livendive 8 #1 June 26, 2014 I let all my ratings lapse last year and am thinking of renewing just the tandem rating (had all instructor ratings and ~1200 tandems). Based on the only excerpt of the IRM I can find, I'll need to go to a course and, take a written test, and make one jump. Does that sound right? My medical also expired last year and I have one concern, vision. My corrected (contacts) vision is fine for jumping, but uncorrected is borderline and near-vision is rough with contacts in. I have no safety concerns, as we rarely read maps or emergency procedures in the air, but rules are rules...any easy way around problems associated with "old guy eyes"? Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #2 June 27, 2014 These docs are REALLY good at answering questions like this, and at guiding you through the FAA medical maze. http://aviationmedicine.com/services/individual-assistance/The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TEB6363 0 #3 June 27, 2014 When I re-upped my ratings a couple years ago, I wondered some of the same things. Medical, the vision is only for "near" vision. I understand you only need to see the "controls" if you do not have glasses .. Corrected for distance is fine. For the renewal - go check with your tandem examiner... Mine had me do the written test, take an experienced jumper and then he sent in my renewal card... Was not too bad at all... being diagnosed with arthritis and having to get a Special Issuance for the Class III later was a bigger hastle.. Good Luck Once the plane takes off, you're gonna have to land - Might as well jump out!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TEB6363 0 #4 June 27, 2014 Oh - forgot to mention.. Wear glasses the day of your exam instead of contacts... (my near-vision sucks with contacts too).. My Doc lets me have the glasses off for all my near, color and depth tests.... Then I put on my glasses for the 20/20 test... Your medical will just say "must wear corrective lenses", but does not say it has to be contacts Once the plane takes off, you're gonna have to land - Might as well jump out!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #5 June 28, 2014 I doubt if you need to repeat the TI course. I have done refresher training for several Strong TIs. I insisted that they get a Transport Canada Class 3 (equivalent) medical, re-read the manual, verbally review the exam with me and do one jump with me straped to their chest. If they did not scare me during the jump, they got their rating back. When I said "Transport Canada Class 3 medical equivalent" I meant that their doctor had to approve them as healthy enough to jump. I do not care if they file any paperwork with Transport Canada. When one TI wanted to resume jumping with students - after a minor heart attack - I ignored TC's standards, but insisted on a bill of good health from his cardiologist. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #6 June 28, 2014 TEB6363 Oh - forgot to mention.. Wear glasses the day of your exam instead of contacts... (my near-vision sucks with contacts too).. My Doc lets me have the glasses off for all my near, color and depth tests.... Then I put on my glasses for the 20/20 test... Your medical will just say "must wear corrective lenses", but does not say it has to be contacts Thanks, that thought occurred to me after I made this post. I have bifocal glasses, but usually just take them off to read things, as I haven't gotten the hang of looking through the bottom of them. That said, I realized if this thing is going to test me as if I was flying a plane instead of freefalling, I might as well dress like I'm going to fly a plane instead of freefalling. With my glasses on, I should be able to pass both near and far corrected, then I'll just wear contacts for jumping like normal (I have had to land a few times after losing a contact and it's not a big deal). Now about avoiding white coat syndrome on my BP... :-) Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #7 July 1, 2014 Just did my Class III the other day. Squinted my way to 20/20 for far vision. Whipped out the cheaters for near vision. Got enough of the whispered numbers correct. Doc said "Hearing's good enough for skydiving, I guess." BP, proud to say 124/78, white coat and all. I had a stack of BP readings from giving blood all year. I do great at the blood bank, but sometimes get the "white coat" syndrome myself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
