Basicmed after special issuance

[medquestion1409]

Last year, after sending my application and supporting documents to the FAA, I received a third class medical certificate signed by a FAA doctor and annotated “Not valid for any class after 12/31/2022”

I also received the letter entitled Authorization for Special Issuance of a Medical Certification which expires in 2027. It states that “At least 60 days prior to the expiration of your medical certificate, you must submit the following” and then specifies a list of medical documentation.

This is not for any sort of psychiatric, drug, or alcohol issue.

My understanding is that if I do nothing, and submit no medical documentation, my existing medical will simply expire on 12/31/22 and I can do BasicMed from here on. Is that correct?

I am slightly spooked by the “at least 60 days prior” language. I want to make sure that the FAA will not revoke my existing medical sometime before 12/31 if they have not received the documents requested.

 

[bbchien]

Last year, after sending my application and supporting documents to the FAA, I received a third class medical certificate signed by a FAA doctor and annotated “Not valid for any class after 12/31/2022”

I also received the letter entitled Authorization for Special Issuance of a Medical Certification which expires in 2027. It states that “At least 60 days prior to the expiration of your medical certificate, you must submit the following” and then specifies a list of medical documentation.

This is not for any sort of psychiatric, drug, or alcohol issue.

My understanding is that if I do nothing, and submit no medical documentation, my existing medical will simply expire on 12/31/22 and I can do BasicMed from here on. Is that correct?

YES!

I am slightly spooked by the “at least 60 days prior” language. I want to make sure that the FAA will not revoke my existing medical sometime before 12/31 if they have not received the documents requested.

That's correct, it expires quietly.

 

[Chris Charanza]

YES!That's correct, it expires quietly.

Is it the same for all SI's regardless of why you were issued one? (outside of a HIMS monitoring program)

 

[flyingron]

SI medicals usually say "not valid for any class after" and the SI letter tells you how to get a new certificate. Failure to renew is not a denial.

 

[bbchien]

Correct. It is an "expiration".

 

[Chris Charanza]

Correct. It is an "expiration".

So Technically In March 2023 I can just let the SI "expire" and go Basicmed ? At that point I won't even have a year of CPAP data but I guess I'd just send them what I do have or just let it expire, not worry about the CPAP data and go basicmed?

 

[Brad Z]

This explains it:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...Domingo-AFX-1-2_2018_Legal_Interpretation.pdf

 

[Brad Z]

So Technically In March 2023 I can just let the SI "expire" and go Basicmed ? At that point I won't even have a year of CPAP data but I guess I'd just send them what I do have or just let it expire, not worry about the CPAP data and go basicmed?

Yes, assuming you're not planning to fly between 1/1/2023 and then...

 

[Brad Z]

I had a student who did this, correct me if I’m wrong, but for ALL SIs you just do the basic med course and follow the instructions, my student used the AOPA website, get your exam at any doctor, my student used a place that did truck driver physicals, follow all requirements of your medical until the “not valid for any class beyond XX/XX/XXXX” that’s on the medical, once that date has passed you’re basic med and don’t need to deal with whatever SI you used to be on, as long as you’re fit to fly per the AOPA website.

The only draw back would be if you later needed a 1/2/3 class medical you might have to start over in the SI process.

This information is over a year old and to the best of my memory

That's essentially correct. If you need a medical in the future you simply apply for a new one and provide the necessary information to satisfy the SI letter.

 

[Half Fast]

Yes, assuming you're not planning to fly between 1/1/2023 and then...

Couldn’t he just get Basic now, or anytime before 12/31/22, and keep right on flying?

 

[Jeff Oslick]

As long as he follows whatever requirements of his SI until the “not valid for any class” date

Basic Med is not a Class of medical.

 

[Brad Z]

Couldn’t he just get Basic now, or anytime before 12/31/22, and keep right on flying?

Sure.

 

[dbahn]

The only draw back would be if you later needed a 1/2/3 class medical you might have to start over in the SI process.

I did find the pitfall with this, having an SI for malignant melanoma which required a yearly head and neck MRI, which was clearly not medically indicated so would have to be paid out of pocket (about $5,000 per year). So I just shifted over to Basic Med on the assumption I could just pick up where I left off if I wanted to use my Commercial Certificate or to fly through Canada, and then I would just pay for the MRI. That was apparently the case when I made the decision, but I since then was advised by my AME (a friend of mine) that the FAA would now be requiring a full melanoma evaluation, which includes much more than just an MRI, e.g. a PET scan and more extensive documentation. The bigger problem with that, were I to choose to do it, is that even meeting all the criteria for issuance, I could plan on grounding for 3 months while I was deferred while waiting for paperwork to flow through CAMI.