So I'm due for a renewal of my 3rd class medical in the next few months and I am looking at upgrading to a 2nd or even 1st class medical anyway (still under 40 so might as well try to get the first class if I can).
My question is regarding question 13 on the 8500-8 MedXpress form. Has Your FAA Airman Medical Certificate Ever Been Denied, Suspended, or Revoked?
I went for my first 3rd class medical in September 2009 and received a deferral from the AME. I I am fairly sure I did not contact the FAA in writing at that time but it's been 10 years so I dont really recall but I do know the FAA sent me a letter requesting additional information regarding information listed on my application with a set timeline (some number of days). I also know I contacted the FAA once by phone to discuss what information they required since the letter was rather vague and after the laundry list of things the FAA demanded, I decided not to pursue it further and never sent the information in.
I recall receiving a second letter but dont recall whether the letter stated my medical had been denied or if it was more of a "non-issuance/withdrawn."
In 2011, I finally decided to pursue my medical again. I contacted the FAA by phone to find out what the process would be and was informed my previous medical information was still on file and still valid if I wished to complete it. They informed me all it would take was a letter from my PCP explaining the circumstances and any recurrence around an ailment I had 13 years (in 2011; 11 years in 2009) prior and some other minutiae.
I got the letter as requested, sent it to the FAA and a few months later, I received my unrestricted 3rd class medical with an expiration date of 9/30/2014 based on my exam date of 9/2009.
When I renewed my medical in 2014, I dont remember how I answered the question regarding denial but as I will be increasing my class this go around and therefore under more scrutiny, I want to make sure my medical is as accurate as possible. So that raises the question of what to do in 2019 when it comes time to answer the question "have you ever been denied a medical"
Reading the regs, 67.409 seems to indicate that since I did not contact the FAA in writing, that my application would be considered withdrawn but then my AME did not actually deny my medical instead deferring it to OKC. The fact that my original medical was considered valid without the need for additional medical exams (beyond a visit to my PCP for a letter) or costly specialists could point in either direction. As does the fact that when my medical was finally issued in early March/April 2012, it was issued with an issuance date of September 2009 and signed by the FAA representative.