Sorta Complicated way of getting a PPL

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Hello, I have a disqualifying condition that prevents me from getting a third class medical in the US. Even if it were possible I would not like to take the risk as I am a sport pilot with 200 hours and own my own plane.

However, I would like to be able to log time as PIC in a 172 as I frequently fly one with a PPL in the right seat as legal PIC. Right now I am unable to log these hours. However, if I did have a PPL I would be able to even without a valid medical.

If I have the time any money to spend I was thinking of taking a vacation to Canada or some other country and getting a PPL there. I know in Canada I would pass a class 4 medical or even a class 3 as they will issue for my condition given certain parameters.

I can then convert the license to an FAA certificate and can now log time as PIC as long as I have a legal PIC with me at a control station.
 
I would think you would need to be a resident or citizen of Canada to get a Canadian license. Even then you couldn't fly a US registered plane in the US.

And converting a Canadian license to a US license requires you passing a US medical (3rd class at least).

Another "what if" spin is that if you were a Canadian, got a Canadian license, you could buy a Canadian plane and fly it in the US. Of course there is no way this would ever work - insurance, etc.

A Canadian pilot license holder cannot fly a US registered aircraft in US airspace, and a US license holder cannot fly a Canadian registered aircraft in Canadian airspace (but each can fly a plane registered in their home country in the other's airspace)
 
A Canadian PRIVATE permit requires a class III medical there. It's their RECREATIONAL permit that only requires a class IV. The RECREATIONAL will let you fly the 172 provided you have no more than one passenger. The class IV is roughly equivalent to our basic med except that while a doctor is required to sign it, it doesn't involve (necessarily) an examination. You do have to declare that you never had had:
(A) Epilepsy, fits, or seizures; (B) Significant head injury; (C) Severe headaches or migraine; (D) Diabetes requiring insulin or other medication; (E) Heart disease, heart attack, or high blood pressure; (F) Coronary by-pass surgery or angioplasty; (G) Chronic chest, sinus or ear condition; (H) Chronic abdominal condition requiring medication; (I) Eye trouble (e.g. vision not correctable to 20/30, inability to pass a motor vehicle vision test); (J) Nervous conditions requiring therapy or medication; (K) Recurrent fainting, dizziness or blackout; (L) Kidney disease/stones; (M) Any other physical or mental disability; (N) Alcohol or chemical dependence or abuse; (O) Any difficulty with hearing or speech.

and have never been denied based on medical any aviation or driving certificate or life insurance.


But all that is moot. Canada requires citizenship or landed immigrant status (their equivalent of a green card). You're not getting one of those easily.
 
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Hello, I have a disqualifying condition that prevents me from getting a third class medical in the US. Even if it were possible I would not like to take the risk as I am a sport pilot with 200 hours and own my own plane.

However, I would like to be able to log time as PIC in a 172 as I frequently fly one with a PPL in the right seat as legal PIC. Right now I am unable to log these hours. However, if I did have a PPL I would be able to even without a valid medical.

If I have the time any money to spend I was thinking of taking a vacation to Canada or some other country and getting a PPL there. I know in Canada I would pass a class 4 medical or even a class 3 as they will issue for my condition given certain parameters.

I can then convert the license to an FAA certificate and can now log time as PIC as long as I have a legal PIC with me at a control station.
My question to you is, why is it this important to you to go to all this trouble to be able to log the hours? Assuming you never get a US PPL, you'd never need to use them for any purpose even if you were able to do your logging scheme. So, why not just get a separate log book and log the hours for yourself, as a reference/keepsake. Keep an official 'sport pilot' log and an unofficial 'sic in 172' log.
 
Canadian license means you’re only going to be able to use it in Canadian aircraft

If you convert to a US private, you could fly a N registered plane, but would also need a US medical as I understand it, I don’t think you could use a transport Canada medical with a FAA license

Flying a 172 in the states under your method would work, but it would have to be a C registered 172, and you might need to do some work to get it registered to you as a American, and would need to be maintained by a transport Canada mechanic

I’m a rotor wing guy, but is a 172 fun enough to be worth that much work?

I remember a story about Bob Hoover getting a Australian medical and license when the FAA revoked his FAA medical.
 
They have essentially the same stds as do we, but specific commentary without knowing the condition is a “fools errand....”
 
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