actions the FAA will approve given
appropriate documentation.
THE BIGGIES
So, what are some common reasons for
failed or deferred medicals? Dr. Pinnell
said the most frequent diagnosis seen is
hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Anything above 140/90 is typically
treated, but even then, patients don’t
“fail” their medical but rather start the
process of getting the condition treated.
Another commonly seen issue is
non-insulin-requiring diabetes. “Some
medication combinations the FAA
allows, and others they don’t. If
medications are allowable and
documentation is shown, there isn’t a
problem,” he said. To help with this
process Dr. Pinnell has created some
forms to help people document their
diabetes to make sure the FAA’s
parameters are met. Diabetes, like
many other diseases, commonly is not
a showstopper but must be treated
and documented properly.
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More than 50 percent of
AMEs are pilots themselves,
according to Dr. Pinnell,
and want nothing more
than for me to fly. They’re
on my side.
Therefore, many times the real
biggie is not a medical issue at all, but
rather the documentation and
seemingly endless paperwork the FAA
may require. Some AMEs don’t do
anything beyond the exam, while others
like Dr. Pinnell work with their patients
through the process to find approved
treatments and navigate forms.
