"You'll Never Be a Pilot" -- How I Proved Them WRONG!

[Music] so I've done about six takes to get this video started already and I just want to start by saying this cuz this is the inevitable goal of this video and that is I want you to become a pilot I want you to enjoy the skies to enjoy a career in aviation and there's this big barrier that a lot of people face and that is a medical certificate k i face this barrier as a young man and I face this barrier still every year it's very difficult to go through the medical process at least in my case and so I want to share that with you my personal story I also want to share a little bit about the basics of medical if you're brand new to this idea and then we're going to fly you guys want to see flying footage right we're going to fly to my appointment for my medical an hour or so from here in the airplane and get it done so let's go let's jump in let's get this story [Music] [Music] started hey guys my name is Chris Palmer I am a master flight instructor CFI here in Alaska at my flight school angle of attack where we also do online Ground School and this video today is going to be a little bit more personal cuz at the core I'm a pilot I love to fly it's why I got into this I still really enjoy it have had some amazing flights recently here in the summer in Alaska so I love it that's the core of who I am and I wanted to fly at a very young age when I was about 16 is when I found out this is what I wanted to do so this video is for those of you who are going to get a medical which is essentially any pilot but especially those of you that are worried about the process or thinking hey maybe someday what if something creeps up with the medical stuff what is the process like to go through that we'll hit the basics of what that's like to go through Medical but this story is a little bit more geared toward what can go wrong and what you need to do if you have some medical history I want you to be protected through this process and again my eventual goal is to get you to become a pilot That's the basis of everything I do from the flight school to the Ground School to just who I am as an instructor as an educator that is my purpose Pur of what I do so I decided today to get very personal and share my personal story with you guys so before we get there when you become a pilot you need to get a medical and that means that you need to go through an official process with the FAA this is a very simple process as some cases if you are medically clear you're just a healthy person you have nothing going on and it's fairly straightforward you sign an online like medical history you go and take an appointment they give you the medical right there it can be very straight forward however as we know most people have some medical history of some kind it's not just medical it can be maybe substance abuse history it can be mental health history anything kind of goes when it comes to this medical stuff and the FAA wants to check it out make sure that you are cleared and safe to fly in the skies that they are in charge of so you go through this process of getting a a medical and you'll get a first class A second class or a third class eventually you can even qualify for what's called a basic Med and these are just different classes based on whether you're going to fly commercially as an airline pilot or a commercial pilot or just a private pilot so different levels of medical we're not going to get into a lot of that here but that's the the basic process of getting a medical is you need to get one you're going to get a certain class based on where you're going in your career or your hobby if you are getting a career or doing a career I would give you the advice to go for the first class and go for that however this process is very strict if you have a medical history and they look very closely at every single case and make sure that you are cleared so if you want more information about this entire process including more about my story you can go to Total student pilot on our website and that will give you you know we'll talk about this there like the process of getting your medical for about 20 minutes but here we're going to focus more on just the basics like I just told you my story and then actually going and getting my medical so I want to take you back in time now which with my math is 23 years ago when the light bulb went on and I decided that I wanted to be a pilot very interesting time you know how it is when you first decide that you want to go for this or you find out that you could get a career in aviation and that fire is just lit within you that you want to do this I was 16 years old and I was very passionate about it I I knew that this is what I wanted to do but I had a medical history already I had recently been diagnosed with with multiple sclerosis which was a surprise and we were meaning my parents and I we were really surprised by it because we kind of caught it by accident I've been very very blessed to have a benign case over these years that hasn't really affected me and super blessed to be in that position because many people aren't as lucky as me and I totally recognize that but we just happen to catch it it was diagnosed it was uh pretty indisputable with the evidence and the tests that we did that I did have it so that was on my medical history knowing that this was a big deal I was going through Ground School at the time and this whole process of the medical thing came up and our instructor our ground instructor at the local College said hey you know this is the process you kind of have to go through and I'm not sure if he gave us the advice or if I just kind of decided to do this on my own but I decided I was going to call around to some of the doctors in the area and talk to them about Ms and whether or not I could fly as a pilot with Ms or and so that was kind of the big question in the back of my mind this question that I actually really wanted to avoid because I think just naturally as humans we don't want that no answer and it's really scary to think hey someone can kind of control my dream so what I ended up doing I ended up calling three or four doctors and the first doctor I called I called in I'd never even talked to the doctor I talked to just one of the nurses or or one of his assistants and and kind of told her my situation just very quickly hey I'm a pilot or rather I want to be a pilot I'm training to be a pilot I would like to do it as a career however I have a history of Ms and was recently diagnosed so I want to know if we could figure this out she says hang on a minute I'm going to go talk to the doctor and she comes back and she says the doctor says that there's no way that you can become a pilot and literally that is what she said and I was just so dumbfounded like how in the world is that true that's not even fair and so you know I said my Pleasant trees or whatever hung up the phone and I started to cry you know I I was very upset about this I was very upset that it felt like my dream was over but it wasn't a few moments later that I decided I didn't have to take no for an answer I was a healthy person I did have this diagnosis and it was important to go through this process but there are a number of these Ames these doctors these aeromedical examiners on this list and I'm going to call some people until I get a yes or I can at least investigate this process because who is this doctor to just tell me no without even knowing who I am or what the process or or what my history is so that's exactly what I did I called around ended up finding a very I would say pilot friendly AME meaning they were a pilot they like to keep people moving through this process and so I started this process of getting a medical I wanted to be an airline pilot at the time so I wanted that first Class Medical which has the most restrictions they they give it the most scrutiny has many more disqualifying factors to it and things but we went through this process of sending the paperwork to Oklahoma city where the FAA is and it was in the system for months and months and months and finally we got the answer back that I was approved that I could become a pilot or that I could get my medical this was all before I ever took an hour of training or any any flight lesson and so that just felt awesome it felt awesome that I could do this and the big lesson I learned is that you can never take no for an answer and you've got to have someone on your team that will that will fight for you and that's going to be your doctor they hold a lot of power the doctor that you choose you need to talk to them off the Record before you ever start anything and I think that's super super important don't ever fill out the paperwork on Med Express is what you're going to fill out it's a website don't ever fill that out without telling them your medical history first any criminal substance abuse history mental health history make sure it's all off the Record before you ever start anything cuzz once you start that process it's this Snowball Effect of that you can't really control now that's not to say that we're going to lie about the process it's not you're not going to hide things you're only going to volunteer the information that you should though and when you do volunteer that information it needs to be done in a strategic way so you need to make sure you have all that information recent medical checkups if that's necessary and go through that process now there are many many many things that you can have meaning medical conditions as a pilot and and still get approval the approval process is very arduous and it can take months and months and sometimes years thousands of dollars and it's just a big big pain these Medical classes that I just explained and talked about I got a first class they are active for a number of years but sometimes when you get these special cases like mine they call it a special issuance and I have to get my medical done every year it is not valid for any class after one year and that's atypical cuz usually it lapses into a different class so I have to go through this process every single year of going to the doctor and it's been an interesting Journey there have been a couple years where I let it lapse because I was you know some major life changes and things had to go back through the process of sending it to Oklahoma City that sort of thing and it was always reiterated to me through that process it's really important you find a good doctor you talk off the rec record before you start and you know have that person on your team now more recently and over the last handful of years there's something called pilot protection services from aopa and for those of you who don't know aopa they are an organization that their sole goal is to fight for us as Pilots advocate for us with the government with the FAA they do that through legislative efforts with actually going to Congress and helping to do legislation there and and some of the FAA reauthorizations that we have periodically but they also will get directly involved in your case on issues like your medical stuff and they have this thing called pilot Protection Services I've been recommending it for a while now but at the core of pilot Protection Services is medical and if you have some medical stuff going on this is another Avenue I would definitely a sign up for right away if you're planning on becoming a pilot even just sniffing it if you're even thinking about it sign up for that right away and talk to your doctor doctor off the Record aopa is going to have a lot of advice and thoughts and and some ideas on the process they deal with this on a daily basis with many members and they're going to make sure that you are set up and ready to go when you go and start this process and that you do it correctly it's going to be really up to you to find a good am they can recommend some people and they may know some particular Ames that are good in your area but there are a lot of Ames out there based on where where you're located so you have to do some due diligence make sure they're very friendly pilot friendly sort of AME they're not just willy-nilly sending paperwork off to the FAA but they want to try to keep it local try to do what they can to get you approved within the boundaries and of course talk off the Record I've said that like 10 times because it's so important so that's someone you need on your team you need AA and your team with pilot Protection Services if you have anything medical and you are going to need a great doctor so those are the the two people you need on your team that's kind of outside of you know having a great fight school and having a a fight instructor that's awesome you know a fight instructor you can kind of fire and find a new one if they don't really work out or go to a different flight school but once you start the medical process with one doctor you can't really do that there's no going back once that process is started there's really no way of stopping it so before we go flying that's the long and short of it you have to get a medical to become a pilot if you have any medical stuff you need to make sure that you're good to go before you actually start the the paperwork you know talk to your doctor off the Record find a good doctor get aopa pilot Protection Services on your side it's a very worthwhile investment and again if the FAA comes back and they ask for a bunch of information or a bunch of tests it could cost you thousands of dollars and years of delay it'll pay for itself in in seconds so please please please follow that advice because it's something that I see all the the time people struggling with that struggling with this process and you've really got to have the right people on your side so with that said now we're going to take the airplane I'm going to go up to my am he is a very pilot friendly am and a great guy last year we even had this kind of Kur fuffle with the FAA where I needed a test done so I needed to go to a neurologist and they couldn't get me an appointment for like I don't know it was a long time for months they were months out but I needed a medical right like right now they ended up working with the local regional office with the FAA they got me a temporary extension so I could still fly and then I went and got that test done a few months later when I could get an appointment in another state so it was a crazy process I literally had to fly somewhere else to get that done and I have to do it every year now well I've always had to do it every year but every year I literally travel to go to a doctor I've always used for my neurologist stuff that a report I had to give to the FAA last year because I had a great doctor we went through this process and I was safe and and was still able to fly this year I did a little better I had that test done before I ever went and got my medical and and so we're going to see how that goes we're going to take that paperwork to them today and the idea is is that I can walk out of that office today with a brand new fresh First Class Medical so that's enough of that let's get all this camera equipment torn down let's pre-flight the airplane and see where we're at and what today is going to be like [Music] thead but now I'm on my way back home I hear the West Winds [Music] calling traffic 24 Charlie taking Runway 4 and will be a right hand turnout climb over the ridge your Gaz keep your eyes on the horizon [Music] all right power's in engine's green and aive Earth speed's alive we [Music] rolling she's ready to peel off and a little back pressure there she goes a little more right R plan over the center line and climb on out [Music] and so I'm just going to do a rightand turn kind of climbing up might get a little bit higher might do a couple turns over the airport and then I'll head that way on my flight plan and in the meantime pick up my [Music] IFR I will was looking to belong when I'd already know that you would be there when the rains are gone like a light anchored Center November 2423 uniform yeah who's that November 2423 uniform just off of uh Homer climbing to the north VFR would like to pick up my IFR to [Applause] could so now we're going to go through a handful of things we're going to get a squat code we're going to get all this our clearance stuff 4 two3 uniform s 4511 4511 242 3 uniform I just enter that in that's going to pop me up on his screen he's going to see me right away 2423 uniform rer contact over the Homer VR pay your altitude and are you able to maintain your own ter obstruction clearance 5,000 23 for we can uh maintain terrain obstruction we're passing through 4,100 climbing 5,000 23 2423 uniform clear to lak hood via for V Victor 4 38s fil maintain 5,000 clear to Lake H uh Victor 438 Homer V R and uh Anchorage 2 three and form 5,000 5,000 [Applause] so 5,000 to like could all right I guess we're going 26.4 [Music] we've got a little bit of a headwind um that's going to take a little bit longer for us to get there which is fine I've got some time to spare I need to have my medical appointment done by the 9th cuz I have this this letter from my doctor that is only good Within 60 days so today is the so say that my flight didn't work out today I'd be able to drive up there or do something else in the meantime to be able to figure it out before that time just so I'm all good so in other words I am I have those external pressures right to go and do my medical but they aren't really that big of a pressure because I can always do it later so I'm not super concerned about it 127.5 pressures off me I can enjoy this and it can be a cool fight for [Music] us I was just calling to see if you're free to run away with [Music] me to run away with me to run away with me just run away with [Music] me away with [Music] me away with [Music] me oh away with [Music] me with [Music] me like a tower 242 3 and a form overpass 23 uniform my 32 C land your number one C land 32 number one 242 34 someone right behind me I see him at our altitude I'm cleared the land so I can do whatever I want to descend down and get there and aim for the trees at the edge there cuz I know that's where I come over the side to the runway to bring my power back set seat belt switches got our lights on two traffic to Follows approaching Minnesota Runway 32 C land C land 32 number two looking for that traffic 185 K Tower Tang 75 power line intersection with Mike for the water Tang 75 Lake Tower tra heading to your right out B out to unnown 51 Tango got both sides 51 Tango thank you 78 Hotel the uh first one is Straight Ahead the second one's about a mile and Trail them for them both in sight this one's fast enough you're right the second one's aheading to your right traffic Roger number three Runway 32 qu land e 23 uniform clear [Applause] all right we did it I'm just going to I'm on the taxi way here so I'm going to hurry and get out so we can back it up and then we'll be on our Dairy way that all went pretty good all right here in Anchorage uh my friend Kevin's picking me up and now we're going to head over to the doctor so we really don't have a lot of time only 15 minutes ins time my equipment and yeah we'll get all get all spiffied up year so fun flight fun arrival hope you guys enjoyed that and let's drive on over [Music] got to sign it sign it yeah Bob's got a great as well sign right there for me and you don't I'm going to put this on your chart as a backup and then see you put there you go this one's yours great thanks okay just got done with the dock I've got a brand new medical here so I'm all legal to go now for another year and feels really good this last year we had a bit of a Kur fuffle with my paperwork and stuff I I didn't go to a specialist before I came so anyway became this huge deal this year we're on top of things things went really well got to know Dr he a little bit more so anyway really cool we're going to go grab some lunch and then I guess I'll head home sometime get some flowers and then head [Music] home gue on [Music] anything and I'll take care of you all away my love one day and time will be our troubles behind back at 23 uniform the sun is shining and we got an otter taking off from the [Music] strip here with you in our tree Toop [Music] I also went to the flower store oh there you go yeah and we got some flowers to take home for some summertime decoration this rope is terrible that's yeah it's really nasty here we go Kevin had a grand idea there she is take flower [Music] power me our TRS be you take care of me way L good Tower Skyhawk 2423 form holding short 32 Hotel 4 with Romeo southbound uh to Homer 2423 uniform L Tower Roger right turn two passes approved R 32 clear for takeoff cleared for takeoff 32 right turnout to tutor overpass two3 uniform [Music] [Music] oh take care of you along the way my love one day in time will our troubles be and you'll take care of me along the way for made in time feel me our TRS be High We Made It time we made it time we made it time we're made it time we made it time made made traffic 24 3 m final [Music] 22 our troubles behind all right guys I'm back at the Mother Ship uh beautiful flight pretty simple just kind of direct all the way home a little bumpy but other than that just great so hope you guys enjoyed this story about my medical process and what I've been through and what it can take for you to get where you're going I definitely recommend that you guys go check out aopa pilot Protection Services because it's one of the main things they do there is protect you from these big medical battles that people go through so they they have so much information so many people to help and you just don't want to get on the wrong side of this so make sure to go check them out there is a link in the description to help you do that and if you have any questions of course leave those in the comments if you have any questions about the medical process I may even get aop involved maybe they can jump in the comments but thanks for being here hope you guys enjoyed this hope you got something out of it fly safe and until next time throtle on [Music] B [Music]

Channel: Angle of Attack

Views: 8,177

Keywords: FAA MEDICAL, faa medical exam, faa medical certificates explained, faa medical exam class 1, faa medical certificate, faa medical special issuance, faa medical deferred, faa medicals explained, faa medical mental health, faa medical exam class 3, flying, become a pilot, AOPA, learn to fly, become a pilot in usa, aviation career

Id: MEvw7lN_o5Q

Length: 30min 47sec (1847 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 13 2024