poadeleted21
New member
AKA My day in aviation or the less glamorous side of flying…
Reupped for another 5 years today. Took half a day off work. Sat in traffic in a storm. Went to a house converted into an office. Walked into what used to be a bedroom, dropped my undies and put my junk into the hands of an 80 year old man. I got no hang ups about getting naked, I usually look forward to it. But my company wasn't ideal and doing it for bureaucracy's sake kind of grinds on me. Good news is, I still have 20/20 vision. Weigh 30lbs less than 5 years ago, blood pressure is WAY down and I'm cleared to fly another 5 years(I get one more 5 year term). Was in and out in half an hour. Waited for 15, handled business for 15. $125 bucks later, I'm done. Wasn't really a big deal, but more of a WHY did I just do that? Why I'm still explaining a kidney stone I was never diagnosed with 2 decades ago, I don't know. Doctor was a good guy, pilot, does nothing but medicals, is a senior AME. While I was waiting, saw a sign for the local pilots club. Surfed to their website on my iPhone… the members are older than my parents, not as interesting anymore. Couple of ATPs waiting on 1st class medicals, one has driven quite a way to consult with a Senior AME, I have no idea what "Senior" means. I'm wondering why I'm here. I have a plane that I use mainly to for weekend trips to make seeing my mother doable(10 hour drive, 2 hour flight), it almost feels like a crime and I have to prove my innocence. I have well over 6 figures into this. With apologies to Dr. Bruce, I know nothing's wrong with me yet while I'm sitting there for 15 minutes I go into temporary hypochondriac mode thinking about how much I've spent on training, fuel, planes, upgrades, regulations, maintenance, I have to be able to go help mom out, I can't "fail" this….. and if one little thing pops up it could all be for not, I hope the sugar in the cup I'm about to pee in is OK. I check my BP at home but what is white coat syndrome? Is this worrying going to make it worse? My buddy just lost his medical, he's a year younger than me…..AAAHHHH. Do I just read Dr. Bruce too much? Ahhh. Anyway, been flying for 5 years now. First medical was no big deal, I was $200 in it with nothing to lose. Now the stakes are higher. Glad my paycheck doesn't depend on going through this every 6 months. I don't know what it is about my junk that makes flying safer. TSA or AME, they all want to grab it before I defy gravity
Ya'll have fun, here's to hoping they get rid of the medical requirements for typical GA PPL stuff in a hurry.
Reupped for another 5 years today. Took half a day off work. Sat in traffic in a storm. Went to a house converted into an office. Walked into what used to be a bedroom, dropped my undies and put my junk into the hands of an 80 year old man. I got no hang ups about getting naked, I usually look forward to it. But my company wasn't ideal and doing it for bureaucracy's sake kind of grinds on me. Good news is, I still have 20/20 vision. Weigh 30lbs less than 5 years ago, blood pressure is WAY down and I'm cleared to fly another 5 years(I get one more 5 year term). Was in and out in half an hour. Waited for 15, handled business for 15. $125 bucks later, I'm done. Wasn't really a big deal, but more of a WHY did I just do that? Why I'm still explaining a kidney stone I was never diagnosed with 2 decades ago, I don't know. Doctor was a good guy, pilot, does nothing but medicals, is a senior AME. While I was waiting, saw a sign for the local pilots club. Surfed to their website on my iPhone… the members are older than my parents, not as interesting anymore. Couple of ATPs waiting on 1st class medicals, one has driven quite a way to consult with a Senior AME, I have no idea what "Senior" means. I'm wondering why I'm here. I have a plane that I use mainly to for weekend trips to make seeing my mother doable(10 hour drive, 2 hour flight), it almost feels like a crime and I have to prove my innocence. I have well over 6 figures into this. With apologies to Dr. Bruce, I know nothing's wrong with me yet while I'm sitting there for 15 minutes I go into temporary hypochondriac mode thinking about how much I've spent on training, fuel, planes, upgrades, regulations, maintenance, I have to be able to go help mom out, I can't "fail" this….. and if one little thing pops up it could all be for not, I hope the sugar in the cup I'm about to pee in is OK. I check my BP at home but what is white coat syndrome? Is this worrying going to make it worse? My buddy just lost his medical, he's a year younger than me…..AAAHHHH. Do I just read Dr. Bruce too much? Ahhh. Anyway, been flying for 5 years now. First medical was no big deal, I was $200 in it with nothing to lose. Now the stakes are higher. Glad my paycheck doesn't depend on going through this every 6 months. I don't know what it is about my junk that makes flying safer. TSA or AME, they all want to grab it before I defy gravity
Ya'll have fun, here's to hoping they get rid of the medical requirements for typical GA PPL stuff in a hurry.
