hey guys, been a long while since i've posted but nevertheless have some good info for maybe yourself, someone you know, or (I certainly hope not) just in case you find yourself in my boat errr plane.
back in September of 2010 I got a DWI and promptly wrote the FAA and informed them as soon as I was able to and they wrote back saying thanks, don't let it happen again. At the time I thought, cool, that was a close one. wellllllll not so fast. see the FAA sees dwi's a little differently than the state does. I had a case back in 2002 that was reduced by the state to reckless driving but that didn't matter to the FAA even though they said no problem. apparently when you refuse to blow they (FAA) count that as a dwi whether or not the charges were reduced to something other than found innocent. loooooong story short and still being written as I type this is when the FAA strips you of your medical like they wound up doing to me in the winter/spring of 2011 - here is a small taste of what you have to look forward to in order to get your medical back. I have since quit drinking and decided that getting back my medical was something that I really needed to do. I, like most if not all here, love flying and am willing to do what it takes to get it back.
when I started this not yet finished journey, I stood at the base of a proverbial mountain not knowing how tall it really was or what obstacles I would encounter along the way, I just knew it was there and I had to climb it.
best way to sum up my journey so far is with a timeline of sorts with some narrative:
Aug. 2015 applied for 2nd class - not approved - sent to OK for investigation
Sept. 29th - letter stating the need for more information:
here is a summary:
*copy of the narrative police/investigative report and blood/breath alcohol content (BAC) from all offenses
*complete copies of all court records associated with ALL offenses (i have a record beyond dwi's)
*all records associated with any care, treatment, or assessments/evaluations for alcohol abuse or related disorders
*a detailed statement from you regarding your past, present, and future patterns of alcohol use and of the circumstances surrounding all offenses, including felonies and misdemeanor
*a complete copy of your current driving record from the department of motor vehicles from any state that you held a driver's license, for the past 10 years.
*complete copies of a current evaluation which includes a detailed narrative from a certified Substance Abuse Specialist, or Addictionologist in accordance with the enclosed guidelines. please note that evaluation must address your complete alcohol related history of usage and all offenses, and should include copies of all testing performed with a final diagnosis.
*or if your records reveal your BAC was .20 or greater, in addition to items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; submit complete copies of a current evaluation from a psychiatrist familiar with aviation standards, in accordance with the enclosed guidelines. please note that the evaluation must address your complete alcohol related history of usage and all offenses, and should include copies of all testing performed with a final diagnosis.
----end of summary for letter #1----
on the last item (7) you might as well plan on the HIMS study. more on that to follow. hope you have deep pockets or an air carrier that is willing to foot the bill, this is gonna cost you big on top of what you already paid the state in fines &/or time served.
cost for the above - my time to gather all the info requested and put together a rather large packet, a few visits to a psychologist that i'd already been seeing to understand the complexity of drinking and the thought process thereof at 270 bucks/hr a pop x4 plus a visit to a substance abuse counselor, can't remember the exact cost but roughly 250 bucks. - total here ~ $1330
sent in all that information above at the end of November/early December.
Jan. 4th 2016 - received letter dated 29 Dec 2015:
this will acknowledge receipt of the information provided..........
.....We appreciate the information provided, and regret it is insufficient to enable us to complete our evaluation of your eligibility for airman medical certification.......
you must provide the following: complete copies of a current substance abuse neuropsychological evaluation performed by a Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) neuropsychologist, in accordance with the neuropsychological portion only of the enclosed specifications. (leaving this part out, lots involved)
----end of summary for letter #2----
the FAA did recommend two doctors in my area (Houston) for this ALL DAY brain stress test.
cost for this evaluation: $1,995 cash, check or money order. no insurance accepted + time off from work to do the evaluation (i'm a sr. electrical designer in the petrochem industry for those keeping score, i make a decent salary)
I completed the above at the beginning of February and received my response from Oklahoma yesterday, Feb. 29th:
.....We appreciate the information provided, and regret it is insufficient to enable us to complete our evaluation of your eligibility for airman medical certification.......
you will need to engage with a Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Independent Medical Sponsor (IMS) Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) for an evaluation and sponsorship and monitoring from the HIMS/IMS/AME and he/she should provide to us detailed recommendations in writing for the monitoring requirements. The report should be submitted directly to this office from the HIMS/IMS/AME.
----end of summary for letter #3----
called a HIMS/IMS/AME today (basically an AME that specializes/has formal FAA training with this area) and while costs apparently vary, the one I chose is in Galveston (like I need an excuse to go fishing, right?) and initially will cost $1,500 then $275/hr thereafter. I will have to do a few visits at first so they can get to know me, my situation, lifestyle, etc.) then visit at least once every 6 months for the next at least 2 years or so. an interesting point the assistant made today was that I go ahead and apply for my 1st class medical so that in case i decide later on even after i've been released to fly without restrictions/supervision i run the possibility of having to do this portion of the program recovery again. (plan on your medical, regardless of class, to be good for only 6 months at a time with doctor visit and monthly random alcohol testing stipulations). basically what this means is, if you've got a 3rd class and underwent the supervision holding a 3rd class and later on you want a 2nd - you may have to do the testing again so the premise here is go for the 1st so that way you're covered for the others.
forgot to mention that in the case of BOTH doctors, you have to request, in writing, from the FAA your records in "Blue Ribbon Format" and have them sent to the doctor you're going to visit prior to the appointment(s). I ordered the second blue ribbon copy today to be sent to galveston and will hopefully be able to get an appointment by next friday.
I will update this as it unfolds but as of right now, this is where I am and will answer any questions I can if you have any.
in short, whether or not you have a problem with alcohol, don't drink and drive kids. like i stated earlier, i've quit drinking already, it's just best that I don't drink and I accept and acknowledge this fact and was fortunate enough to just put it down and not pick it back up without any side effects. what i'm going through is a nightmare of sorts, i've been in worse situations, but at the same time, it's also a Blessing. I mainly put this here to help anyone else who might be in or know someone who is/could be in this situation - stop it before it starts. i've been through quite a bit in my life and have learned to NEVER say it can't get any worse, because yes, as a matter of fact, it can. 6 months ago when i started the ball rolling on re-acquiring my medical i had no one to turn to and didn't quite know what to expect. hope this helps.