In your opinion, Will I be required to enter a "Monitoring Program"?

[Pizza Guy]

Dear Fellow Aviators.
I have an interesting situation regarding the issuance of my 3rd class medical certificate.
I am a Private Pilot who stated flying in 1987, shortly after I started flying I purchased an airplane and finished my training in that airplane. In 2003 I sold that airplane to persue another thing.
In 2005 I was convicted of DUI=.0156. I paid my debt on that, paid the $, got the assessment, went to the classes and received my diving privileges back.
In 2014, I purchased another airplane. I renewed my biannual training, disclosed the DUI, filed a pilots statement of alcohol use and passed my 3rd class exam, and received my 3rd class cert.
Its been great up until recently, unfortunately.
You see, earlier this year in April, a #2 pain started in my abdomen. After 5 days I was seen by a urgent care doctor, diagnosis GERT, prescribed over the counter Prilosec. Pain disappeared.
I had also made appt. with GI doctor for follow up. I also made appt. with AME for this 2 year 3rd class med. cert..
I disclosed the incident to the AME, and passed the physical, except AME defered, until the results from the GI doctor. and sent all papers to the FAA along with the GI dr's report.
Well after a very long wait, I finally received a certified letter from the FAA.
Hurrah, just in time for Oshkosh. Not exactly.
In it:
#1 You will need to undergo an evaluation with a Human Intervention Motivation Study(HIMS). The HIMS AME should submit a narrative report summarizing the evaluation, which confirms that he has reviewed your FAA medical file, opines on your substance use history, and opines whether or not there appears to be an indication for a monitoring program. HIMS AME must comment on the 2005 DUI with BAC=.156, history of abdominal pain and notation of alcohol use in GI doctors narrative.

GI doctors narrative stated patient drinks 2-3 beers daily.

Hey, what gives, what ever happened to 8 hours bottle to throttle.?
What do you think?

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Have a look at http://faamed.info and it’s FAQs which has the flowchart that will be used and other information.

For that level and one DUI looks like you will need “Requires Chemical Abuse Depenency Counselor evaluation of 5 factors of tolerance, withdrawal, lifestyle centered on use, continued use in the face of bad outcomes, and blackouts.”

Also note that the top post says 0.0156 whereas the FAA mentions 0.156. Big difference.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Oh yeah, typo, BAC was at .156.
Could you comment further still?

Well, that is what you will be in for. Might be able to skip lifetime monitoring if there have been no other issues. But as others have commented, the 3 beers a day usage level will be an issue during the evaluation.

Get a senior HIMS AME to look at your case and guide you. That is likely the best approach. And yes, all of this will cost some money and time.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Do you think the guys will approve of my Poor mans Soberlink.?

No. I do think the advice on my medical FAQs under "I don't really have a drinking problem" applies here.

Since you asked for further comments, honestly, it sounds like you will be in for the HIMS program at a minimum and likely lifetime monitoring. Figure $5-10k and 6-12 months to resolve this.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

I believe he would have to continue the monitoring until his class 3 expires. He can get a Basic at any time, but he can’t let his class 3 be revoked, as a revocation would make him ineligible for Basic.

And on the HIMS the class 3 may have a shorter expiry, so might not be too long.

But if you stop drinking alcohol entirely for 6 months to a year and previously had problems with it, do you really want to start drinking again?

Yes I know plenty of people fall off the wagon a few years out.