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FAA Fast Track ADHD Evaluations

The FAA has approved a Fast Track process that can allow your AME to issue you a flight certificate, if you have no recent treatment of ADHD. If you have not been treated or diagnosed with ADHD in the past four years, this is a "relatively" straightforward process that only requires a clinical interview. 

Sunset Departure at SNA

The ADHD Fast Track evaluation was designed to help make it easier for people who had ADHD medication treatment or an earlier ADHD diagnosis and did not actually have ADHD. However, this is a relatively new process and having a favorable Fast Track ADHD evaluation does not guarantee that the FAA will sign off on medical certification. The FAA has the discretion to request a standard ADHD evaluation if they are not fully convinced of the fast track evaluation findings. A brief consultation can help determine whether there might be reasons for concern.

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Fast track evaluations consist of 3 parts. First, you gather the required documents which are then reviewed. Second, there is a face-to-face interview. Finally, a report is written and provided along with a signed FAA ADHD Fast Track Summary (click here to see the document). Altogether, most evaluations take 5-10 hours to complete, with the signed documents provided to you within a week of your interview.

01

Records Collection and Review

FAA ADHD Fast Track evaluations require the review of seven types of documents (Details here). These include:

  • Pharmacy records from the past 4 years

  • Medical records related to the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD

  • Any other evaluations or records related to ADHD (e.g., therapy records)

  • Medical records to any other condition that was treated with ADHD medications

  • Driver's license records from the past 4 years in all states licensed

  • Academic records, including IEPs or Section 504 plans

  • Personal statement (Personal Statement Guidelines)

These are reviewed prior to our meeting.​ If there is a clinical concern that might indicate that a fast track evaluation will not be sufficient, this will be shared prior to further steps. It is also possible that you will be asked to provide military service records, or employment reviews.

02

FAA Fast Track ADHD Interview

The purpose of the interview is to review your documents, gather a detailed history, and evaluate you for ADHD and other symptoms. Often, a structured interview will be used for part of the visit, to consider all ADHD core symptoms. At the end of the interview, assuming that you meet criteria, confirmation will be provided verbally that you do not show signs of ADHD. On occasion, you may be asked to have a collateral person be available to answer questions, too.

03

FAA Fast Track Written Report and Evaluation Summary

The final step is to write an evaluation that includes review of the medical records and to make a diagnostic statement.

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My Aviation Story

I Love Aviation

I've always loved aviation, but lack the temperament to be a pilot. I had a thing for building airplane models, with favorites being the F-4, F-104, B-52, and the Boeing 2707 SST. I've also gone on several intro flights on 151s and 172s, and have a curiosity about aviation accidents (books like I Learned Flying from That and Air Disasters). 

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I satisfy myself playing flight simulators.  I currently fly both X-Plane and Microsoft flight simulator using a Honeycomb Alpha Yoke. My flight sim experiences harken back to SubLogic's first version, played on my brother's Apple ][+.

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I'm also fortunate that my office is directly across the street from SNA. Seeing the flights at sunset is a thrill.

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