FAA AME (Approved Medical Examiner) Durban, South Africa
 

A word of warning folk.

I've used a previously FAA approved AME (I'm not going to mention his name, you're welcome to verify by PM) in Durban, South Africa to renew my FAA flight physical for the past few years. Coincidentally I also use him for the renewal of my SA-CAA medical.

In March of this year the FAA did a routine review of my records and established that whilst I was still exercising the privileges of my FAA license I had no record of any medical status for the past few years - the doctor is required to make returns to the FAA on each medical which is conducted and this was not happening.

I had copies of all my past medicals (luckily) and sent them all off to the authorities as proof that I was in compliance. That set off a hornet's nest in the US - the doctor was still completing the FAA form 8500-9 (the medical certificate) in hand-writing - something that had ceased being acceptable years ago. And he wasn't sending the FAA any returns or ECG records.

The FAA advised me that my current medical was invalid and I was obliged to conduct another flight physical examination, with another doctor, prior to my next flight.

I contacted the doctor's secretary (also a relative of his) and advised her of the situation and she sounded concerned and said that she would "immediately take care of the situation". I believed her. I did hear that this issue had affected a number of other pilots, who were also contacted by the FAA and advised of the invalidity of their current medicals.

The FAA have also removed the doctor from their list of approved AME's and advised him of the withdrawal of his status as an AME.

However it has come to my knowledge today that this doctor is continuing to conduct FAA flight physicals in direct contravention of the FAA (he conducted at least one FAA flight physical in the past week) - it appears that he's going to continue to do so (and take your money) until the stack of form 8500-9's that he has runs out.

I hate to do this but any FAA medical that you conduct with this guy is invalid - please be careful.

hiflite
 

Hi there, saw your tread re FAA MEDICALS , we are concerned as our flight dept operates a US registered aircraft. We do our medicals, it sounds, with the Ame u mention . Wld be grateful if you cld elaborate, many thanks..

Please feel free to contact me by Private Message and I'll provide details.

Was caught out by the same shyster two months ago, and advised in the middle of a trip by the FAA that I was operating illegally! Huge mess.


Africa eh....

Bad Doctors
 

Please could you advise the name of the doctor as I am about to do my medical and then start flying for me NPL and don't want to waste my time.

seems to be a problem beyond that particular AME.

Several years ago I got an FAA medical from another AME in RSA(not the one in Durban). After reading your original thread, I checked the FAA database and found my last medical wasn't listed. Luckily I had not been flying commercially so I had no legal issues. I called the RSA AME (April 2013) and the secretary said she had sent the record in. I called the FAA and they had no record. I told them I had an FAA first class medical in hand(hand written too). Seemed a standoff-the FAA had no record and the AME claimed to have sent it. I was in the USA at the time and to save red tape and further BS I got a new FAA medical and moved on. Shortly after I received a letter from the FAA requesting more info. Apparently they had "found" or just received the copy from the RSA AME.

I see that the RSA AME is still listed as approved.

From now on when I get a medical I check to confirm on the FAA database- just having a paper medical certificate in hand is no guarantee that it is valid....