On Thursday I went off to get my FAA Medical Certificate renewed - it had expired on 2nd September. I duly filled in the form for a 3rd Class Certificate, took all of the vision tests, peed in the cup etc. Then I went for the physical exam. However, when the doc read the form, he said "oh dear"...which is where the trouble started. It emerged that I am currently taking a drug which is on the FAA listed of proscribed drugs. So...no medical certificate could be issued.
I am therefore grounded. I have to stop taking the drug, wait 90 days, and then get my doctor to write a letter to the FAA saying that I am capable of flying, after which time the FAA should issue my medical certificate again. I have to take the drug for at least another month, after which time the 90 day period starts. It looks like the earliest I will be back in the air is the end of January 2008.
However, every cloud has a silver lining...I have a long list of items that I wanted to work on to improve the plane. Now I cannot fly until the New Year, I will be working on them. At the moment the list includes (but is not limited to):

- Baggage pods (already have the kit)
- fuselage pontoons (a la Paul Tackabury)
- new GPS
- move battery to firewall
- new cowlings including better cooling
- cockpit heating via nose oil cooler
- Grove brakes
- completion of gear leg fairing work
- new upholstery
- newer radio/VOR/transponder (I have antique boat anchors)

I will also add a photo album to this blog so that I can compete with James Redmon for documentation of improvements...