BasicMed is a step in the right direction but still a bit of a joke in itself. And you have to go through the regular medical first to even be eligible for it.
1000% agreed that they should relax third class and how absurd it is that private pilots flying a little 2 seater are held to pretty much the same standard as someone commercially flying a passenger jet.
I had two loss of consciousness episodes very close together a number of years ago due to some very extenuating circumstances (and never had an issue before that or since) and was told I will never pass a medical to get a private pilot cert. Want to barrel down a busy highway at 70 MPH in a 6500 lb SUV where you are pretty much guaranteed to hurt multiple people in an accident? No problem! Fly an 800 lb Kitfox over fields in a rural area? No way, you could hurt someone!
Funny enough, practically everyone in aviation I talked to more-or-less told me to just lie about it and pass my medical. It seems like quite a common trend for pilots - the FAA almost certainly is doing far more harm than good with these oppressive restrictions by forcing pilots away from treatment they need for fear they may be permanently grounded. I'm certain I'd pass with flying colors if I just "forgot" that one detail but I'd rather be honest about everything.
We know the system is far too conservative and encourages pilots to conceal their medical conditions, and I'm thankful you're choosing to be honest. For loss of consciousness, you can be granted a Special Issuance since you have not had one since (see Unexplained Loss of Consciousness (ULOC) [0] in the AME Guide).
My personal viewpoint: If we cannot show a condition or treatment is unsafe, why is it disqualifying? If we cannot analyze risk or determine whether a risk control is effective [1] due to inadequate data or pilot concealment, we need to re-think the way we do things.
Surface transportation (e.g., vehicles) has a ridiculous accident rate, but the public views car accidents very differently from aviation accidents. When there is a car accident, we blame the driver. When there is a plane crash due to a medical, we blame the FAA for certifying them.
It was determined to be vasovagal syncope. One AME said 1 event is the limit 2 events means I'm out of luck. Later, I paid a senior AME to review my case and they first said the vasovagal period was too long but then changed their mind and said I could try getting a loop recorder implanted. I haven't gotten a straight answer as to how long I'd have to do that but it must be quite a while if they don't want to do a patch / Holter monitor.
Everyone seems to have different opinions, no local AMEs are apparently qualified for this and I'd need to drive hours / fly to one that is. I'm apparently just destined for deferral limbo as the FAA can just defer and let you spend more money and time trying to fight it. I'm out thousands already and there is no clear path forward. It's really remarkable considering the things pilots I've known have been through (e.g. heart surgery) and then me, perfectly healthy and never any serious medical conditions or on any medications, gets the end around. Truly disappointing and frustrating.
Unfortunately, many AMEs are not quite correct in the guidance they offer (hence the AME Guide), especially as the guidance updates and improves regularly. Vasovagal syncope is not necessarily disqualifying unless a cause cannot be determined (and therefore, risk of recurrence cannot be determined). There are plenty of commercial and private pilots flying who've experienced vasovagal syncope.
I absolutely empathize with the significant cost associated with getting endless tests and deferral limbo (in part due to a shortage of AMEs). Pilots who have the benefit of really good aeromedical teams (e.g., through their labor representation) are better informed and more successful. We really have to weigh the cost and effort associated with the tests against the information gained around safety. Too many pilots are deciding they don't want to deal with the hassle, and ultimately that results in _less_ data about the true safety risk!
1000% agreed that they should relax third class and how absurd it is that private pilots flying a little 2 seater are held to pretty much the same standard as someone commercially flying a passenger jet.
I had two loss of consciousness episodes very close together a number of years ago due to some very extenuating circumstances (and never had an issue before that or since) and was told I will never pass a medical to get a private pilot cert. Want to barrel down a busy highway at 70 MPH in a 6500 lb SUV where you are pretty much guaranteed to hurt multiple people in an accident? No problem! Fly an 800 lb Kitfox over fields in a rural area? No way, you could hurt someone!
Funny enough, practically everyone in aviation I talked to more-or-less told me to just lie about it and pass my medical. It seems like quite a common trend for pilots - the FAA almost certainly is doing far more harm than good with these oppressive restrictions by forcing pilots away from treatment they need for fear they may be permanently grounded. I'm certain I'd pass with flying colors if I just "forgot" that one detail but I'd rather be honest about everything.