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was only functioning on 2 percent blood flow to those arteries. It is amazing I had not already left the planet or stroked out.
Regarding recovery, it was a welcome respite to have a few consecutive days off at first. But, how to get back into the left seat afterward? Per the FAA, you’re grounded for a minimum of six months before you can even reapply for a medi- cal. After six months, you have to go in for a medical and knowingly flunk it because you must now check the box “yes” as you are now classified as having “Heart Disease.” So, you fail the exam and what happens next takes you on an atten- tion-grabbing journey to get your health and career back in order. To meet the FAA requirements became my full-time job.
Bureaucracy being what it is, you must have all your medical records documenting the event. Reams of doc- tor notes, X-rays, MRI’s, EKG test results, blood work and many other tests are required. The FAA requires you to go back to the hospital for another cardiac catheterization surgery to ensure the first procedure was successful (not negotiable by the way). The procedure is classified as an elective surgery that your insurance
might not provide coverage. It is a pass/ fail test and your only chance to get your medical re-instated. You are then subject to a perpetual six-month First Class recur- rent exam by your personal Flight Surgeon which also requires an EKG where you must reach 150 percent of your target heart rate based upon your age at the time. In other words, a lot of heavy breathing is required.
Additionally, your lifestyle must change and your body be fully recovered before you even apply. In my case, it was around 10 months from the initial event to when I had my medical back in my hands. I was very fortunate as my employer supported me going back to recurrent Flight Safety training. The events did, however, change me for the better. Most prevalent is the valued appreciation of your lifespan and relationships with the people you love. But also, taking care of yourself contributes to remaining active in the career you love. As I sucked up the King Air landing gear on my first flight back at the yoke (something I feared might not ever happen again), I thanked the universe for allowing me passage through it once again.
So, listen to your body. Drop the tree ax. Do all you can to lower your stress levels through mind control and cut the garbage intake. If you feel off, do some- thing about it immediately. The stakes are far too high to play Russian roulette with your health.
Scott Kraemer is a 35+ year veteran in the business aviation industry, with 27 of those years spent in the sales and market-
ing department at Beechcraft Corpora- tion. Scott holds a Commercial Pilot License and has logged over 7,000 hours in more than 50 aircraft models. Presently, Scott is an Executive Direc- tor for Holstein Aviation specializing in aircraft acquisitions, sales and con- sultation. You can contact Scott at jscottkraemer@gmail.com.
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