anonymousposter
New member
I live in the US full time, but recently traveled to a foreign country. While in this country, I became ill and was hospitalized for several weeks with pericarditis. Fortunately, I made a full recovery.
I am in my mid-20s and am otherwise healthy and active. My dream is to fly in the airlines for a career, and I wanted to get a first-class medical soon. However, I figured my hospitalization would probably make that difficult. Sure enough, in looking at the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, a past diagnosis of pericarditis means a medical of any class must be deferred. This website (https://flightphysical.com/medical-exam/heart ) says that certification is unlikely unless information is highly favorable to the applicant.
As far as I know, no one in the United States will ever know I was hospitalized in this foreign country, nor what I was hospitalized for. I don’t want to lie on a federal form, but I’m terrified of possibly ending my dream before it even began by telling the truth. So the question is:
When it comes to Item 18 on my medical application, do I tell the truth and say I have been diagnosed with heart trouble, or do I lie and say I haven’t?
If you think I should tell the truth, should I still apply for the first class medical or should I instead apply for a third class medical (I’m assuming that gets approved quicker) to get in the air ASAP? Should I schedule a consultation with an AME first, even though it would inevitably be deferred? I am still in the foreign country for a few more weeks - should I get the ball rolling with an AME here, or wait until I’m back stateside?
If you think I should lie, say I get my first class medical, and I’m able to make this a career and one day find myself flying for a US regional and on the verge of applying to major airlines in the US. Does your answer change when I mention that I also plan on applying to the flagship carrier of this foreign country? Presumably, when applying for a medical in this country, I’d have to tell the truth about my past hospitalization. Could this somehow come back to jeopardize my flying career in the US?
Thanks in advance.
I am in my mid-20s and am otherwise healthy and active. My dream is to fly in the airlines for a career, and I wanted to get a first-class medical soon. However, I figured my hospitalization would probably make that difficult. Sure enough, in looking at the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, a past diagnosis of pericarditis means a medical of any class must be deferred. This website (https://flightphysical.com/medical-exam/heart ) says that certification is unlikely unless information is highly favorable to the applicant.
As far as I know, no one in the United States will ever know I was hospitalized in this foreign country, nor what I was hospitalized for. I don’t want to lie on a federal form, but I’m terrified of possibly ending my dream before it even began by telling the truth. So the question is:
When it comes to Item 18 on my medical application, do I tell the truth and say I have been diagnosed with heart trouble, or do I lie and say I haven’t?
If you think I should tell the truth, should I still apply for the first class medical or should I instead apply for a third class medical (I’m assuming that gets approved quicker) to get in the air ASAP? Should I schedule a consultation with an AME first, even though it would inevitably be deferred? I am still in the foreign country for a few more weeks - should I get the ball rolling with an AME here, or wait until I’m back stateside?
If you think I should lie, say I get my first class medical, and I’m able to make this a career and one day find myself flying for a US regional and on the verge of applying to major airlines in the US. Does your answer change when I mention that I also plan on applying to the flagship carrier of this foreign country? Presumably, when applying for a medical in this country, I’d have to tell the truth about my past hospitalization. Could this somehow come back to jeopardize my flying career in the US?
Thanks in advance.
