from the FAA told me this, nor did any one who answered the phone number we little people can call tell me this, even though I'm pretty sure I've talked to every single one of them by now as I've been calling nearly every week for over a year.

So, I'm working on getting that set of "Progress notes" from my regular doctor sent and then, in theory (according to my friend) I could have an answer within a month or so, right in time for school to start so I'll be too busy teaching to have time to learn to fly.

BUT, with the changes the FAA recently made it may be a regular issuance instead of a special issuance, and the AME can issue directly as long as there is no change in my former condition (which has resolved).

Now to get my hands on a gyro that can carry myself, my CFI, and a full fuel tank.

Sounds like progress to me. One step at a time.

 

[Abid]

I can tell just by looking at him that he weighs more than I do, because he's about my shape and at least 6" taller.

Also, having anything less than a full tank when storing an aircraft can leave space for condensation to form, and as humid as it is here in East Texas, I'm not going to risk it. Thus, I'll have a full tank when starting to fly.

I'm a big believer in reserve fuel, too. Even though FAA regs only require 20 minutes reserve for rotorcraft during the day (14 CFR §91.151 (b)), I'd rather have at least 30, and ideally a bit more. My wife's Cessna, in theory, has a 4+ hour range but she won't fly more than three without stopping to refuel, and I wholly support this approach.

You can't even have an instructor like that with you in a GA 2 seat trainer airplane with full fuel. Most gyroplanes are designed to take 1232 pounds gross weight. Usually to have proper structure you can only achieve 45-55 split. That means useful load max in any light sport aircraft will be 45% of its gross weight. And that is the best one can get. Most of the time you only get a 40-60 split. In reality what you are asking your gyro to do is to lift its own weight or more in flight. That is a tall order. It can be done with composite structures and things like that but that increases the cost. Every pound extra costs $$$ in flying. There is no way around it. I at 145 pounds as an instructor on east side of the US can get away with an AR-1 with a 912ULS as even a trainer if I restrict my students to be 225 lbs or lower. But if I was also heavy I would have to pay $13k more to get at least a 914. All costs $$$

 

[Roundwing]

Also, having anything less than a full tank when storing an aircraft can leave space for condensation to form, and as humid as it is here in East Texas, I'm not going to risk it. Thus, I'll have a full tank when starting to fly.

I am a co-owner of a Cherokee 180 and we never fill the tanks unless we are going on a long X-country. There is a tab built into the filler neck that when filled to that point it has 17 gallons in each tank. That makes it good for 3.5 hours of flight. It is always hangered when at our home airport. The only time that we had a water in the gas issue was when it was parked outside at another airport overnight and it rained.
I also took my helicopter training in a machine that is capable of holding 45 gallons of fuel but we only carried 20 gallons for each flight since the lessons were about an hour each.
The point is with the proper precautions you do not need to keep the tanks full all of the time.
You sump the tanks before the first flight of the day and after refueling.
It is a waste of fuel to carry extra fuel.

Rick

 

[nishanh]

Congrats on your progress. While not suggesting a course of action for you, I'm down to 165 from 210 by adopting a Ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting protocol. Search YouTube for "Dr. Berg" if you're interested.

 

[Abid]

Congrats on your progress. While not suggesting a course of action for you, I'm down to 165 from 210 by adopting a Ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting protocol. Search YouTube for "Dr. Berg" if you're interested.

Congrats. Intermittent fasting is extremely good for many health reasons.

 

[Mayfield]

Congrats. Intermittent fasting is extremely good for many health reasons.

About a year ago I found myself weighing 185 pounds. Since I am sleight of build, much of that weight was concentrated in a rather gross bulge around my middle.

Having lost and regained weight repeatedly, I needed a different plan.

I decided to try intermittent fasting.

My eating window is now 1300-1800. No eating at other hours. I lost 35 pounds and have remained stable for a little over a year

Jim

 

[Abid]

About a year ago I found myself weighing 185 pounds. Since I am sleight of build, much of that weight was concentrated in a rather gross bulge around my middle.

Having lost and regained weight repeatedly, I needed a different plan.

I decided to try intermittent fasting.

My eating window is now 1300-1800. No eating at other hours. I lost 35 pounds and have remained stable for a little over a year

Jim

Excellent. Yes what I realized that we in the US eat/snack all the time. It is available everywhere. I used to play Squash as a teenager and at that time take in probably 8000 calories each day but I was probably burning 6500 calories playing Squash or practicing and running everyday 5 hours a day also. When I came to college and stopped that it was difficult to break the habit of caloric intake. Took some time and discipline. Now at 53 it is even more difficult, but I manage by doing intermittent fasting and jogging or walking 4 times a week. Never go to a gym though.

 

[querist]

About a year ago I found myself weighing 185 pounds. Since I am sleight of build, much of that weight was concentrated in a rather gross bulge around my middle.

Having lost and regained weight repeatedly, I needed a different plan.

I decided to try intermittent fasting.

My eating window is now 1300-1800. No eating at other hours. I lost 35 pounds and have remained stable for a little over a year

Jim

I've done intermittent fasting, and find it much easier to do DURING the semester where I do not have as ready access to food as I do in the house. Once the semester starts again, I can resume intermittent fasting with a ketogenic focus. I'm still losing now, but I need to accelerate the process a bit.

 

[500e]

I am a co-owner of a Cherokee 180 and we never fill the tanks unless we are going on a long X-country. There is a tab built into the filler neck that when filled to that point it has 17 gallons in each tank. That makes it good for 3.5 hours of flight. It is always hangered when at our home airport. The only time that we had a water in the gas issue was when it was parked outside at another airport overnight and it rained.
I also took my helicopter training in a machine that is capable of holding 45 gallons of fuel but we only carried 20 gallons for each flight since the lessons were about an hour each.
The point is with the proper precautions you do not need to keep the tanks full all of the time.
You sump the tanks before the first flight of the day and after refueling.
It is a waste of fuel to carry extra fuel.

Rick

Had water problem in a 300, sumped the 1/2 full tank OK, started OK, warmed up OK, 3/400 ft all went silent auto to ground ( thank you to my FI who made me do them almost from lesson 1).
Checked for problem water contamination, how? Condensation on sides of tank did not get to injector till in air.
So dont be to sure part filled tanks will show water on sump test, we fill if there is any chance of condensation.

 

[querist]

Had water problem in a 300, sumped the 1/2 full tank OK, started OK, warmed up OK, 3/400 ft all went silent auto to ground ( thank you to my FI who made me do them almost from lesson 1).
Checked for problem water contamination, how? Condensation on sides of tank did not get to injector till in air.
So dont be to sure part filled tanks will show water on sump test, we fill if there is any chance of condensation.

Given that I live in East Texas, which is hot and humid most of the year, I like the idea of full tanks just in case. My wife always fills the Cessna when she's done flying before tucking the plane back into the hangar.

 

[querist]

Well, my PCP (Primary Care Provider - my regular doctor) finally sent the report that the FAA requested and I didn't know that they needed until my friend (a Fixed-wing and LTA DPE and instructor and also a gyro instructor) found out I needed because he works for an AME and called the special phone number only AMEs have.

They mailed it on the 17th. I'll keep folks posted. My wife, God bless her, is seriously talking about finding a way for us to get a gyro if I ever get my medical. (She flies the Cessna.)

 

[bell206]

Had water problem in a 300, sumped the 1/2 full tank OK, started OK, warmed up OK, 3/400 ft all went silent auto to ground ( thank you to my FI who made me do them almost from lesson 1).
Checked for problem water contamination, how? Condensation on sides of tank did not get to injector till in air.
So dont be to sure part filled tanks will show water on sump test, we fill if there is any chance of condensation.

By chance was the 300 moved around, repositioned before you sumped it? If the line guys pulled my aircraft out of the hanger and pulled it up front for me I didn't bother to sump because it would be sloshed around and wouldn't show up. If the aircraft sat there for a half hour or so I would sump then.

 

[Andino]

Good luck with your reinstated Medical, and I feel your frustration. Also, I can attest that IF works, and is easy to comport with.