Two Black SheepFAA medical navigation Talk to me free

Grounded by your medical? You don't have to navigate it alone.

I'm an airline captain and former director of aviation safety who went through the FAA medical process myself, without a union behind me. I help pilots understand where their case stands, what the FAA actually needs, and how to get it there.

Talk to me free See how it works
11,000+flight hours ATP12 type ratings CFI / CFIIinstructor Safetyformer aviation safety director USCSMS course graduate
DEFERRED Grounded Cleared

Why I do this

Captain Rick Saunders in uniform on the flight deck, smiling back at the camera
Captain Rick Saunders on the flight deck

A black sheep is the one outside the fold. Plenty of pilots end up there: regional, corporate, and cargo crews with no union aeromedical office to call.

When the FAA deferred my medical, I learned fast how lonely that process is. The letters are dense, the timelines stretch for months, and one missing document can send you back to the start of the line.

Before I was on this side of it, I served as Director of Aviation Safety and Senior Captain for a corporate flight department, and I completed the Aviation Safety Management Systems course at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering. I know how the FAA thinks about risk, and in the end, that's the question every medical file has to answer.

Pilots with a big union have people who do this every day. A lot of us don't. I built Two Black Sheep to be that person for pilots who are on their own: someone who has flown the line, sat through the wait, and knows what it takes to get a file in front of the right desk, complete.

Everything you tell me stays between us.

Captain Rick Saunders

Where I can help

How it works

  1. We talk, free

    Tell me where your case stands. No clock running and no sales pitch. I'll tell you honestly whether I can help, and if I can't, who can.

  2. If I can help, a plan

    I go through your FAA correspondence and records and give you a written plan: what's missing, who needs to provide it, and in what order.

    A fee only if I can help, agreed up front

  3. Navigation to a decision

    Optional ongoing support as you gather documents, submit, and respond to the FAA until your case is decided.

What I am, and what I'm not

I am

  • A fellow pilot who has been through the process
  • A guide to the paperwork, the steps, and the timeline
  • Someone who works alongside your AME, doctors, and attorney

I'm not

  • A physician. I don't give medical advice or diagnose anything.
  • An attorney. I don't give legal advice or represent you before the FAA.
  • A guarantee. The FAA makes every certification decision.

Questions pilots ask first

Is this confidential?

Yes. I don't share anything about you or your case with anyone without your written permission, and I'll never contact your employer.

I already have an AME. Why would I need you?

Your AME (aviation medical examiner) examines you and forwards your file. Most don't have time to manage the months of paperwork that follow a deferral. That's the gap I fill, and it makes your AME's job easier too.

Do I need an aviation attorney instead?

If you're facing an enforcement action, a certificate action, or an appeal, yes, and I'll tell you so on the first call. Many cases are about getting the right medical information to the FAA, and that's where I help.

What is a Special Issuance or a SODA?

A Special Issuance is an FAA medical certificate granted with conditions, such as regular follow-up reports, when you don't meet the standard requirements. A SODA, or Statement of Demonstrated Ability, is issued for certain stable conditions once you show you can fly safely. Both apply to first-, second-, and third-class medicals, and both reward a complete, well-organized file.

Can you make the FAA decide faster?

No one can promise that. What I can do is help you avoid the most common cause of delay: an incomplete file that triggers another request for information.

What does it cost?

Talking to me costs nothing. If after our conversation I think I can genuinely help, I'll tell you exactly what that looks like and what it costs before any work starts. If I can't help, you owe nothing, and I'll point you toward someone who can.

Let's talk. It's free.

Send a short note with a few times that work for you, and I'll reply within one business day to set up a time to talk.

Or email me directly: Ricksaunders767@gmail.com

This opens your email app with your message ready to send. Keep it general here. We'll talk specifics on the call.