18 Year old with a dream

[daveintake]

So i have always wanted to be an airline pilot my whole life, but one thing is stopping me, i have had an AVM brain surgery when i was in 8th grade and after that experienced stress (pseudo seizures). They came negative on all EEGs. I had experienced some memory loss and i lost ALOT of memory and like didn't know who my parents were. However this all came back within 3 months of recovery and today I am back to lifting heavy weights and playing college golf. I dont know if the AME will say no to me for my first class medical and I am scared that my dream will be sabotaged. My EEGs were perfect like the doctor never saw anything so balanced before. I have recovered every bit of memory and I am living a normal healthy life style and dying to become an airline pilot. however before i start i wanna know if I can still achieve this dream. One thing for sure no problems occurred ever in term of cognitive abilities. I am very normal and love lifting weights and live golf but more importantly love flying more.

Thanks
Please help me i am so desperate.

[Radgirl]

Hi

I am afraid you are not going to get a simple yes or no from this site or anywhere else. The FAA will want to see your medical records in some detail - where was the AVM, what actual surgery was involved and what was the outcome on x rays. Then they will want more detail about the affect this had on you postoperatively. Thirdly they will want to examine you very carefully and most likely ask for more tests.

The best advice we can give you is to obtain as many of your medical records as you can and take them to an AME who most likely will refer upwards for advice. This will take some time. I do have some doubt about the outcome simply due to the complexity of an AVM, but I am sure everyone will do their best to help you. All the very best and do post again and let us know how you get on.

[Halvdan]

I for certain think this is a so special case that it will certainly have to be evaluated individually. As I understand the seizures are all completely gone you have a normal EEG's.

I would think "time going" since all this happened is your friend in such a case. As longer as you function a normal life both subjectically and objectically (confirmed by the examinations), the better are your chances I would say. Of course without any possibility at all to give any premature assurance of anything. This must as mentioned likely be a desition made by several instances of the AME combining information and data.

But my advice, your age also taken into consideration, is not right now to aim straight for a Medical Class 1 (if you planned to do that). Start by trying to get the Class 2, take flying lessons and really see if this is what you in case really want to do and possibly even then want go for further. If you manage that, get your PPL(A), collect some experience and flight hours over a period, and then show the authorities that your are really able to fly safe and can show back on absolutely no instances during any flights that can be related to what you have been through.I strongly advice you at doing this it in this order, and believe having this experience to show back on would be an advantage that the AME's would take into concideration when- and if you still then consider to go for a Class 1.

Just my 2 cents and good luck! :o)

[Radgirl]

By all means try to get your class 2, but I would recommend you talk to an AME before paying for more than trial lessons. I am afraid I cannot see how a period of uneventful flying will play any part in determining your eligibility for a medical license. The assessment is made simply on the risk of you becoming disabled in future. I am not an AME but my understanding is that there is more than one disqualifying factor here if applying for an EASA medical. You may well be more fortunate in the US and it is worth discussing with an AME.

[daveintake]

Also what can i fly with a class 2 and what is the pay like with class 2?

[obgraham]

First off, young man, I'm an MD but not an AME, but I'm reasonably familiar with FAA's ways. I don't agree with the advice so far.

Clearly, your case will have to be evaluated individually at the upper levels of FAA.
Putting a lot of time and money into flight training this early would not be my advice, and may hinder your ultimate plans, if you were to fail your first medical.

I advise you to make an appointment with a doctor who is an AME, but make it clear you just want a consultation, not an application for a medical of any class. Go in, present your case and history, and simply ask him what he thinks your chances of obtaining a Class II or Class I medical will be. After that opinion, you can better plan your future, and you won't have paid a bunch of money.

What you don't want right now is a rejection for any aviation medical going on your record.

Also consider joining AOPA, as they have a number of people who can help get you the right advice.

[daveintake]

Also does FAA ever check records after AME?

[B2N2]

I'm not sure what you mean with that question.
An AME is an FAA approved medical doctor that can issues flight medicals.
All the info they collect goes into your file at the FAA.
I'm going to be harsh here.
A lot of people "dream" of a lot of things. I'll never be a concert pianist or an Olympian. Your life is somewhat predetermined by background, education and afflictions, ailments or events.
Just simply because of a stupid little accident your life can take a different course.
Consider applying for a medical to fly recreationally and start working on Plan B for your life.
Simply put, you could be a big liability for an AME or a potential future employer should something occur during flight.

[daveintake]

Idk people like this crush my hopes like I think I'm gonna try my best and fight my case

[gingernut]

Also does FAA ever check records after AME?

This question is to do with "airmanship."

Full disclosure is the way forward Dave.

[B2N2]

Idk people like this crush my hopes like I think I'm gonna try my best and fight my case

What do you expect people to say?
Honestly?
You sometimes have to accept things in life.

[Radgirl]

B2N2 I have to side with daveintake here. A number of us have been somewhat reserved that this poster's history may be a problem but advised him to seek formal clarification. I suspect your knowledge of what the FAA will say is no better. Why not let him ask for a definitive decision? In fact your suggestion that he could be a big liability is wrong. Medically the chance of a problem is quite small - I suspect he has a drivers license for example - it is just that the level of risk allowed is SO low that he may not make it. And although I surmise you didnt mean it, suggesting that his AVM was a 'stupid little accident' was insensitive

Daveintake - you sometimes get some rough answers her, but please take the advice to ask an AME. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[Fire and brimstone]

daveintake

I wish you the very best of luck.

My normal advice to new pilots is the best quality new people need is DETERMINATION.

If you are determined enough you WILL get there.

Look after your health and your medical, and DON'T GIVE UP.

[space-shuttle-driver]

Dave,
Read this
https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/designees_delegations/designee_types/ame/fasmb/media/cerebral.pdf
My suggestion is to get in contact with the authors of this article. Have them (or any other aviation neurologist you can source) look at your records and let them examine you. This would come at the cost of one or more consultations, but it would remain a ''private thing''. Better be very, very sure that all the ''i''s are dotted and ''t''s of your medical reports are crossed before you obtain ''consultation'' from the FAA.

[Radgirl]

Oh dear oh dear

This is an article written by 2 trainees about a totally different illness!!! They are now general practitioners working full time in the US military. In fact they are based on US aircraft carriers.

Yes really sensible to suggest someone asks them for an opinion. Not