Another Medical Question

[MrLupin]

The AOPA has a FAQ concerning recent changes in the language to the PPAII ( http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... cal-reform )

One question and answer read as follows:

Isn’t the requirement to have had a medical certificate within the past 10 years only a move to a 10-year renewal of a medical?

No. If you are a private pilot and have a valid medical certificate (regular or special issuance) within 10 years from the date when the bill is signed into law, you may never have to visit an AME again. You will simply have to take an online medical education course every two years, and visit your personal physician once every four years and note that visit in your logbook. No requirement will exist to report the outcome of the visit to the FAA.

What if you are not a private pilot and have held valid medical certificate within 10 years from the date the bill was signed into law? I'm a Sport Pilot (have never been a Private Pilot) and I did have a valid medical as of a few years ago (less than 10 years ago) and have never had my medical revoked or withdrawn. I also don't have a cardiac, mental, or neurological condition nor have I had a cardiac surgery that would require me to go through the special issuance process. Does anybody have any insight as to whether I'll be required to go through the special issuance process?

[SportPilot]

.......

[MrLupin]

I've tried to refer to the text of the altered bill but haven't been able to find it.

[MrLupin]

Another reference I found (http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=v ... 2a1264a116) reads as follows:

Any pilot who has not held a valid medical certificate Within the past 10 years or new pilots would be required to obtain a one-time third class medical or special issuance to establish a health baseline. Once approved, no further AME visit or FAA certification would be required.

This seems to indicate that even a sport pilot with a valid medical within the past 10 years would not need to get a third-class or special issuance as such a pilot has already established a "health baseline." I think this is the most reasonable interpretation. That said, if such is not clarified in the bill, I wouldn't expect the FAA's interpretation to agree with mine or anything else reasonable.

[SportPilot]

.......

[MrLupin]

Yes, that is the question. Is a sport pilot considered a "new pilot" for purposes of the bill. I'm trying to find an email address for Elizabeth Tennyson of AOPA, the lady who wrote the questions and answers, to see if she can shed some light on this.

[Flocker]

I did have a valid medical as of a few years ago (less than 10 years ago) and have never had my medical revoked or withdrawn.

What do you mean by "valid medical?" With an AME?

[MrLupin]

What do you mean by "valid medical?" With an AME?

Yes, I received a second class medical mid 2004 which obviously became a third class medical after a year.

[Jack Tyler]

MrLupin, it doesn't appear your Q is relevant to your circumstances, I'm sorry to say. If your last medical certificate was issued in mid-2004, AOPA's FAQ's on the revised PBOR2 language makes it pretty clear your medical falls outside the stipulated 10 year window, regardless of whether or not the law interprets 'sport pilots' as 'pilots' under the law's provisions.

Here's how AOPA's FAQ's addresses this point:
"The clock on the 10-year lookback starts the day the legislation is enacted, not when its provisions take effect, which could be up to one year later. So, the date the legislation becomes law is the date that counts when it comes to determining whether or not your certificate was issued within the 10-year window. If your medical was issued more than 10 years before that date, you will need to go through the medical certification process one more time in order to fly under the new regulations."
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... c_sect=adv

Since it's November 2015, that already puts your medical exam beyond an 11 year window, no?

Elizabeth Tennyson is in the communications group at AOPA. If you want to follow up on this further, I would suggest you call AOPA and ask to speak with one of the specialists who is handling questions regarding the proposed legislation.

[3Dreaming]

MrLupin, it doesn't appear your Q is relevant to your circumstances, I'm sorry to say. If your last medical certificate was issued in mid-2004, AOPA's FAQ's on the revised PBOR2 language makes it pretty clear your medical falls outside the stipulated 10 year window, regardless of whether or not the law interprets 'sport pilots' as 'pilots' under the law's provisions.

Here's how AOPA's FAQ's addresses this point:
"The clock on the 10-year lookback starts the day the legislation is enacted, not when its provisions take effect, which could be up to one year later. So, the date the legislation becomes law is the date that counts when it comes to determining whether or not your certificate was issued within the 10-year window. If your medical was issued more than 10 years before that date, you will need to go through the medical certification process one more time in order to fly under the new regulations."
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... c_sect=adv

Since it's November 2015, that already puts your medical exam beyond an 11 year window, no?

Elizabeth Tennyson is in the communications group at AOPA. If you want to follow up on this further, I would suggest you call AOPA and ask to speak with one of the specialists who is handling questions regarding the proposed legislation.

Jack, the way I read it is when the medical lapsed not when it was issued issued. His medical issued in mid 2004 wouldn't have expired with third class privileges until at least mid 2006. 10years from that is mid 2016.

[SportPilot]

.......

[dstclair]

From the EAA:

The language as adopted says "the individual holds a medical certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on the date of enactment of this Act, held such a certificate at any point during the 10-year period preceding such date of enactment…" By use of the word "held" rather than "obtained" or something similar, we understand the language to mean that your medical cannot have expired before ten years prior to the date of enactment.

An individual on another forum called AOPA and got a very clear answer:

I was confused by the language. Called AOPA to explain it all. My medical issued in 2006, lapsed in 2008 (I am over 40). As long as this bill gets enacted before 2018, I do not need to get new medical.

[SportPilot]

.......

[Jack Tyler]

Interesting. Thanks for the clarification, SportPilot.