Sport Pilot Talk

Yikes....the last few posts should go to FaceBook....let's keep this forum neutral. Greed and Trump have nothing to do with our passion for the sky.

Now some good news (at least for me) I was at Sebring Wednesday and got my 3rd class Med!!!! The agreed to do the physical before I set up the account with the FAA. I passed then set up the account and they signed off on it! So I am a happy camper!

eyeflygps wrote:

MrMorden wrote:

eyeflygps wrote:Not everything is about you Andy.

....
There are some medical conditions and situations that any prudent person would agree need closer scrutiny. There are some pilots that should be grounded for medical reasons. I agree the 3rd class medical didn't do much to weed them out, however.

Undoubtedly , but I don't see that much difference between risks posed by a medically unfit Cessna ( or similarly small plane ) pilot and a driver of 4000 lbs vehicle capable of going 80+ mph.

Undoubtedly , but I don't see that much difference between risks posed by a medically unfit Cessna ( or similarly small plane ) pilot and a driver of 4000 lbs vehicle capable of going 80+ mph.

I believe the difference is that in the eyes of non-pilot, every day people, the risk posed by an incapacitated driver is limited to places they are conditioned to expect and accept the risk - on and close to roadways. There are guard rails and walls and ditches that provide a degree of real or perceived safety (mitigation) of that risk outside of those expected areas. On the other hand, the risk (again, real or perceived) of an incapacitated pilot is unpredictable and everywhere. Airplanes can rain down any and everywhere, right into their houses and down onto their children! While the overall risk may be so small as to be practically non-existent, the fear caused by the unpredictability of this IS real, even if the potential damage that can be caused by a small GA plane crash is relatively small. Third Class medicals and the Washington DC Area SFRA are examples of how the people who are expected to "do something about" these risks have addressed them. I have seen 2 instances of the Capitol and surrounding office buildings evacuated by genuinely panicked people because of the same C152 (different pilots) unwittingly venturing too close to DC. Education and discussion (and maybe a physics lesson <gasp!>) would also help to show what the real risk levels are, but that's a very hard "sell" to the public who want and expect to see action from the authorities.

A couple questions I have about the new system that I have not found the answers to.

1. If your last flight physical was within the 48 month period, does it count for the physical exam required under basicMed?

2. While it is quite clear that the requirements for a special issuance have changed under BasicMed, will they also change for those seeking a flight physical for the first time or those outside of the 10 year window?

3Dreaming wrote:A couple questions I have about the new system that I have not found the answers to.

1. If your last flight physical was within the 48 month period, does it count for the physical exam required under basicMed?

I think the answer to this one is 'no' in that an FAA Medical does not take the place of a BasicMed phsyical.

AOPA has an FAQ that seems to address this:

My medical certificate expires after May 1. Does that affect my ability to fly under BasicMed?

Pilots whose medical is still valid as of May 1 may opt to fly under BasicMed or their valid medical certificate. If pilots opt to fly under BasicMed, they will need to comply with the operating limitations listed in the rule. They also would need to have a physical exam, complete the associated checklists (and keep the paperwork in their logbook or a digital reproduction that can be shown upon request), and take an approved online aeromedical education course—all prior to flying under BasicMed.

dstclair wrote:

3Dreaming wrote:A couple questions I have about the new system that I have not found the answers to.

1. If your last flight physical was within the 48 month period, does it count for the physical exam required under basicMed?

I think the answer to this one is 'no' in that an FAA Medical does not take the place of a BasicMed phsyical.

AOPA has an FAQ that seems to address this:

My medical certificate expires after May 1. Does that affect my ability to fly under BasicMed?

Pilots whose medical is still valid as of May 1 may opt to fly under BasicMed or their valid medical certificate. If pilots opt to fly under BasicMed, they will need to comply with the operating limitations listed in the rule. They also would need to have a physical exam, complete the associated checklists (and keep the paperwork in their logbook or a digital reproduction that can be shown upon request), and take an approved online aeromedical education course—all prior to flying under BasicMed.

That is my suspicion as well, but I would prefer the answer come from the FAA rather than AOPA or EAA. There have been times in the past when their interpretations have been wrong.

I Can't wait until May 1st either... though I am concerned that the system needed to comply with the new regs will not be available by then..... as of today 03/09/2017:

1) The questionnaire for you to fill out doesn’t yet exist, and has to be approved by FAA.

2) The internet course on conditions that you have to be aware of doesn’t yet exist, and anyone offering one has to get it approved by FAA.

3) The form for your Doctor to sign doesn't yet exist, and has to be approved by FAA.

4) The interface to allow FAA a one time crack at your driver's database at each family doc certification doesn't yet exist.

*** hard to imagine they will throw this all together in just 52 days
.

The questionnaire and doctors form are included in the FAA advisory Circular that covers Basic Med.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/med ... C_68-1.pdf

wow, I stand corrected

I was not aware there had been any progress and all my attempts to search online brought up old articles announcing the new law

thanks for the link

I see the forms for the doctor and the pilot to fill out and sign are watermarked "DRAFT" is there a final version available yet?

thanks again for the link

I hadn't noticed that it said draft. I doubt the form and associated materials will not be available until the FAA actually has the new rule completed.
The online training can't be completed either until they know what the new rule actually requires.

Having been using my PP to fly as a Sport Pilot I don't want to try and get a new 3rd Class medical. Just bought a LSA eligible plane I'll stick with flying as a SP. I know of others who are doing the same

bps wrote:Having been using my PP to fly as a Sport Pilot I don't want to try and get a new 3rd Class medical. Just bought a LSA eligible plane I'll stick with flying as a SP. I know of others who are doing the same

Yeah, the requirement to "get a medical in order to fly without one" seems like a typical, unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle. I wonder if the FAA put that in as a "poison pill" to Congress' mandate, because they really didn't want to do it at all.

MrMorden wrote:

bps wrote:Having been using my PP to fly as a Sport Pilot I don't want to try and get a new 3rd Class medical. Just bought a LSA eligible plane I'll stick with flying as a SP. I know of others who are doing the same

Yeah, the requirement to "get a medical in order to fly without one" seems like a typical, unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle. I wonder if the FAA put that in as a "poison pill" to Congress' mandate, because they really didn't want to do it at all.

The requirement for the base line medical was part of Congress' mandate.

So it looks like Basic Med goes into effect in May, finally. AOPA website has the FAA approved course and forms now. But from some pilots over at EAA, I'm hearing that some General Practitioners will not participate or sign off due to (suspected possible) liability. I haven't had the chance to run this by my Doctor yet, but it's just possible this may turn out to be an unforeseen problem. Has anyone here encountered this yet?

I have no intentions of flying under basic med, but I have friends that do, so I asked may Dr. He is a lapsed AME, so knows about physicals for flying. He said it he would treat Basic Med the same as an CDL (commercial driver's license) physical. No problem as long has he don't have to deal with the FAA.

Ron