Just a followup for anyone that might be searching the forums in the future and wants to know how long it takes to get a new special issuance when it is deferred to the Aeromedical Certification Division in Oklahoma City.
It took about two months in all to get the medical renewed. One week dealing with the AME and doctor, 3 weeks for the FAA to receive, security check and scan the documents, and 4 weeks for them to review and approve it.
Here's the timeline I had:
Nov 5th/2008 - Did medical exam for renewal for First Class, AME hands me the medical and I walk out of office
Nov 5th/2008 - AME calls and tells me to bring back medical, my condition requires deferral to FAA
Nov 13th/2008 - Submitted reports to AME, AME puts everything in an envelope, attaches two stamps on it and mails it via regular mail to FAA (from outside the USA)
Dec 1st/2008 - Call FAA, they say they haven't received any documents. They say to call back again in a few days.
Dec 1st/2008 - Call AME to say the FAA haven't received anything. Was told that the medical application was sent electronically but the 8500-14 and the original application was sent via mail. When I ask why it wasn't sent registered mail he says that the FAA doesn't accept registered mail.
Dec 5th/2008 - FAA still has not received any documents. Was told on phone that it takes as much as 3-4 weeks for them to receive mail and have it forwarded to their department because all mail is security checked.
Dec 5th/2008 - Faxed visual field exam to FAA for inclusion in file, since AME did not forward them as was requested on the form. Found this out through own research and asking FAA rep on phone if they needed the charts.
Dec 12th/2008 - FAA says they have received all the documents. I verify that they have the forms that were mailed and the charts that were faxed. Application has been sent for review.
Dec 17th/2008 - Documents received and submitted for review. Found out that all documents have been scanned and the process is being done electronically.
Dec 23rd/2008 - Documents received and submitted for review
Dec 30th/2008 - Documents received and submitted for review. Rep said that they were logging my calls and could see where I was calling, did not know why it was being held up, took my phone number, but never called back with any new info.
Jan 5th/2009 - Says that they have been sent to staff physician for final review. Says that they have been logging my calls and doesn't know why it is being held up but will try to flag the file so it is given priority and see if they can get it through the door.
Jan 9th/2009 - No verdict, been submitted for review and approval.
Jan 15th/2009 - Medical cleared, i.e. approved. Certificate is in the mail. I get transferred to someone in another department that promises to fax me a "letter of confirmation". Ten minutes later I get the fax as promised. The letter is good for 60 days, and essentially states that I am eligible for the First Class Medical. Rep says I can fly with this letter until I receive the actual medical certificate.
Jan 16th/2009 - Did an Airman Certification Inquiry and it confirms that I have a valid First Class Medical
My advice to anyone going through this process is to fax everything wherever possible, I would have saved about 3 weeks of waiting had my AME faxed everything.
Good idea to talk to AME about potentially new conditions before beginning to fill out the FAA medical application form. AME said all the forms are numbered sequentially and once an application form is started it has to be submitted.
Was told by AME that they cannot submit out-of-order numbered applications to FAA, and they can only hold it for 1-2 weeks pending receipt of tests/charts/reports by other physicians.
Better to get reports/charts/tests/letters about the condition before starting the medical process.
