This article details the lengthy and frustrating process pilots face when their medical certification is deferred by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) due to a health issue, particularly mental health concerns like depression.
Key Points:
- Pilot Disincentive to Report Medical Issues: Pilots often fear career repercussions and avoid reporting new health conditions to their AME (Aviation Medical Examiner).
- Deferrals vs. Rejections: Deferrals are more common than rejections but leave pilots in limbo, unable to fly while waiting for FAA approval.
- Lengthy Processing Times: Deferral processing can take months, Often exceeding well past a year, due to various factors:
- FAA Reliance on Traditional Mail: Slow physical mail delivery delays communication.
- Understaffing: The FAA lacks sufficient medical personnel to handle the workload.
- Increasing Deferrals: An aging pilot population and rising diagnoses of ADHD and depression lead to more deferrals.
- Pilot-Controlled Delays: Specialists' appointments, testing, and reports contribute to the wait.
- FAA Stabilization Requirement: The FAA mandates at least 6 months of medication stability before considering license reinstatement.
- Financial Burden: Pilots bear the costs of medical evaluations and treatment during deferral.
https://jeraldblock.blogspot.com/2024/11/part-3-deferring-timelessly.html
