Membership Services
Medical Services Plan Cuts Anxiety for AOPA Member
“I paid 99 dollars for peace of mind.”
A.E. Purcifull, an insurance agent in Frankfort, Indiana, says the best part of joining AOPA’s Medical Services Program is, “It took the anxiety out of going in for the Medical. I knew going in that I had a good chance of passing it.”
A.E., as he is known, never lost his medical, but he grounded himself. However, like other pilots facing medical issues, his medical was up for renewal and he was concerned that he could not pass the medical exam. “I was in treatment for 11 months,” he says. “And I didn’t fly for two years.”
When A.E. read about AOPA’s Medical Services Program, he decided to give it a try. He joined at the $99 level and then called AOPA to discuss his particular situation. “First of all,” he says, “I was impressed that although my condition is not common, the folks at the Medical Services Program were very familiar with it. The woman instantly gave me a list of what reports and tests I would need to compile.”
And she was right. He was guided through the process and was advised what paperwork he should present his AME at the time of the exam. He arrived for the exam with nearly 100 pages of documentation – what’s more, he arrived for the exam in a calm manner, knowing that he was going in with the paperwork he needed.
When his AME sent the documentation to Oklahoma City, A.E. says, “It couldn’t have gone through any quicker. I almost hesitate to say how quick because I don’t want other people to expect the same.” A.E. has been an AOPA member since 1980 and says, “By going through AOPA and its Medical Services Program, I had a complicated problem that was made simple.”
Now he’s back to flying his 1969 Cherokee 180 and adds, “I can’t say enough about the Medical Services Program other than thank you, AOPA!”
November 3, 2010
