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How on earth would your FAA AME know that you had sleep apnea?? Tell me this is something that you'd volunteer.

 

Even if I had sleep apnea (which I have no idea whether I do or not because it would normally happen when I'm ASLEEP) combined with a bleeding ulcer, a hernia, hangnails, one undescended testicle, taking chemotherapy for cancer of the everything, deaf in one or more ears, scoliosis, a laryngectomy, nose fell off like Michael Jackson, bunions, one lost kidney from that trip to Thailand, right arm sawed off from that unfortunate tree-trimming accident this past summer...and chronic hiccups...I'd still answer, "Yep doc, everything's great!" during my flight physical.

DON'T TELL THE FAA NUTHIN! Unless...you actually don't want to be a pilot anymore. Look what they're doing to John King.

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Getting the issuance is a problem is what I was trying to convey.

 

Take a look at questions 17 -19. Those are the key medical question. Don’t add additional answers to questions not asked. Don’t be afraid to just answer “No”.

 

If you were never official diagnosed by a doctor of a listed condition, the answer is “No”.

 

However, if you voluntarily add you were treated for one of the three types of sleep apnea, you'll force your AME to made a risk assessment based on one of the six groups below. This is the new screening guidance for AMEs. If the AME is in agreement with you, that the condition is mild, medical issuance shouldn’t be a problem.

 

Applicant Previously Assessed:

Group 1: Has OSA diagnosis and is on Special Issuance. Reports to follow.

Group 2: Has OSA diagnosis OR has had previous OSA assessment. NOT on Special Issuance. Reports to follow.

 

Applicant Not at Risk:

Group 3: Determined to NOT be at risk for OSA at this examination.

 

Applicant at Risk/Severity to be assessed:

Group 4: Discuss OSA risk with airman and provide educational materials.

Group 5: At risk for OSA. AASM sleep apnea assessment required.

 

Applicant Risk/Severity Extremely High:

Group 6: Deferred. Immediate safety risk. AASM sleep apnea assessment required. Reports to follow.

 

Video Link - Screening Guidance for AMEs

 

John King Hits FAA Medical Inflexibility

 

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Edited by iChris
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Not really that big a hassle... And how they know someone asked? Mudkow is about to be (or is retired military) and is obviously is about to have a disability rating from the VA ($) for it. So that little bit on the physical about have you ever had a disability is getting him. Tell them yes Mudkow--not worth keeping up with a perjury for 25 years of flying.

 

The AME will give you your cert right away and the FAA Med Division will come back with a request for information inside of a month or so. You WILL have to tell them (sig on paper) that you are using CPAP regularly and that the sleep apnea effects are being managed. Your doc (either general or your "sleep doc") will have to say (sig on paper) that the sleep apnea is being managed and also provide the last year's record of your CPAP use (if you haven't had your CPAP / diagnosis for the full time, then back to when it was issued). I'm on the road and don't have the doc to ref, but they are wanting to see that you've used the device for something like 70-75% of the time and 6.5 hours a night (one of the links that guys provided above might have the actual #s are you can probably find it on the FAA Sleep Apnea website).

 

You'll have 60 days to get the response back to the FAA or they will pull your FAA Med Cert. And if you are like me (Tri-Care and/or military medical center), that is the hard part as getting reservations with your docs in the military med is really not responsive.

 

That is all for the initial sleep apnea with the FAA. After that initial one, expect to have to provide CPAP use report yearly and a simple sig by you.

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Here is the good thing... if I do not claim disability, I don't have to claim the condition, as the test results are not official (Puerto Rico center stuff), and the doctor's never asked about it, as I self-requested the sleep study.

 

Bottom line, I guess, is that is it worth claiming as a disability and rising the FAA having issues, or just not claim and not have any problems with it.

 

Thank you.

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Intitally or can you claim it at anytime?

 

If you are already out, you have to prove it was / is service connected. Hence hard to do (not saying it can't be done, but it will take some work and luck--not for sure which is needed more).

 

mudkow--sorry I didn't respond on the second pm this morning. Rough* night last night and had to get out the door to the HAI Expo this AM. But yeah, what you stated there and above, no issue I highly suspect.

 

*self induced and must remember to drink much more water

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So that little bit on the physical about have you ever had a disability is getting him. Tell them yes Mudkow--not worth keeping up with a perjury for 25 years of flying.

 

Here is the good thing... if I do not claim disability, I don't have to claim the condition, as the test results are not official (Puerto Rico center stuff), and the doctor's never asked about it, as I self-requested the sleep study.

 

Bottom line, I guess, is that is it worth claiming as a disability and rising the FAA having issues, or just not claim and not have any problems with it.

 

Question 18x on the medical: Other illness, disability, or surgery

 

If you’re not substantially impaired by this sleep apnea, and there’s no record of diagnosed Obstructive or Central Sleep Apnea, and you’ve never established yourself, in writing, as having Obstructive or Central Sleep Apnea, your answer should be “No” by definition of the meaning “disability” (see quote below).

 

The fact that you’re seeking a disability claim doesn’t constitute a disability diagnosis. A record of medical diagnosis must validate the claim. It appears that you have no record of testing, diagnosis, or even completing a Polysomnogram to support an Obstructive Sleep Apnea claim presently. If so, the answer to 18x is “No”. However, once a positive diagnosis is confirmed by a Physician, you’ll have to answer “Yes”. Until that time, answering “No” is not in violation (Perjury).

 

The definition of disability that was incorporated into the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has roots in the Rehabilitation Act’s definition and remains standard in law today.

 

(1) The term “disability” means, with respect to an individual—

 

(A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;

 

( B ) a record of such an impairment; or

 

( C ) being regarded as having such an impairment

 

(3) Regarded as having such an impairment for purposes of paragraph (1) ( C ):

 

( A ) An individual meets the requirement of “being regarded as having such an impairment” if the individual establishes that he or she has been subjected to an action prohibited under this chapter because of an actual or perceived physical or mental impairment whether or not the impairment limits or is perceived to limit a major life activity.

 

( B ) Paragraph (1)( C ) shall not apply to impairments that are transitory and minor. A transitory impairment is an impairment with an actual or expected duration of 6 months or less.

 

Ref: Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S. Code § 12102 - Definition of disability

Edited by iChris
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