Fall back to BasicMed while waiting for Class 3 application in FAA deferred review?

[wwjenkins]

I have a “Medical Certificate Class Three and Student Pilot Certificate” that I received April 8, 2008. I never proceeded to use it.

Before I discovered BasicMed I submitted a Medical Application in MedExpress and had my exam with an AME last September. That was deferred to the FAA due to a mildly enlarged aorta.
Since then I obtained a new echocardiogram and stress test and those look good - no growth in the aorta. But as we all know there will be a wait of many months, perhaps over a year, before a SI is granted.

Can I fall back on BasicMed and begin PPL lessons while waiting for the deferral review to complete? I've heard from an expert contributor in these forums that this is possible but discouraged by the FAA.

Has anyone tried that? Do flight schools care?

Is my 2008 Student Pilot Certificate still valid or do I need to go to IACRA to get a new one?

 

[AvNavCom]

Respectfully, all of these questions can be answered with a simple look at the FAA website here and here.

Based on the provided history, you can fly on BasicMed because you have held a medical certificate after 2006, it has not been denied or revoked, and you do not have any of the disqualifying conditions. Follow the guidance on the FAA site to get your BasicMed certificate.

You will need to renew your student pilot certificate since certificates issued prior to April 2016 have an expiration date, while those issued after this date do not.