Who Would You Rather Fly With?

[mindsneak]

Very good news! I will never say no to expanding on "hypothetical" rumour based scenarios.

1.

12 to 13 months from the date of first contact with a DAME. However, from what I have heard pilot 1 probably did have to put in a reconsideration application after about 5 months which then took another 8 months to finalise. Pilot 1 is thinking that if he hadn't slipped up in September the next 8 months after November may possibly not have been necessary. However, from what pilot 1 had read on these forums at the time he thinks that the next 8 months would unfortunately had to have occurred regardless of what the original qualified specialist report had said.

It should have only taken about 5 months had everything went very smoothly from start to finish.

2.

Hard to say from what I have heard as pilot 1 has never been explicitly told retrospectively which reports were and were not absolutely necessary. On a side note, the process all up apparently took 30 separate medical actions (not all relating to mental health of course) that cost pilot 1 roughly $4000 which is a bit excessive and unnecessary!

3.

The only real restrictions that were placed on the certificate in regards to mental health at least were related to ongoing reporting/surveillance requirements. Pilot 1 feels that those restrictions are definitely not too "excessive" or "onerous". Pilot 1 is speculating (truly speculating) that possibly Av Med is now working closely and proactively with the relevant specialists which quite frankly makes everyone's lives significantly easier and less stressful (Av Med included!).

4.

Pilot 1 would definitely be interested in knowing which reports/medical actions were and were not absolutely necessary throughout this entire process.

5.

Pilot 1 was going to go to the AAT and/or the Federal Circuit Court and at one point did tell them as much on the phone. However, strongly felt that he really should not have to do that!

So he did the only sensible thing at the time when the medicals were initially refused. He wrote an e-mail to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development while at the same time putting in a reconsideration application. Things became an awful lot easier for pilot 1 after that point which got pilot 1 thinking at the time that maybe (just maybe) his e-mail to the minister made a difference (that's democracy!). Pilot 1 strongly believes this was a crucial factor and therefore does have a great deal of respect for the current minister.

Pilot 1 still thinks that pilot 2 does not have to worry anymore at all and quite frankly since pilot 2 is more than likely currently grounded right now anyways maybe now is the best time to seek that help knowing that he won't lose his medical certificates forever. Who knows he may even be allowed to keep flying on his Class 2 while he is receiving treatment.

Maybe the hard and confronting lessons in relation to the Germanwings 9525 flight has finally been acted upon by the Australian and international aviation community rather then just pretending ignorance is bliss.