AOPA medical team gets pilots back in air
By AOPA ePublishing staff
It's tough to imagine being a pilot who has been diagnosed with a heart ailment, but it happens all too often. Like one member whose heart condition required two stents and one angioplasty in November 2006. Upon being grounded, he contacted AOPA.
One of the valuable benefits AOPA membership offers is access to our medical certification staff. Following the FAA's long recertification process, excessive paperwork, and required tests, AOPA acted on this member's behalf as a liaison with the FAA to help him get recertified this month.
The association responds to more than 20,000 general medical questions each year in the form of member phone calls and e-mails, and works directly with the FAA to assist more than 2,000 members each year in expediting the issuance of their medical certificates. For example, AOPA helped another member receive medical certification this month after an unequivocal denial in August.
Although AOPA has developed the interactive medical application TurboMedical, sometimes it's necessary to interact with an actual human being who can help you work through the process of acquiring your medical, especially for pilots with special circumstances.
For help with medical-related issues, contact AOPA's Pilot Information Center at 800/USA-AOPA or by e-mail.
October 16, 2007
