Carrying your medical

Frogs97

Frogs97

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Dec 19, 2013
Messages
401
Location
Fort Worth, TX
Display Name
Display name:
Frogs97
Some years ago, my instructor taped my medical to the inside of my logbook cover, and that's where I've kept it ever since. I'm really starting to think that I want to leave my logbook on the ground in case something happens. I'm in the process of getting everything put into MyFlightBook, but I still like the idea of keeping the physical one on the ground.

Where do you guys keep your medical certificate when you fly? I'd like to keep it in my wallet with my license and ID, but since it's just a printed piece of copy paper, it will disintegrate over the next few years. Doesn't look like laminating is a good idea, in case I want to get my glider rating or something.

Dove season is about to start, so I thought about swiping an extra sleeve that they stuff the licenses in. But I wanted to see what other ideas were out there.
 
My medical certificate is in my wallet in a "ramp pass" thingy you can get from Sporty's. Holds your driver license, pilot certificate and you can just fold and tuck the medical behind your pilot certificate.

Don't worry too much about the disintegration stuff. It's not like you're going to have to be pulling it out and unfolding it much. My medical has been where it's at for two years and I've only had to take it out one time to make a copy for the flight school for my instructor records.

Unless of course you plan on getting ramp checked a lot. :D

And yes, it's a good idea to leave the logbook on the ground!! :yes:
 
Folded up with my certs in my wallet.

Logbook is digital and even if it wasn't I wouldn't carry it on me, it's a student pilot thing that many PPLs don't grow out of, kinda like carrying around massive flight bags :D
 
I made 3 copies of my medical
Original is in my log book.
One copy stays in my wallet
I lost one
And there is one in my flight bag
 
Will admit to carrying around a massive flight bag. It's in there. Yeah it's heavy but I sorta just like having everything I might need in there so I can just grab it and go and not think about what I need to round up for that flight. Do use EFB now though for charts so that has eliminated some weight.
 
When we say "flight bag" we are all really talking about our iPad cases right :)
 
in my wallet in a plastic sleeve with my fishing license.
 
hmmm ... good ideas. Thanks.

And, yeah, I carry a big flight bag, too. But, as a renter, I need a way to cart the family's headsets. At least, that's my logic ... I've not managed to get anyone else's yet.
 
Student pilot question.... Why do you keep the log book on the ground? Please excuse the ignorance of the question.
 
I my wallet ,along with my pilots license.
 
Bird Man said:
Student pilot question.... Why do you keep the log book on the ground? Please excuse the ignorance of the question.
Click to expand...

One less thing the FAA can look at if ramp checked.
 
Frogs97 said:
Some years ago, my instructor taped my medical to the inside of my logbook cover, and that's where I've kept it ever since. I'm really starting to think that I want to leave my logbook on the ground in case something happens. I'm in the process of getting everything put into MyFlightBook, but I still like the idea of keeping the physical one on the ground.

Where do you guys keep your medical certificate when you fly? I'd like to keep it in my wallet with my license and ID, but since it's just a printed piece of copy paper, it will disintegrate over the next few years. Doesn't look like laminating is a good idea, in case I want to get my glider rating or something.

Dove season is about to start, so I thought about swiping an extra sleeve that they stuff the licenses in. But I wanted to see what other ideas were out there.
Click to expand...

Mine is always in my wallet behind my cert. I've been doing it that way for decades and never had one fail, even when I've ended up in the water with my wallet.
 
I have my medical in a plastic sleeve. It was given to me by an AME that totally messed up an EKG costing me around 30K to prove I really had a heart. I keep it as a reminder that not all AMEs are equal.

My logbook is locked up in my gun safe.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
One less thing the FAA can look at if ramp checked.
Click to expand...

Yup

Also one less thing to loose, even though my first log is all scanned I would have hated to loose it, lots of time, endorsements and memories invested in those pages.

Of course with the electronic book it's a non event.
 
I have a plastic sleeve that I keep my medical in, along with my plastic certificate, business cards for my AME, CFI and a few local aviation folks, plus $100. It stays in a pocket of my flight backpack.

The logbook stays at home.
 
Bird Man said:
Student pilot question.... Why do you keep the log book on the ground? Please excuse the ignorance of the question.
Click to expand...

After you get your PPL you do not need to carry the log book.
My CFI told me to not carry it just so it would not get lost.
 
Bird Man said:
Student pilot question.... Why do you keep the log book on the ground? Please excuse the ignorance of the question.
Click to expand...

There's also the somewhat morbid reason of there being something for the investigators to evaluate when you put a smoking hole in the ground. That can go both ways, if you crash in night IMC and have almost no instrument time they are gonna figure you lost control. If you have tons of experience it speaks more towards the plane or situation. If you ever watch any of the AOPA accident case study videos they always bring up experience. If the log book burns up with you there's nothing to go by.
 
Get a new wallet. Get a new wallet with one of those removable ID/credit card holder thingies. Go to the DOL and get a new state ID. Stick the ID in the plastic see-through side and stick your pilot cert and the medical in the other side. Stick the whole sch bang into your flight bag and take it back out when you need to get a new medical.

ETA:

20150809_122750.jpg
 
In my wallet, behind my pilot cert. Except right now, I left them at home as I don't expect to be flying while in Europe. They'll go back into the wallet when I get home.
 
I keep it rolled up tight in the glove box with a rubber band around it.

It works great to snort blow. :happydance:
 
Another with it in the wallet with drivers license, pilots certificates, credit cards and other things I am much, much more worried about losing than my medical certificate.
 
Jason608 said:
After you get your PPL you do not need to carry the log book.
My CFI told me to not carry it just so it would not get lost.
Click to expand...
I'd add that it's just one more thing that you don't have to carry around (with some exceptions for student, recreational and sport pilots). It has much less use than any of the other junk we carry around, I guess unless you crash in the wilderness and need the paper to keep a fire going. So why drag it around unless you need someone else to sign it that day.

The often stated reason about being investigated on a ramp check has always seemed a bit silly to me. Come to think of it, if that's a good reason to not have it, I'm in a heap of potential trouble since I do always have my logbook with me - it is in the cloud and accessible on my phone and tablet any time I have internet access.

And... if you have an eLog, you are not too worried about losing it anyway.

So I guess I'll ultimately go with "you don't need to, so why drag it around" as my main answer to the question.
 
Last edited:
In my wallet, which is a rubber band from a bunch of asparagus.

I put it in a hotel room key sleeve along with my certs (and retsyn).
 
Gucci Pilot said:
One less thing the FAA can look at if ramp checked.
Click to expand...

"Do you have your logbook with you?"

"I don't recall."

"May I search your airplane to see if I can find a logbook?"

"No you may not."
 
Every time a new one is issued, I sign it and it becomes a high quality PDF in the vital records portion of encrypted offsite backups (both of them). Then it gets trimmed and folded, put in the flying section of my minimalist wallet with the certification cards. It became unreadable once: I printed a copy of my backup and put it in the wallet, said copy was later inspected at the FSDO with no issues noted.
 
StinkBug said:
There's also the somewhat morbid reason of there being something for the investigators to evaluate when you put a smoking hole in the ground. That can go both ways, if you crash in night IMC and have almost no instrument time they are gonna figure you lost control. If you have tons of experience it speaks more towards the plane or situation. If you ever watch any of the AOPA accident case study videos they always bring up experience. If the log book burns up with you there's nothing to go by.
Click to expand...

I figured this was the primary reason to leave it on the ground.

Not sure what the FAA can get you for if they read through your logbook during a ramp check? Other than possible currency requirements not being met...

But yeah I leave mine in the hangar in case something happens. That way the accident report can have as much detail as possible.

Medical, certificate card and my airport badge are all in one of those plastic credential sleeves with a lanyard.
 
Thank you for the great answers... I appreciate it!
 
StinkBug said:
There's also the somewhat morbid reason of there being something for the investigators to evaluate when you put a smoking hole in the ground. That can go both ways, if you crash in night IMC and have almost no instrument time they are gonna figure you lost control. If you have tons of experience it speaks more towards the plane or situation. If you ever watch any of the AOPA accident case study videos they always bring up experience. If the log book burns up with you there's nothing to go by.
Click to expand...

Seems like when the PIC dies the NTSB nearly always throughs him under the buss
 
In my wallet. I always leave my logbook at home unless I need it for an IPC, BFR, new rating, etc
 
nimdabew said:
Get a new wallet. Get a new wallet with one of those removable ID/credit card holder thingies. Go to the DOL and get a new state ID. Stick the ID in the plastic see-through side and stick your pilot cert and the medical in the other side. Stick the whole sch bang into your flight bag and take it back out when you need to get a new medical.

ETA:

20150809_122750.jpg
Click to expand...

Judging from that black seal, you gotta get your instrument rating :)
 
My medical, pilot cert and a bunch of other cards are in plastic sleeves in an old purse that sits in my knapsack. I do have a flight bag but I don't carry it anywhere, it stays in the plane. It contains a spare headset, a headlamp for night ops, an extra POH and various and sundry small items I've accumulated over the years.

The reason I don't carry my logbook with me has nothing to do with getting ramp checked or to not give the NTSB ammunition to nail me post-crash, it's simply that it's the only FAA-acceptable record I have of my last BFR, IPC, and passenger carrying and instrument currency. Carrying it with me when I travel would be taking a chance on it getting lost or destroyed. Unless I might need it on a trip (say, if I might go up with a CFI), I leave it at home.

Same thing with my aircraft logs, same reason.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I made 3 copies of my medical
Original is in my log book.
One copy stays in my wallet
I lost one
And there is one in my flight bag
Click to expand...


the original had better be on your person if you get ramped.

the FAA WILL NOT accept a copy.

bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top