The FAA and your health
I went to the doc on Tuesday to get checked out for my 3rd-class medical. Before one takes their first solo flight, an FAA-approved medical examiner has to perform a pretty basic physical. He listened to my lungs and heart, looked into my eyes and ears, checked my vision, tested me for color blindness, noted any identifying scars, made me pee in a cup, and fiddled around with my wiener while I pretended to cough. Normal stuff. The end result is that he was unable to certify me for flight. See, I used to take anti-depressants, and this is a big no-no to the FAA. The master rulebook states:
Certain personality disorders and other mental disorders that include conditions of limited duration and/or widely varying severity may be disqualifying. Under this category, the FAA is especially concerned with significant depressive episodes requiring treatment, even outpatient therapy. If these episodes have been severe enough to cause some disruption of vocational or educational activity, or they have required medication or involved suicidal ideation, the application should be deferred or denied issuance.
To sum up, if you’ve ever been depressed and chose to speak to a medical professional about it (“outpatient therapy”), you’re regarded as a potentially higher risk pilot. If you found yourself in need of verbal or medicinal therapy at any time during your life, you may be denied a medical certificate, no matter the circumstances, how long they lasted, or how long ago the situation happened.
In my case, I simply got tired of feeling a little down, and felt that maybe there were ways to get out from under my little dark cloud. I chose to try to change my life. I talked to my personal physician, and we agreed that there were pharmaceutical options that were worth trying out. I was in no way terminally depressed or suicidal, and have never been admitted to a mental health institution. Having made, and been the recipient of, some wonderful changes in my life, I stopped taking anti-depressant medications some time ago.
I don’t understand the FAA’s stance on this. I’ve seen people on AD medication, and the same people off of them. For the most part, the people taking their legal and doctor-prescribed meds are pretty normal and well-adjusted. I challenge you to pick them out of a crowd. Those folks that do not, but should, take AD’s are sometimes pretty easy to spot. Drive anywhere in Seattle between 4:30 and 6:30PM on any given workday and you’ll see them. Or drive anywhere on Microsoft Campus at any time of day, and there they are. Considering that there is no mental or psychological evaluation before being issued a private pilot’s license, I can only assume that the FAA feels just fine about depressed and unbalanced flying overhead, as long as they’ve never sought assistance. God forbid someone feels a little down, or has a simple and extremely common chemical imbalance, and chooses to do something about it. The FAA would rather that you just suck it up and deal with it like a big boy. Unless, of course, you just can’t take it anymore, at which point you’re free to crash your plane into a schoolyard or government building. You are, after all, a pilot. This seems like a logic hole big enough to, well, to fly a plane through.
And there’s more.
Did you know that there’s no open-container law? Private pilots can swill beer all the way from here to DC as long as nobody sees them do something stupid and calls the authorities. ATC may pick up your slur over the radio and have some friendly folks waiting for you once you bounce your plane up to the gate. If you’re found impaired to the point of being dangerous you’ll likely get nailed pretty hard, but there’s technically no law against the act of flying under the influence. I’m surprised that neither David Clark nor Bose have ever sold beer hat style aviation headsets. The little suckie tube could be right on the end of the mic boom.
Here’s another one. Remember that urine test I mentioned before? They use it as a measure of kidney function. They check for NO drugs whatsoever. That’s right boys and girls. A person could wake up in the morning, smoke a joint the size of a diesel tailpipe, and pass their medical exam. Uppers, downers, blow, crack, and the big H are all totally fine. Don’t ask, don’t tell, here’s your license.
Now here’s a little quiz (pick one):
** Imagine anyone you know who takes AD medication regularly
** Imagine anyone you know who does not take AD medication regularly, but should
** Imagine anyone who regularly uses hallucinogenics, narcotics, or drinks excessively
Who would you rather get in a plane with (all else being equal)? I’ve actually seen some answers to a similar quiz. One in particular was rather perplexing. “If I knew there was a pilot on anti-depressants coming in to land, I’d get as far away from the runway as I could.” Go sit in the corner dumbass.
That said, I’m sure it’ll all turn out fine for me. I need to get my primary doc to fax a letter to the ME stating why we chose this course of medication, what the side effects were (if any), why I’m no longer taking them, and how I’m functioning. Once he gets it, he needs to send the whole packet to Oklahoma City for closer scrutiny. Again, I think this is mostly a formality, they’ll find me to be the least of their concerns, and I’ll get certified before too long. The words “If these episodes have been severe enough to require medication” make me think that this rule doesn’t apply to me as much as it does some less fortunate folks.
Oh, and for those of you wondering why I disclosed this information to the doc in the first place, the punishment for lying on an FAA form is a fine of up to $25,000 and up to 5 years in jail. And the likely denial of your application. Duh.
If you have anything to say about this issue, I’d love to hear it. Please post a comment and tell me what you think.