Asperger's Syndrome and 3rd Class Medical

J

jcreyes

Well-Known Member
Hello,

In my late teens, I earned my PPL-ASEL. I renewed my third class medical once in my early twenties and did a bit of flying. Due to time (university studies) and costs, I stopped flying for many years. I'm now 37 and would like to resume flying (adding an instrument rating along the way).

Here's the interesting part. A couple of years ago, my primary care physician referred me to a psychologist about marital problems. I was diagnosed with situational depression and anxiety due to my relationship problems and eventual divorce. Took Prozac daily and Xanax on an as-needed basis for approximately 1 year. Physician weaned me off both medications, and it's now been over a year since I've had to take these medicines. I no longer require or take any psychotropic drugs. During this time, the psychologist saw some other behaviors that led to a formal diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome; this diagnosis was interesting but not discussed much since this was of no concern to me (issues were about social interactions). This doesn't require medication. I have a letter from my physician confirming that I no longer take psychotropic medications (in preparation for my third class medical renewal).

What sorts of hoops should I expect to jump through to renew my medical? How big of a problem is a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, especially since I already have my PPL-ASEL?

Thank you.
 
In my mind the diagnosis is suspect at such an advanced age. Just report what you have and get copies of all of the records (including hte psychologist's records) and be prepared to submit them to the FAA. They may ask for anothe ropinion. If so, use a psychiatrist for the evaluation this time.
 
jcreyes said:
Hello,

In my late teens, I earned my PPL-ASEL. I renewed my third class medical once in my early twenties and did a bit of flying. Due to time (university studies) and costs, I stopped flying for many years. I'm now 37 and would like to resume flying (adding an instrument rating along the way).

Here's the interesting part. A couple of years ago, my primary care physician referred me to a psychologist about marital problems. I was diagnosed with situational depression and anxiety due to my relationship problems and eventual divorce. Took Prozac daily and Xanax on an as-needed basis for approximately 1 year. Physician weaned me off both medications, and it's now been over a year since I've had to take these medicines. I no longer require or take any psychotropic drugs. During this time, the psychologist saw some other behaviors that led to a formal diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome; this diagnosis was interesting but not discussed much since this was of no concern to me (issues were about social interactions). This doesn't require medication. I have a letter from my physician confirming that I no longer take psychotropic medications (in preparation for my third class medical renewal).

What sorts of hoops should I expect to jump through to renew my medical? How big of a problem is a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, especially since I already have my PPL-ASEL?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

My friend, don't be too worried, somebody close to me has the same syndrome. He has been flying all is life with it, he holds JAA and FAA ATPL, he started on a DC3 and finished is airline career on a 747-400. He was also a military pilot.....
 
Dr. Forred, isn't a condition such as Asperger's in some cases normally deemed disqualifying by the FAA?
 
My Flight Surgeon said:
In my mind the diagnosis is suspect at such an advanced age.
Click to expand...

Asperger's didn't even really enter the mainstream lexicon until the 1980s.

Seems to my non-doctor logic that it could have easily been a lifelong condition that was simply undiagnosed due to the health care providers' awareness (or lack thereof) of it.
 
If my knowledge is correct, I believe Asperger's was not officially recognized as a medical condition until sometime in the early 90's.
 
Here's a little history I put together a while ago for someone else:

AS is named after its discoverer, Hans Asperger, a Viennese physician who published his work in 1944. The english-speaking community, however, didn’t get introduced to his work until 1981 when a psychiatrist named Lorna Wing published a paper in English and coined the term “Asperger’s Syndrome.” Uta Frith, a psychologist specializing in autism, provided an English translation (from German) in 1991 of Asperger’s original work. AS was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV, the diagnostic bible for psychiatrists and psychologists) in 1994 under Pervasive Development Disorders (also known as Autism Spectrum Disorders). Some consider it autism "light" and generally affects social interactions.

I'm including the diagnostic criteria for those who may be interested:

299.80 Asperger's Disorder
(A) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
  1. marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
  2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
  3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
  4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity
(B) Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
  1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
  2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
  3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
  4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
(C) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
(D) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)
(E) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
(F) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.

By the way, yesterday I had my medical. AME issued third class medical. I'm now awaiting a letter from the FAA asking for more information (I understand I should expect it within 60 days). I started gathering medical record information in anticipation of their request.
 
Dr. Forred,

I have a follow-up question. Back in 11/2009, I applied for a renewal of my third-class medical, and it was granted by the AME. I expected a letter from the FAA requesting further information regarding my Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis but never received such a request. (I’ve obtained copies of all psychiatric records as well as a letter from the original, treating psychiatrist providing a current evaluation, in case I need to send this information -- by the way, the letter states that anxiety/depression are in full remission, no psychotropic drugs, and “other than his having fewer social contacts than most people . . . [Asperger’s] does not cause him dysfunction in his daily life.”) It’s now been over over 60 days since the AME transmitted my application (11/29/09 is the transmittal date, about a week after the actual exam).

I recall reading a regulation (67.407[c]) that the FAA has 60 days to reverse an AME’s decision, otherwise, the decision is affirmed. I checked the Airmen Registry and confirmed that my medical date has been updated to 11/2009. Perhaps the FAA needs no further information after reading my very detailed application, or maybe the letter is lost in the mail. How should I proceed?
 
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