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Hi,

Like you I was pleased to hear that the FAA had changed the medical regulations concerning treatment for depression; this seems like a positive indicator for making the same kind of adjustment in the rules about ADHD medications.  My 17 year old son with ADD has been training for his Private Pilot-Glider license and will be taking his check-ride on Saturday.  I'm convinced that his training efforts would not have gone as well as they did without the benefit of the medication he takes to help focus his brain.  He has a fine brain-it's made for flying and it is frustrating that his potential is limited by these regulations.  It is unclear to me how the FAA makes amendments in their medical regulations.  Who are the people making these decisions?  What do you think are the biggest roadblocks; the use of stimulant medications or erroneous thinking about ADHD traits?  What do you think the AOPA can do to support this effort?  And finally, how can we support your ongoing work to address this problem?

Thanks for your efforts,

Patrisha- The ADD mom!

This is a great decision and I commend the FAA for their effort to help keep more pilots in the air and doing so in a safe way.
Our work continues to incorporate the same type of process for pilots with ADD/ADHD. I am currently working with some folks through the AOPA and hope to be able to give some sort of update in the near future. Rest assured the process continues even if there are not a lot frequent posts.
As always, much thanks to all who have posted.

It's now official. The FAA will medically certify pilots being successfully treated for depression with one of four drugs Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa or Lexapro. To get a medical, one must show success controlling their depression for 12 months using one of the medications. Pilots who have been flying without disclosing their antidepressant use will have amnesty if they report it within six months.

On a related issue, Dr. Bruce Chien, Senior AME, recently wrote in his blog at http://home.comcast.net/~bbchien/site/?/blog/&PHPSESSID=4a345e31e3e8e27f58e143d7e0f76c4e,

"I remain hopeful and am encouraged in conversations with Dr. Tilton, the Federal Air Surgeon, who participated in our panels, that we're going to get the SI pathway for chronic simple depressives, in remission on a low dose single SSRI. I'm not holding my breath (since we wrote this porposal in 2005) but the situation now seems to be about what to do about previously illegal airmen who were clearly flying and not reporting. I looks like we're going to get it: a special issuance pathway, narrowly written, that allows a selected SSRI."


If this proposal goes through, it would represent a significant positive change in policy. Perhaps what we need is for a highly-regarded AME to write a special issuance proposal for mild ADD treated successfully with low dose stimulant medications.

I did not know the condition was disqualifying to work ATC. But hey, you learn something everyday. If it were up to me I would try and make the condition a hiring pre-requisite!  Being an air traffic controller would seem to be an almost perfect fit for a lot of people with ADD/ADHD.
In my opinion this is yet another example where the FAA has shown their utter lack of understanding of the condition. I think the problem is the FAA (and many others) take the condition out of context and assume that attention deficit holds true in ALL situations, where it clearly does not. In many instances it can be a persons greatest strength if harnessed correctly.

Don't give up on your dream if you want to work as an ATC. There is always a way. You just have to find (or create) a loophole.

Why does the FAA consider ADD/ADHD a disqualifying condition for someone who wants to become an ATCS?

Which link are you having trouble opening? The subter??

Please read the posts under "Update, Medical Granted". If she stays off any medication for the FAA specified amount of time she would still be considered for an unrestricted 3rd class medical. I cannot, in good faith, recommend that she simply try going to another doctor and trying again. Once she has a file established with the FAA they will be able to track things. It is simply my opinion, but I feel the best thing to do is to be honest and follow what the FAA requires. Until the laws are changed this is the only legal way to do it.

I want to extend a sincere apology to all visitors of this site for the recent pornographic content which made it's way into the discussion forums. I have to approve or disapprove each user as they register. I try and filter this by not allowing suspicious user names and accounts, but sometimes they are able to slip through and post things automatically.
I will continue to do my best to prevent this. I want to be able to approve any user who wants to post constructively and not deny access to someone simply simply because their chosen user name looks "suspicious".

I appreciate all of your comments and your understanding on this matter.  Thank you.

Tyghe

I was initially declined. I waited around 4 years before trying to pursue a medical and got some bad advice from a company that specializes in helping pilots pass medicals.(pilot medical solutions) They told me I had to be off meds for over 90 days. I was off of them for that limit. I went to a different AME and got a first class on the spot. I enrolled in flight school Delta Connections Academy in Sanford, FL(I would not recommend it anyone but that is another subject). Started training and got halfway thru my instrument rating before I got a very nasty letter. It reminded me that failure to disclose information is the same as lying. It also said that we know you have ADHD, but if you admit it now we may not pursue legal prosecution which could consist of 5 years imprisonment and a $500,000.00 fine.