Medical Certificates
Which Part of the Federal Aviation Regulations can you find information on Medical Certificates?
Bonus -- +100
Which specific regulation?
Bonus answer: 61.23
What are the privilege durations for a 1st class medical?
>40 years old = 6 calendar months
<40 years old = 12 calendar months
What are the privileges of a 2nd class medical?
In order to exercise the privileges of a commercial airline pilot, you must have a 2nd class medical.
What is the duration of a 3rd class medical certificate?
Privilege Duration:
>40 years old = 24 calendar months
<40 years old = 60 calendar months
According to Part 61, who needs a medical certificate?
What is: Pilots need medical certificates, with exception of glider pilots, to exercise the privileges of their airmen certificates.
What are the additional privileges allocated for a pilot with a 1st class medical?
What is: ATP certificate
What are the durations for the 2nd class medical?
> / < 40 years old = 12 calendar months
What does a 3rd class medical certificate allow you to do?
You must have a 3rd class medical to perform solo flight as a student, act as PIC with a PPL, or to take a checkride exam for any pilot certificate.
Suppose you have a 1st class medical certificate and you have to go fly to pick up some friends and family for a vacation but you picked up a cold. You aren't feeling too bad and so you take some extra strength Advil.
What would you do in this situation? Would you go fly? Why or not why?
Once you obtain a medical certificate you still must comply with FAR 61.53 which states "a pilot cannot act as a crewmember on an aircraft if they know, or have reason to know, of any medical condition that would make them unsafe to operate and aircraft."
Secondly, you never have to go fly. Don't put the dangerous attitude of Get There Itis on yourself.
Suppose you got your first class medical in March 2018. Would you still be eligible to fly April 1st of the year 2019?
This is a trick question and has many parts. Yes, you can still fly but under different categories than an airline pilot. Remember, the 1st class medical retroactively applies to 3rd class privileges after the expiration date of the first class. You can still operate an aircraft, if you're under the age of 40, as a recreational pilot, sport pilot, private pilot, or flight instructor.
However, you may not operate an aircraft as an Airline pilot or Commercial pilot until you renew your medical.
Suppose you got your 2nd class medical on the 14th of December 2017. When would you need to renew your medical in order to be eligible to fly with commercial privileges?
What is: December 31st 2018
According to 61.23, you must renew your medical on the 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate.
A 42-year-old gentleman provides you with a 1st class medical certificate. The certificate is 18 months old.
Which class is the medical certificate?
Which privileges are still valid?
This gentleman's 1st class medical was valid with 1st class privileges for 6 months. It then reverted to a 1st class medical with 2nd class privileges for the next 6 months, and is now a 1st class medical with 3rd class privileges for the final 12 months of its duration.
How are medical certificates Issued?
Must a student pilot obtain a medical certificate prior to solo flight operations?
Medical certificates are issued after a routine medical exam. The exam is conducted by an FAA-designated doctor called an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)
A student pilot must obtain a medical certificate prior to solo flight operations.
If you are concerned about a condition you may have that could affect your flying but you still have a 1st class medical, what should you do?
If you have been found to be deficient in your eyesight for a certain medical certificate, what is your course of action? Can you fly?
Contact your local AME and make sure you are checked out to fly so you aren't breaking 61.53
You may be able to obtain a Special Issuance Authorization. A SODA (Statement of Demonstrated Ability) may be available when working through an AME or the local FSDO (Flight Standards District Office). These SODAs will usually contain certain operating limitations.