First class FAA medical certificate

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Dear all,

I am a high school graduate who dreams to be a pilot. We all know that to be a student pilot need to have a medical certificate. I need to get the First class FAA medical certificate. But, my medical examiner said that First class FAA medical certificate is only available for those who already have flight hour. So is it true?

and what do you guys think about Embry Riddle(Daytona Beach)? is it a good university?

Thank you for your time.
 
Your AME is blowing smoke up your bunghole. Anyone that is medically qualified can get a Class I medical.

As far as Riddle is concerned, you may be better off financially to go to another university and get your flight training outside the scholastic environment. Riddle will leave you with extremely high student loan debt and your first 5-10 years (possibly more) in aviation will be little better than minimum wage more than likely.

Also, most people agree that getting a degree in aviation is pretty useless once you go out into the real world. For the most part, folks in the aviation business that want you to have a degree don't necessarily care what the major is. Instead, get your degree in something that you can fall back on in case an aviation career doesn't work out for you.
 
Assuming this is a real inquiry:

At most get a Second Class. You could theoretically get a Commercial ticket and CFI within 24 months and need it for those privileges. It's unlikely you'll need a First Class within 12 months.
 
rolivi said:
Assuming this is a real inquiry:

At most get a Second Class. You could theoretically get a Commercial ticket and CFI within 24 months and need it for those privileges. It's unlikely you'll need a First Class within 12 months.
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+1 the second class will serve your needs,as you progress.
 
It really depends on your age. If you are in excellent health and under 40 (or whatever the EKG threshold age is), there's no real difference in getting a first class medical. I used to get seconds all the time (even though I never have any aspirations at commercial piloting) until my eyes deteriorated enough that I could squint through the third class medical but not the second (without the must where glasses restriction on the medical). Actually, now that I have the restriction on my third, I might as well go back and get seconds.
 
Many, many threads here on college options when pursuing aviation as a career. Most cost effective: attend nearby community college for two years while getting you private, instrument, commercial and CFI and CFI-I through a local flying club. Add a multi and your MEI. Transfer to four-year school to finish a money-making career option (comp sci is never a bad choice!) Instruct and build time while finishing school. Fly pipeline patrol, skydivers and glider tows to build time.

The theoretical savings of the R-ATP with the aviation degree will be more than wiped out by the higher costs going that route. I think you're better off showing up with 1,500 real hours with some real commercial flying than a freshly printed ER degree, 1,000 hours and a mountain of debt.
 
jordane93 said:
I suggest getting a first class medical right away so you know you can hold one.
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To the OP:

The above is bad advice. If there is any doubt, don't go for a medical at all until you know you can pass it. If you don't pass the medical, a lot of options are closed to you. Check with your AME BEFORE you take the exam.

It sounds like the AME you spoke to is not on your side. I'd change to someone else.
 
AuntPeggy said:
To the OP:

The above is bad advice. If there is any doubt, don't go for a medical at all until you know you can pass it. If you don't pass the medical, a lot of options are closed to you. Check with your AME BEFORE you take the exam.

It sounds like the AME you spoke to is not on your side. I'd change to someone else.
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I thought this was implied when I wrote it. I guess not
 
Wow!! First of all, Thank you very much for the reply everyone!!

However, I do have other question. Can I get first class medical certificate after the second class medical certificate is no longer valid?

Thanks
 
Unregistered said:
Wow!! First of all, Thank you very much for the reply everyone!!

However, I do have other question. Can I get first class medical certificate after the second class medical certificate is no longer valid?

Thanks
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You would need to get a fresh exam with an AME, but if you meet the qualifications, I don't see why you couldn't.
 
Unregistered said:
Wow!! First of all, Thank you very much for the reply everyone!!

However, I do have other question. Can I get first class medical certificate after the second class medical certificate is no longer valid?

Thanks
Click to expand...

How would you get the experience needed to get a job requiring First Class without a valid Second Class?

Take a spin through the duration of each class of medical, and the medical required to exercise privileges of each certificate.

I did this recently (this week in fact) to determine which medical I need to hold while over-training to commercial and CFI. I call it overtraining because I don't plan to exercise the privileges until I retire from my paying gig.

Did I miss-read invalid where you meant insufficient?
 
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Anymouse said:
Your AME is blowing smoke up your bunghole. Anyone that is medically qualified can get a Class I medical.

As far as Riddle is concerned, you may be better off financially to go to another university and get your flight training outside the scholastic environment. Riddle will leave you with extremely high student loan debt and your first 5-10 years (possibly more) in aviation will be little better than minimum wage more than likely.

Also, most people agree that getting a degree in aviation is pretty useless once you go out into the real world. For the most part, folks in the aviation business that want you to have a degree don't necessarily care what the major is. Instead, get your degree in something that you can fall back on in case an aviation career doesn't work out for you.
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That.

I would NOT use that AME for ANYTHING, his misinformation could cost you some major money.


Unregistered said:
Wow!! First of all, Thank you very much for the reply everyone!!

However, I do have other question. Can I get first class medical certificate after the second class medical certificate is no longer valid?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Sure, heck you could hold a 3rd class for half your life and just set up a appointment for a 1st class exam and walk out with a 1st class.


FYI you one need a fist class for airline ops, if that's not where you want to end up you will be just fine as a working pilot with a 2nd class, of course if you're under 40 it's basically the exact same exam.

My first medical was a 1st class, ever since then I've always had a 2nd class as my AME doesn't issue 1st classes, since I'm not a 121 guy it's all the same.
 
Unregistered said:
Wow!! First of all, Thank you very much for the reply everyone!!

However, I do have other question. Can I get first class medical certificate after the second class medical certificate is no longer valid?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I've gotten Second Class medicals for 30 years, and just got my first First Class this year.
 
JeffDG said:
Instructing requires only a third class.
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You're saying that instruction is not a commercial activity requiring Second Class?

Wow! just did a little google fire and found you may be right.

The FAA’s position is that a flight instructor is being paid to teach, not to fly, hence no second class medical is needed. The money issue is not relevant, since flight time itself is considered compensation. Many Part 141 flight schools, however, require that the flight instructor have a second class medical.

I would be very surprised if any FSDO had a different opinion, not that it matters if they did, since they’d be easily proved wrong:

§ 61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration.
(a) Operations requiring a medical certificate. Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a person—
[…]
(3) Must hold at least a third-class medical certificate—
[…]
 
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Greg Bockelman said:
Not "May by". IS. No FSDO will get that one wrong.
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Oh... Thanks Dr Bockelstien,

Seems that original advise of get the Third and wait till the others are needed might be CORRECT?

oh.. look at how that caps key IS working....


May by not (whatever that means)
 
jordane93 said:
I suggest getting a first class medical right away so you know you can hold one.
Click to expand...

If your goal is to do something that requires a First Class, now might not be a bad time to find out. But like someone else said, if you apply and fail it might lead to problems. There are AME's who will do a "consultation," basically give you the First Class without you actually applying for it. Now if you fail it, there is not a record of it with the FAA. You can fix the problem and then make the application and get another physical. Yeah, you're gonna spend more money.
 
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