Medical Renewal

[AdamZ]

I am coming up on my renewal for my my 3rd class medical. I need to renew in November. This will be my first renewal since I got my ticket. I have had the medical for three years since I was under 40 when I got it.
My question is: Is there any benefit to going for the Medical Early? While I don't anticipate any problems as I am healthy, Would going for it, say a month or two early provide time for me to address any issues that might unexpectedly arise at the medical and then go back before it expires for a re check; where as if I get my medical on the renewal date and an issue pops up I have no time to address the issue before my medical expires? Thanks for the input.

 

[bbchien]

I am coming up on my renewal for my my 3rd class medical. I need to renew in November. This will be my first renewal since I got my ticket. I have had the medical for three years since I was under 40 when I got it.
My question is: Is there any benefit to going for the Medical Early? While I don't anticipate any problems as I am healthy, Would going for it, say a month or two early provide time for me to address any issues that might unexpectedly arise at the medical and then go back before it expires for a re check; where as if I get my medical on the renewal date and an issue pops up I have no time to address the issue before my medical expires? Thanks for the input.

I'd suggest going to your Internist or Family Doc's office and getting your vision checked, urine dipsticked, all the usual maintenence stuff. Remember, going to the AME is like going for a PTS checkride. Master the stuff before the ride. Then present for the ride.

If you go early and a disqualifying or a complex condition is found, you're grounded even though you have two months to go on the old certificate.

Unless you have an AME who will do consultations w/o the 8500-8....now that's getting pretty common...then come back for the medical.

 

[Nav8tor]

I... Unless you have an AME who will do consultations w/o the 8500-8....now that's getting pretty common...then come back for the medical.

Bruce, will most EAA AME advocates do that?

 

[bbchien]

Don't know, though I'm an EAA-er I'm not active in the national. I'd simply call up the AME and ask if he does "consultations" without the 8500-8, or if he can do a "mock" exam.

I do 'em.

 

[Handsfield]

I endorse Bruce's perspective. I always check myself (lipid panel, which I need because of special issue, BP, vision, urine dipstick) before going for my annual AME visit. I don't like surprises. Easy for me; I'm a doc and can get it all done on my own at little or no cost. Maybe not a high priority for most outwardly healthy pilots, but if you have any doubt about some aspect of the exam, pre-testing can prevent some sleepless nights.

Hunter (MD, not AME)

PS: Bruce, Stacy Vereen is a curmudgeon, but he's great!

 

[Anthony]

Adam,

Listen to Bruce and Hunter, especially with the BP. Since I've been on an exercise program I have a hard time getting my BP over 120/80 and I was borderline before. The minute I hit 40 and stopped exercising things started to happen. You may not have that issue as mine is probably hereditary.

 

[bbchien]

PS: Bruce, Stacy Vereen is a curmudgeon, but he's great!

Yes he is. I like to think of myself as a curmudgeon in training....But he is also VERY GOOD at what he does.

 

[Unregistered]

I have to think pre-testing is the way to go. Like, say, you discover you have come up with a disqualifing condition, or one that has a real possibility to become a disqualifing condition by the strict FAA standards we have to live by. I know a place that does any medical test you would want - anonomously. So, what to do? Take the chance and hope for the best with the FAA? Or, knowing what you might face in that respect, do you just let your medical lapse and go the Sport Pilot route? You may get your SI with the FAA, if the condition provides for it. Then, again you may not. Not to open a can of worms, but whats left for you to do besides grounding yourself forever more?

 

[Skip Miller]

I have to think pre-testing is the way to go. Like, say, you discover you have come up with a disqualifing condition, or one that has a real possibility to become a disqualifing condition by the strict FAA standards we have to live by. I know a place that does any medical test you would want - anonomously. So, what to do? Take the chance and hope for the best with the FAA?

Never. Know what your tests will show in advance, and only go on the record with the AME when you are certain to pass.

Or, knowing what you might face in that respect, do you just let your medical lapse and go the Sport Pilot route?

Great solution, under today's regs.

You may get your SI with the FAA, if the condition provides for it. Then, again you may not. Not to open a can of worms, but whats left for you to do besides grounding yourself forever more?

Fly with others. Have your wife/SO get a certificate, and the two of you go fly. Also you can get your CFI or II and instruct all but primary students, as the instruction recipient would have to be legal PIC during this instruction.

-Skip