Planning After the FAA Requests a Psychological or Neuropsychological Evaluation

Once the FAA has requested a psychological or neuropsychological evaluation, many airmen and airmen applicants assume the next step is to make an appointment and see the clinician. In practice, the more time-consuming part is often everything that has to happen around the evaluation rather than the evaluation itself.

That work involves gathering records, getting releases, and coordination with systems that move at their own pace.

Record gathering is usually the bottleneck

By the time someone reaches this stage, there are almost always records that need to be reviewed. These may include prior treatment notes, medication histories, pharmacy records, school records, or earlier evaluations. Sometimes those records are recent and easy to access. Often they are not.

Mental health providers commonly release records only to another clinician, not directly to the airman. In those cases, records move provider-to-provider rather than patient-to-provider, which can slow things down even when everyone is cooperative.

Schools can take time to generate transcripts or accommodation documentation, particularly if records are older. Pharmacy histories are sometimes incomplete on the first request and require follow-up.

Sometimes you have to update your records because too much time has passed since the last time you got them. Thus, that pharmacy record that you got for the AME probably needs to be refreshed.

None of this is unusual. It is simply how these systems work.

Why this stage feels stressful

Most people do not anticipate how much coordination this part requires. When multiple record requests are happening at once, it can start to feel like everything is urgent. Offices do not respond immediately. New forms are often requested. Something that seemed straightforward turns into several parallel tasks.

The stress at this stage usually has little to do with the FAA itself. It comes from trying to move several outside parties forward at the same time.

Sometimes too much time has past and a requested record is no longer available. Don't panic if that happens to you. There are ways to document those gaps without it being a significant obstacle.

If you find this part challenging, ask your psychologist or neuropsychologist to help. Those doctor-to-doctor lines of communication can speed things up for you.

The FAA medical file and Form 8065-2

One piece that often catches people off guard is the FAA medical file.

The FAA strongly prefers that psychological and neuropsychological evaluations be completed with the evaluating clinician having access to the airman’s FAA medical file. That file is requested using FAA Form 8065-2.

You need to mail or fax the form to the FAA. Mailbox stores are there to help you if you need to fax it.

The absence of the medical file does not prevent the evaluation from taking place. Testing and interviews can still be completed. The issue is that the report is not considered complete until those materials have been received and reviewed.

In practice, this means the evaluation itself may be finished, but submission of the final report is delayed while waiting for the FAA file to arrive. That wait is often measured in weeks rather than days.

To reduce unnecessary delay, many airmen do two things in parallel. First, they request their FAA medical file as early as possible using Form 8065-2. Second, they share copies of the materials that they have already submitted to the FAA so review can begin while the official file is pending.

This does not replace the FAA file, but it can save time once the file arrives.

A more realistic way to think about planning

It helps to assume that at least one part of this process will take longer than expected. It also helps to assume that some materials will arrive in stages rather than all at once. Finally, keep some optimism: the evaluation is going to happen.

How this fits into the FAA process

When the FAA requests a psychological or neuropsychological evaluation, the expectation is that the report addresses specific questions and is supported by appropriate documentation. That is easier to do when records, including the FAA medical file, are available and organized.

Starting the record-gathering process early, and requesting the FAA file as soon as possible, helps avoid unnecessary delays later.

If the FAA has requested a psychological or neuropsychological evaluation and you have questions about records or planning, an initial consultation can help clarify next steps.