Herniated disc

[Yeet the Aircraft]

Hey everyone ...

I will have having a microdesectomy tomorrow. Are my hopes of being a pilot dead in the water? 

[ThreeHoler]

Hey everyone ...
I will have having a microdesectomy tomorrow. Are my hopes of being a pilot dead in the water? 

Not necessarily, but you won’t be qualified for ejection seats which means you can’t fly the T-6...

[Yeet the Aircraft]

On 10/25/2020 at 9:58 PM, ThreeHoler said:

 

Not necessarily, but you won’t be qualified for ejection seats which means you can’t fly the T-6...

 

And if I want to fly heavies, I would have to fly the T-6, correct? 

[H_G]

11 hours ago, Yeet the Aircraft said:

And if I want to fly heavies, I would have to fly the T-6, correct? 

Yes all pilots start off on the T-6 before moving on to the T-1, T-38 or TH-1 and graduating. 

[Yeet the Aircraft]

38 minutes ago, H_G said:

Yes all pilots start off on the T-6 before moving on to the T-1, T-38 or TH-1 and graduating. 

So will the Air Force still possibly allow me to let me fly if I am good for non-ejection seated aircraft? If I obtain my PPL, I don't have to attend the first portion of training, correct? Would that be for the T-6?

Thank you so much everyone for answering my questions! 

[Burger]

First flying you do in UPT is in the T-6.

However, you still have a chance man.

There's rumor/articles mentioning that civ pilots with certain certificates/ratings and experience can skip T-6s and go straight to T-1s. I might have some of the details incorrect but try to research those articles if that applies to you. I'm still on the waiting pain train for UPT dates so I'm sure other guys in here who are in can give more accurate info. Also, there's talk that if you want to go the Helo route, you may be able to skip T-6s. Sponsoring squadron personally told me that. Not a definitive statement.

Keep trying man, good luck

[ryleypav]

23 minutes ago, Burger said:

First flying you do in UPT is in the T-6.

However, you still have a chance man.

There's rumor/articles mentioning that civ pilots with certain certificates/ratings and experience can skip T-6s and go straight to T-1s. I might have some of the details incorrect but try to research those articles if that applies to you. I'm still on the waiting pain train for UPT dates so I'm sure other guys in here who are in can give more accurate info. Also, there's talk that if you want to go the Helo route, you may be able to skip T-6s. Sponsoring squadron personally told me that. Not a definitive statement.

Keep trying man, good luck

They did this already, and I think they tanked it already. If OP up there doesn't have his PPL yet, it would likely be years before he met the requirements for the T-1 fast track. I think you needed quite a few hours, commercial, instrument, multi and some other things. 

[Tonka]

On 10/25/2020 at 6:16 PM, Yeet the Aircraft said:

Hey everyone ...

I will have having a microdesectomy tomorrow. Are my hopes of being a pilot dead in the water? 

I ruptured a disk in my neck, took about 12 weeks to recover to having "no symptoms" (key word to use with the med folks - asymptomatic), 3-6 months later I was flying heavies again, but it took another additional 12 months or so to get an ejection seat waiver... much much harder and I'd been flying for the AF for 10 years at that point, so it will all depend on the resolution of the treatment and the time you'll need to have everything lined up to make it work.  Its not a 0% chance but its not a good chance.

[helo atis]

thread revival. 

Anyone have current experience on back problems? I am an AFRES AGR, herniated 2 disks 4 years ago, due to mix of unique circumstances no one ever cared about it.

Now my back hurts again and I got a referral for new images, but am hesitant about the situation for going long term DNIF.

1. Can you just let a referral for something like this lapse if I say I feel better?

2. The newer 48-123 doesn't have the medical disqualifying descriptions like the old one did. If the herniation is re-documented but I feel fine, does it matter?

3. Pretty sure I will never choose surgery regardless of the situation, so without surgery is the condition still DNIFing?

Lot's of it depends, but anyone got advice?

[stuckindayton]

12 hours ago, helo atis said:

thread revival. 

Anyone have current experience on back problems? I am an AFRES AGR, herniated 2 disks 4 years ago, due to mix of unique circumstances no one ever cared about it.

Now my back hurts again and I got a referral for new images, but am hesitant about the situation for going long term DNIF.

1. Can you just let a referral for something like this lapse if I say I feel better?

2. The newer 48-123 doesn't have the medical disqualifying descriptions like the old one did. If the herniation is re-documented but I feel fine, does it matter?

3. Pretty sure I will never choose surgery regardless of the situation, so without surgery is the condition still DNIFing?

Lot's of it depends, but anyone got advice?

Helo,

Most of the specifics related to medical have been removed from the AFI and moved to the Medical Standards Directory (attached).  The Air Force Waiver Guide (easily Googled) has more information on how medical conditions are dispositioned.

Sorry, I don't know have any personal knowledge on the subject.  Not my area of expertise.

Best of luck.

Medical_Standards_Directory.pdf

[Aspiring Flyer]

Hey Docs,

I’m in need of some advice here. 

I’m a student pilot at a UPT base but haven’t started UPT yet. One of the flight docs saw my history of back pain and sent me to get an MRI. (I had 3 separate cases where my lower back flared up from working out in the gym. At the time I was simply told it was a muscle spasm and it went away within days and some muscle relaxer. Since eliminating deadlifts from my workouts I’ve prevented it from occurring again).

Well, turns out the MRI report states that between my L4-5 “Disc space is narrowed. Loss of water signal. Mild diffuse disc bulge with minor annular central tear” and between L5-S1 “degenerative disc space is narrowing. Left paracentral disc protrusion”. I am currently asymptomatic but the flight doc says I’ll need a waiver to go to UPT. I know that being an untrained asset with an FCI, my chances of getting a waiver aren’t great so I’m trying to avoid having to request a waiver if I don’t need one.

The AF waiver guide states that you need a waiver if you have a history of a frank herniated disc. From what I’ve read, a bulge or a protrusion is a non-frank herniated disc but the doc said he considers this a frank herniated disc. Was hoping to get some additional opinions. Is this frank because the report says “loss of water signal”? What are the odds of getting this waiver approved? For what its worth the doc is recommending that I be returned to flight duty in the waiver application. I'm already at the UPT base and there is a pilot shortage, will those be factored into the decision?

Thanks in advance 

[Rf15]

Hey dude,

I’m currently on Med Hold with an L5-S1 degenerated disc and massive herniation. The pain got some bad I came forward to flight med and DNIFed myself.
 

I was in 38s at Vance and am here just waiting to try to get back into an ejection seat. Who knows what will happen.

 

TRUST me I understand what you are going through. I have done a ton of studying on these injuries and can help you understand better what is going on. 
 

[Aspiring Flyer]

Thanks for reaching out Rf15, I sent you a private message with my cell number, would love to chat whenever you have time.

[Ryder1587]

I just went through the waiver process for a L5-S1 and it was pretty straightforward.  Mine was technically a bulge but in the Air Forde waiver process they treat it the same as herniated.   A lot of it depends on whether you need to get surgery or just PT.  I just did PT and had to wait 3 months to submit a waiver. The waiver was approved within 2 weeks and I am back to flying ejection seats.  Even at 8-9Gs I don’t have any pain in that area anymore so there is light at the end for y’all.  If you have questions send me a DM.  From what I was told those lower back issues come back quicker in waivers than neck problems.  

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ryder1587

[Rf15]

Hey Ryder1587,

here at vance still waiting DNIF from 38s. 3 more months, got an ablation done no surgery needed. 
 

would love to ask you some questions if you see this. Thanks!