FAA Issues General Aviation Medical Rule

I get a comprehensive exam from my doctor yearly,after looking at the checklist,fat chance your going to get a doctor to sit down and fill out the paperwork. The class three will work for me.
 
Brad Z said:
Or you could have specifically requested it:

"Digital Rectal Examination: This examination is performed only at the applicant's option unless indicated by specific history or physical findings."
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Oooo Oooo Please Mr. AME stick your finger in my ass!

Not with any of the AMEs I've had for the past thirty years. I did have a woman AME once, but she wasn't my type either.
 
There are still advantages, even though you had to have passed an AME exam in the last 10 years. Since you don't do a MedXpress, you don't have to track your last two years of medical visits. Also, you can't be denied or deferred. The worst that can happen is the doc doesn't sign your form. Nothing gets sent to OK. You fix the issues and then go get a signature (assuming that is possible, if you are not safe to fly, then you are not safe to fly). For the over 40 crowd (myself included), it also cuts down on how often you have to go through the exercise. I will probably go ahead and do the 3rd class this time, since it is due and I don't have any SI's, but in the future, I will probably just do the BasicMed thing.
 
frfly172 said:
I get a comprehensive exam from my doctor yearly,after looking at the checklist,fat chance your going to get a doctor to sit down and fill out the paperwork. The class three will work for me.
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At my last physical I showed my doctor the list of exam checklist items from the law and the statement he would have to sign, and he said he would have no problem doing the exam and signing the form.

Every thread about this topic we have a bunch of people like you who are certain no doctor would ever sign it, as well as a number of people like me who have asked their doctor who said it would be no problem.
 
dmspilot said:
Guess the LSA isn't obsolete after all.
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And Cessna just trashed all those Skycatchers!! :oops:

Skycatcher-Destruction-1216c.JPG


Skycatcher-Destruction-1216a.JPG
 
Seems like a good thing. For a Joe Schmoe private pilot, no more 3rd class medicals. I can worry about real health issues from any Dr I choose, and addressing what the Dr. wants.


Now for the inevitable question on Pot. With no MedExpress to fill out, no State drivers license restriction that says you can't smoke Pot, are we now going to allow private pilots to smoke pot, and then fly?
 
MassPilot said:
At my last physical I showed my doctor the list of exam checklist items from the law and the statement he would have to sign, and he said he would have no problem doing the exam and signing the form.

Every thread about this topic we have a bunch of people like you who are certain no doctor would ever sign it, as well as a number of people like me who have asked their doctor who said it would be no problem.
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Every Dr. I have spoken with the last 6 months, who I have specifically asked about this, have said they would have no problem signing it. One Doc, an OB/GYN laughed and said her Insurance company would LOVE for her to perform functions with less financial risk to her and the insurance company.
 
John221us said:
There are still advantages, even though you had to have passed an AME exam in the last 10 years. Since you don't do a MedXpress, you don't have to track your last two years of medical visits. Also, you can't be denied or deferred. The worst that can happen is the doc doesn't sign your form. Nothing gets sent to OK. You fix the issues and then go get a signature (assuming that is possible, if you are not safe to fly, then you are not safe to fly). For the over 40 crowd (myself included), it also cuts down on how often you have to go through the exercise. I will probably go ahead and do the 3rd class this time, since it is due and I don't have any SI's, but in the future, I will probably just do the BasicMed thing.
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The checklist will have boxes 3 through 13 and 16 through 19 from the 8500-8 form, which includes the question about your last 3 years of medical visits.
 
Discussed it with my Doc no more liability than the other dozen forms he signs every day. I do like the idea of being able to work out any issue with my doctor without fear of loosing my medical forever.


ETA: With the exception of the big 3.
 
So, we have the rule and I see that the Medical Education stuff is supposed to be out by March. Safe to imagine that the "official" checklist and form to be signed by physician will come out around the same time?
 
MassPilot said:
The checklist will have boxes 3 through 13 and 16 through 19 from the 8500-8 form, which includes the question about your last 3 years of medical visits.
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Bummer, I am not that great at tracking that stuff. That is what usually takes me the longest to pull together. Like I said, I will probably go ahead do the 3rd class this time, anyway.
 
I am one of the few that this is apparently a big deal for. I am currently self grounded. Current FAA rules say two years before I can get a si. Then of course I would have the si hoops to jump through. Nothing about my event affects my ability to fly now, so I will be able to fly May 1! I have never been denied/revoked, etc.

The challenge for me will be at the end of my two year period. I want to fly above 180 and above 6,000 lbs. I will have to get a 3rd class if I really want to do that. All indications are that I will get a si, but if I were to be denied, that would be a problem.

The one question that has also been answered if I understand the rule correctly is what happens when I am flying under the new rule and am deferred for my third class. The way I read it is that I can still fly under the rules if I apply for a 3rd (or any other class) medical up until it is denied, it that is ultimately what happens.

Good day for me!
 
flyingron said:
One glaring discrepency here. 61.113 only applies to the pilot in command. While it allows private pilots and flight instructors who are acting as pilot in command to not have a medical, if they act in another required crew member position (notably safety pilots for simulated instrument flight) you can't use it. Of course, if your safety pilot is otherwise qualified to be PIC, they could be PIC for the operation without a medical.
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Yes, that is an oddity. You can use this rule as a CFI, safety pilot, or other required crew member (e.g. in an aircraft that requires two pilots) only if you are also acting as PIC. You'd think that it would be as safe if not safer to fly without a medical certificate when you aren't acting as PIC (because that means there is another pilot on board who is a legal PIC), but the new rules don't allow that.

This isn't going to be much of an issue in practice, though there may be the occasional flight that can't be done legally because of lack of a BFR, landing currency, or instrument currency of the CFI / safety pilot / second pilot.

The reason for this oddity is that the FAA stuck to implementing the literal terms of the statute so that they could issue a final rule without a notice and comment period, and the statute only talks about acting as PIC. I suspect this oddity and a few others will get cleaned up over time.
 
N918KT said:
Too bad this medical reform would not apply to me since I never applied for a medical in the first place. Oh well, I guess I might still pursue a sport pilot license and maybe gliders as well. By the way I am trying to go on the AOPA website to check if they revised the medical reform FAQs but the website is either very slow or down at this time, at least for me. It seems there is a lot of web traffic checking out the new medical reform regulations.
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You can have A LOT of fun exercising sport pilot privileges! I've been doing that for the past 1-1/2 years, including an 800 NM cross-country to the Pacific Northwest.
 
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DrewG said:
I wonder how this will work. If one was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was self-grounding, do they still need to go to get an SI?
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No need for a sleep apnea SI (or any SI for any conditions other than the specifically listed cardiovascular, mental, or neurological conditions), assuming that you have held a medical certificate that has not be suspended, revoked, or withdrawn and are able to satisfy all of the requirements of the new rule, such as getting the physician exam and sign-off. Take the course, get the exam and sign-off, and come May 1 you should be good to go.
 
Neil Rubin said:
This isn't going to be much of an issue in practice, though there may be the occasional flight that can't be done legally because of lack of a BFR, landing currency, or instrument currency of the CFI / safety pilot / second pilot.
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CFIs don't have to worry (other than when they are also safety pilot). The CFI if he needs to be PIC can use the 61.113 procedure. If he's not PIC, he doesn't need any sort of medical. It's only really the safety pilot in practice that's the problem. Not only to be PIC does your safety pilot need a BFR, but they need to meet the other qualifications which includes any necessary complex/HP/conventional gear signoffs as well as an instrument rating if you are conducting this in less than VMC (we finally got the FAA to back off a technical rule change about that when the safety pilot was not PIC).
 
flyingron said:
CFIs don't have to worry (other than when they are also safety pilot). The CFI if he needs to be PIC can use the 61.113 procedure. If he's not PIC, he doesn't need any sort of medical. It's only really the safety pilot in practice that's the problem. Not only to be PIC does your safety pilot need a BFR, but they need to meet the other qualifications which includes any necessary complex/HP/conventional gear signoffs as well as an instrument rating if you are conducting this in less than VMC (we finally got the FAA to back off a technical rule change about that when the safety pilot was not PIC).
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You are right, of course. The biggest limitation here in practice is that safety pilots need to be legal PICs if they want to fly under the new medical rules.

For CFIs, I believe the situation is:
  • Student not under hood
    • Student is legal to serve as PIC -> no medical requirement for CFI
    • Student is not legal to serve as PIC -> CFI must act as PIC and can use new medical rules
  • Student is under hood
    • CFI is legal to serve as PIC -> CFI can use new medical rules (but must then act as PIC)
    • CFI is not legal to serve as PIC -> student must act as PIC and CFI must have at least a third class medical
Wonder if there are any aircraft out there that are under 6,000 lbs and 6 seats but require two pilots?
 
JoseCuervo said:
Seems like a good thing. For a Joe Schmoe private pilot, no more 3rd class medicals. I can worry about real health issues from any Dr I choose, and addressing what the Dr. wants.


Now for the inevitable question on Pot. With no MedExpress to fill out, no State drivers license restriction that says you can't smoke Pot, are we now going to allow private pilots to smoke pot, and then fly?
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I hope not. I know you are joking but I would say as long as pot is federally illegal it's no. However, IF they ever do make it legal - will it be like alcohol? That i don't know. With Jeff Sessions as AG I doubt we have to worry about it any time soon :)
 
Palmpilot said:
You can have A LOT of fun exercising sport pilot privileges! I've been doing that for the past 2-1/2 years, including an 800 NM cross-country to the Pacific Northwest.
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I agree that I think a sport pilot license still fits most of my needs. But most flight schools with sport pilot curriculum is still quite a bit far from me. That is the issue. Also, I hope with the new medical reform rules in place, I hope flight schools all over the U.S. would not discontinue their sport pilot curriculum if they think more people would get the PPL. I hope that more flight schools would continue to add sport pilot to their list of flight training programs.
 
The FAA was a good idea years ago. Now they're a joke. I get this confirmed every time I deal with them. Just another government agency trying to perpetuate its own existence.

It amazes me that the same person who would not be allowed to fly (possibly because of something wrong with his/her anus) might not be allowed to fly a small plane, but could legally rent a uhaul truck, load it to the gills, and drive it at 70 mph, with closure rates of twice that with opposing traffic, with only a few feet and a yellow line between him/her and his/her potential victims.
 
korben88 said:
I wanna know what my tattoos may reveal about my ability to pilot an aircraft....
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Identify you if your tat's survive the crash?

My PCP, nor my AME have ever asked me about tattoos.

My wife, a medical doc with tattoos, actually calls her PCP after each new tattoo to get a Hep C screen...just in case...so her doc knows every time she gets work done. Wife is also someone who sees 0.00000000001% chance of something...and somehow only sees the "1" (she's a worry wart).
 
“The BasicMed rule will keep our pilots safe but will simplify our regulations and keep general aviation flying affordable.”

When was the last time you read flying and affordable in the same sentence?
 
FloridaPilot said:
“The BasicMed rule will keep our pilots safe but will simplify our regulations and keep general aviation flying affordable.”

When was the last time you read flying and affordable in the same sentence?
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Mmm maybe every time the FAA tries to blow smoke up our anus?

See how I tied that in there... :crazy:
 
Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but if you intend to fly to Canada (or Mexico, Bahamas, etc.) even once, this entire new rule is completely useless to you. Am I missing something?
 
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RotorDude said:
Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but if you intend to fly to Canada (or Mexico, or Bahamas, etc.) even once, this entire new rule is completely useless to you. Am I missing something?
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Nope, but I, for one, don't see any of those destinations in my future. I don't even like to drive to Mexico, Canada is too far North and the Bahamas is half a world away (too far for a SPAM can). That's what makes America great... all the choices we have. While this wasn't the law many were hoping for, it certainly does have value and makes life easier for some. For others; they will still need to jump through the hoops. So, if you you fly over FL180, carry more than 5 passengers, want to leave the country or want to get paid for flying, you still need to get a medical. Maybe I am easy, but this seems like progress to me.
 
John221us said:
Nope, but I, for one, don't see any of those destinations in my future. I don't even like to drive to Mexico, Canada is too far North and the Bahamas is half a world away (too far for a SPAM can). That's what makes America great... all the choices we have. While this wasn't the law many were hoping for, it certainly does have value and makes life easier for some. For others; they will still need to jump through the hoops. So, if you you fly over FL180, carry more than 5 passengers, want to leave the country or want to get paid for flying, you still need to get a medical. Maybe I am easy, but this seems like progress to me.
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Maybe so, but for me flying across the border to other countries was among the greatest rewards of learning to fly. All three destinations I mentioned are within easy reach of even the simplest GA airplane and each is a different "universe".
 
RotorDude said:
Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but if you intend to fly to Canada (or Mexico, Bahamas, etc.) even once, this entire new rule is completely useless to you. Am I missing something?
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Unless Canada, Mexico or the Bahamas decides to allow pilots to operate in their airspace using BasicMed. It's not up to the FAA. My bet is the Bahamas will be perfectly happy to allow It...Canada and Mexico are a coin flip.
 
172andyou said:
Oh, grow up. Getting your butt checked is an important part of living long enough to exercise your flight privileges. You should have been doing that with your family doc anyway.
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Bull$#!+. Getting my butt checked may be important to my life span or it may not; that's MY call or my doctor's call. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with my ability to keep the pointy end forward and the oily side down.

Jim
 
FloridaPilot said:
“The BasicMed rule will keep our pilots safe but will simplify our regulations and keep general aviation flying affordable.”

When was the last time you read flying and affordable in the same sentence?
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Hmmm some work of FAA fiction that talked about "FreeFlight" in the 90s, as I recall.

If course nowadays out west here, you can't make an IFR flight without controllers throwing you "cleared direct for something 300 miles away" even with a data block and flight plan that says /U or /A -- so I guess we finally have "FreeFlight" as long as you don't live near either coast. LOL.

AggieMike88 said:
Gotta love the photo that Forbes used in this article....

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngog...rds-for-general-aviation-pilots/#7cd9ffba164e

Really exemplifies the accepted pilot population
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The caption under it was even funnier. Who knew the top low-frills carrier in Eastern Europe was named "Whiz Air". The jokes nearly write themselves...

weirdjim said:
Bull$#!+. Getting my butt checked may be important to my life span or it may not; that's MY call or my doctor's call. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with my ability to keep the pointy end forward and the oily side down.

Jim
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ROFLMAO. I gotta say, I'm with Jim on this one, but I imagine someone had a bad hemmoroid once that distracted them during an ILS to minimums, and FAA decided they'd better check everyone. Hahaha.
 
RotorDude said:
Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but if you intend to fly to Canada (or Mexico, Bahamas, etc.) even once, this entire new rule is completely useless to you. Am I missing something?
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As someone who has flown 8 times as PIC to the Bahamas, they could absolutely care less about you having a current medical certificate. The ONLY things the Bahamas care about when you arrive are:

1) Current passport
2) Plenty of money

I can't speak for Canada or Mexico
 
mulligan said:
Pucker factor in the event of an emergency. Seems legit
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weirdjim said:
Bull$#!+. Getting my butt checked may be important to my life span or it may not; that's MY call or my doctor's call. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with my ability to keep the pointy end forward and the oily side down.

Jim
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depends bro....:D
 
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