Update on my flying career.

Well, it has now been 11 weeks since the local Flight Surgeon says he sent my medical package to FAA in Oklahoma City, OK for review. Since I have had a 4-way bypass on my heart, I knew it was not going to be an easy task to get the class 3 medical certificate that I need to solo and finish up my private pilot license. I made the decision early on that I wanted to begin the process with my long time friend and mentor, A.J. Hyatt Jr. I had logged my first flying lesson with him in 1968 when I was 14 years old. The worst that could happen was that I would not get the medical certificate. I would still have the experience and joy of learning to fly with my friend. I have accumulated about 21 hours of instruction to date and feel that I am very competent and confident that I am ready for my solo flight. I have reached out to the Flight Surgeon to see if there is any chance he did not actually finish up the submittal to FAA as he said he had.

I am confident that the medical report that was put together was complete and did not have any glaring reason for a denial. I am still waiting for the answer to arrive by mail. In the mean time, I have not been doing much flying. My mentor, friend and instructor turned 85 this month and has been very conflicted as to whether to get re-certified as a Certified Flight Instructor going forward. I have deliberately left him alone to make his decision. I do not want to be any influence on that decision, as it is his alone. If and when I get my medical certificate, I can either continue with him if possible, or go on with another instructor. There is also the possibility that I will not finish. My goal was to learn to fly, and to some extent, I have done that. I just have to make a decision as to whether to continue to invest in this endeavor. What the FAA does not know, is that my attention span is somewhat South of 11 weeks.