Hello from Southern Maine

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jharrison58
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Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:55 pm
Location: Maine

Hello from Southern Maine

Post by jharrison58 »

Newly minted sport pilot in July, ended up with solo priviledges in three different aircraft and finished my checkride in an AT-4 Gobosh. great little airplane. Am looking to add my tail wheel and then hopefully start looking for my own aircraft. In the mean time I'm working on the final requirements for my private, hopefully I'll be able to pull off a 3rd class medical.
jim
Jack Tyler
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Post by Jack Tyler »

Welcome, Jim...and congratulations on your new license AND your pursuit of the PPL beyond it. I don't think anyone would disagree that the more options you give yourself, the more diverse the fun and also the fulfillment that flying can give you.
Jack
Flying in/out KBZN, Bozeman MT in a Grumman Tiger
Do you fly for recreational purposes? Please visit http://www.theraf.org
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drseti
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Re: Hello from Southern Maine

Post by drseti »

jharrison58 wrote:hopefully I'll be able to pull off a 3rd class medical.
Welcome aboard, Jim, and congratulations on achieving your Sport Pilot license. I encourage you to get the additional training required for the Private. It will make you a safer pilot, whether you actually get the license or not.

As you are probably aware, there is a downside risk to taking the 3rd Class medical exam -- if you are denied, you lose your SP privileges! So, please don't try for it unless you are sure there will be no problems.

If you can find a primary care physician who is not your Aviation Medical Examiner, but who knows the FAA standards, you might wish to go for a pre-physical physical exam. If he or she finds any red flags, then you will of course just want to stick to the Driver's License medical (which means, you will be limited to Sport Pilot privileges). But, do this before you go for the flight physical, lest you risk losing all those wonderful privileges you worked so hard to earn.

Safe skies,
Paul
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
Jack Tyler
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Post by Jack Tyler »

Jim, I'd suggest two other options (vs. Paul's) for 'exploring' a 3rd class medical before committing to seeking one. The problem with seeing a private non-AME practitioner is that the FAA has some very distinctly drawn lines between which conditions might be acceptable (and the procedure for acceptance) and what is not. The FAA is also changing these guidelines regularly, for a mix of reasons. Your local internist may not have a clue about such details or, worse, think s/he does and is wrong or out of date. (E.g. would it surprise to you learn the some forms of M.S. are acceptable to the FAA? How would a local Doc know that...?)

Suggestion #1 is to go to an AME for a consultation, but without submitting a Form 8500. Discuss the conditions about which you are concerned, even invite physical testing (e.g. testing your balance or visual acuity) if the Doc thinks it can be helpful in adequately gauging your eligibility for a Class III. This would not have a bearing on seeking a Class III at a later time (nor interefere with your 'DL Medical' status). And you can always visit another AME when/if it's time to apply, if you think that is necessary. Doing an AME consult should insure current and complete info re: any medical condition you might have AND an understanding of the procedure available for obtaining a Special Issuance, if one might be needed.

Suggestion #2 (either with or without doing #1) is to pay the very small annual fee ($37) and enroll in AOPA's medical services program, after which you can discuss any medical issue at length (provide meds info, clinical history, etc.) and in confidence with one of their FAA-oriented medical specialists or AME's. They too will know the current state of all things medical + FAA. There's also extensive by-disease & by-condition info on what is/is not medically acceptable to the FAA in AOPA's on-line medical section, available to all members and very useful in researching a given condition. One of the (many) things I like about AOPA is that, with just a regular membership, I can maintain a medical transcript (either on-line or off-line) which I just update as needed for any med changes or doc visits. When my next Class III exam approaches, my bio and medical data can be printed out in the 8500 format, which I can then take to the Doc. Very handy and it makes my completion of the form a bit memory-proof.

www.aopa.org/info/certified/medical/ for the Medical Services Program
Jack
Flying in/out KBZN, Bozeman MT in a Grumman Tiger
Do you fly for recreational purposes? Please visit http://www.theraf.org
jharrison58
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Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:55 pm
Location: Maine

Post by jharrison58 »

Thanks for all the advice, Ya I've got a couple issues that were orginally red flags, but the folks at AOPA were very helpfull in plotting a path to a third class medical, just one of those things that takes a considerable amount of time and money to fix. In the mean time I am loving the LSA aircraft and when I finish my night flying I'll have all the requirements for PPL, as my CFI says, she wants to be able to take a nap while I make "faux solo" laps around the pattern in the 172. Personally I've found the Cessena a lot easier to fly then the AT-4. :)
I am loving every minute of my flying, just wish I was 30 years younger...
jim
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drseti
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Post by drseti »

jharrison58 wrote:Personally I've found the Cessena a lot easier to fly then the AT-4.
It's true that pretty much any certified aircraft will be easier to fly than just about any LSA. The Gobosh's light wing loading and low mass make it significantly less stable; you really have to work to fly them. Of course, the same argument that suggests one should fly a larger, heavier aircraft also implies that you should train in an LSA. I maintain that mastering basic maneuvers in an LSA will make you a far better pilot in the long term. (Kind of like learning to drive with a stick shift. Harder, but makes you a better driver, and you can go on effortlessly to drive an automatic. Transitioning in the other direction is far more difficult.)

Because you've trained in the Gobosh, when you transition to the Cessna you'll likely end up a better, safer, more confident pilot.

Keep up the good work, and keep having fun!
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
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