Bill Greenwood
03-05-2013, 02:58 PM
It can sometimes get pretty busy at our doctors office and there is only one Dr. here for the FAA medical. So I phoned to make an appointment in advance, and there are 2 problems.
First, my local doctor, the one I have used for my medicals for 35 years just retired. I lamented this to his office and they said, no joke that they had grown men in tears that he is gone. He is a good guy, the kind of doctor you would want. He knows medicine, and he fits into our lifestyle. He is an ex NHL goalie and a distance runner. About 30 years ago I, who had been a football player since as long as I can remember and was working out with the ski team, decided to run in a 10 k race. Not all that far, but this is at 8000 feet altitude and I was never a distance runner. It was 2 laps around our town and as I passed my doctor in the first lap, I thought that he was pretty old and not too fast. Well, he kept up the moderate pace, never slowed while I really got tired and I was the last one to finish except for the ones who quit.
Other than just wanting the time off, the other reason my doctor is retiring is that he doesn't want to deal with all the new online requirements of the FAA.
Now, as I understand it, the pilot applicant has to go online and fill out and print the form and bring it to the doctor's office.
Heck, I can barely dial a cell phone, have never even bought one, and now the computer nerds have taken over this part of flying.
I almost never find flying a plane hard, ( I try to stay out of bad weather) but this is another matter. I guess I will manage it, just like I manage to write on this forum.
Has anyone had any experience with this, I think it started in Nov.
First, my local doctor, the one I have used for my medicals for 35 years just retired. I lamented this to his office and they said, no joke that they had grown men in tears that he is gone. He is a good guy, the kind of doctor you would want. He knows medicine, and he fits into our lifestyle. He is an ex NHL goalie and a distance runner. About 30 years ago I, who had been a football player since as long as I can remember and was working out with the ski team, decided to run in a 10 k race. Not all that far, but this is at 8000 feet altitude and I was never a distance runner. It was 2 laps around our town and as I passed my doctor in the first lap, I thought that he was pretty old and not too fast. Well, he kept up the moderate pace, never slowed while I really got tired and I was the last one to finish except for the ones who quit.
Other than just wanting the time off, the other reason my doctor is retiring is that he doesn't want to deal with all the new online requirements of the FAA.
Now, as I understand it, the pilot applicant has to go online and fill out and print the form and bring it to the doctor's office.
Heck, I can barely dial a cell phone, have never even bought one, and now the computer nerds have taken over this part of flying.
I almost never find flying a plane hard, ( I try to stay out of bad weather) but this is another matter. I guess I will manage it, just like I manage to write on this forum.
Has anyone had any experience with this, I think it started in Nov.