Hedging with BasicMed

[Let'sgoflying!]

I suppose it's not possible to hold two medicals at the same time but I was wondering if a Class I or II pilot could apply for BasicMed and not lose their higher level of medical as a result.

The purpose of getting the BM would be that if a medical event* occurred which results in the loss of C I or II, you could still perhaps still fly your own plane around.

Maybe there are no such events*; I need to learn that too.

 

[bflynn]

Of course. The fact that you have gotten a medical and taken a BasicMed course has no bearing on your first, second or third class FAA medical. They are separate things.

However, if you lose your medical, then you also lose your BasicMed because a prerequisite is that our most recent medical must not have been denied, withdrawn, etc. If you lose it, you have to reestablish at least a 3rd class.

I don't know, are there medical things that would invalidate a first class medical, but still be legal for third class? If there are, I suspect the overlap is very small.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

So, could be done but no advantage. Thanks.

What about if you have an illness or condition, have to self ground - then recover, but probably not enough to survive a Class I/II exam. You still have 2 years left on your BM though so you can continue to fly recreationally.

 

[SkyHog]

The advantage would be if an event occurred that would otherwise have caused a denial, but you realized it and did not apply for a regular medical, you’d still be able to fly non-commercial.

 

[Sundancer]

I let my III Class expire before doing the BM; no medical issues now, but I'm not getting any younger. Doing so precluded losing my BM if I had lost my III Class for some reason. As is, with no previous denial, I'm good to go unless something comes up and I self ground, or my Doc has an issue with me four years from now.