Anyone having the same delay problems with med renewal I am?

I wonder if any other EAA members are finding the same problems with OkC I'm finding.

I had my medical with the AME on May 10. Because I have a history of Meniere’s (which the FAA knows about), it got kicked down to OkC and I haven’t heard a word since. That, obviously, was two months ago.

I’ve called down there (I had turned to AOPA for assistance and they just gave me the FAA's phone number) and have been told “it’s still under review.” I’ve sent a letter down stating “we’re prepared to send you all the additional information you require, but you have to tell us what that information is,” to no avail.

I wonder if the med renewal people will be at the FAA pavilion at Oshkosh and, if so, why? They've got work to do back home.

Two months, and it appears at this rate – assuming it’d be at least a month to review once I provide additional data – it could be late in the year before I find out whether I can fly.

Are other people finding this situation too or is it just me?

Bob Collins
Saint Paul,MN.

Bob,

If Okie City is still operating like they we're a few years ago, then you won't hear anything until all the "clerks" who process your application have reviewed all the lines on the app. Then you'll either get your "ticket" or a letter stating you have 30 days to provide whatever it is they want. The process is painfully slow, and can be very frustrating. I've been on "Special Issuance" since a mild heart problem came up in 1996. A few years ago they decided that people with my condition could be "renewed" via my local AME as long as I provided him with all the data that I normally sent to Okie City. So know I can get my annual renewal with a trip to my AME and a check of course without having to wait for FAA Medical HQ. They do get all my paperwork, directly from my AME and about 3 months after his sign-off I get another piece of paper that says the same thing my AME gave me! This is progress, because my Medical renewal date is June 30th , so I can fly through the summer rather then sitting around until Sept waiting for the Okie City piece of paper.

I would suggest you call them 3 times in about 10 days, some guys think that puts some improvement in the handling process.

Joe
:cool:

Calling them on multiple "non-consecutive days" will expedite the process according to experts on AOPA's medical forum.

Yep, it's screwed. This is why you should always endeavor to have your AME call Joklahoma city or the RFS to see if they can do any sort of preclearance rather than outright deferring it. I got caught up with this a few years ago when I had an idiot AME (who I've subsequently found was operating illegally) who just deferred me and didn't even call the RFS which was what the AOPA guys suggested before I went in. The ****ONLY**** thing that saved me was the intervention of the RFS and her pilot advocate assistant. In addition to what Check 6 says, I'd call your RFS office and see if they can help you at least figure out what they're waiting for. In my case they were able to decipher the initials at the bottom of one of the letters sent and get me into direct contact with the guy reviewing my case.