The Sport Pilot License has been available for over 5 years with no requirement for a medical other than self appraisal and no denial/ suspension or withdrawal of your last medical from the FAA. Has there been any talk of expanding that self appraisal to Private Pilot? I had heard at one point that part of the reason for the No Medical Requirement for Sport Pilot was to try it out and possibly expand it to Private some day if they did not find many accidents with Sport Pilots caused by medical issues in flight.:whatever:
Private Pilot, no medical required someday?
- Thread starter pppatacki
- Start date
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
I would be surprised unless they limited the PPL to no instrument flight, no high performance A/C, etc.
Guy
Well-Known Member
There is statistical evidence to show that there are far less incapacitation incidents among pilots who do not need medicals than those that do. Given the number of pilots who are required to hold medicals and who are afraid to go to their doctor with symptoms, you begin to wonder if the medical isn't actually doing more harm than good.
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
Of course there are far fewer of those pilots and they operate under a less stressful environment.
Cessnaflyer
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Also you have to remember that a Private Pilot is an ICAO license and you can fly internationally. All other countries also require medical license so we are most likely stuck with them. You should be thankful they extended how long they have to be updated for most pilots.
msmspilot
Well-Known Member
Since a private pilot can, in theory, fly anything and everything from a Cub up to a PC-12, and even up to a KA200 (iirc), without a type rating, I doubt the medical will ever be dropped unless the restrictions others have mentioned are put on PP. And if you do that, isn't it just back to sport pilot?
All good points. I was thinking in terms of close to what the doc stated. Private only. No instrument, but that may be just to complicated. The thing that surprises me the most is how similar the requirements are for a Class 3 to a Class 1. Yes they have different time limits and a few other minor differences (Eye sight) but they are fundamentally the same but I consider the fitness of a pilot responsible for 300 people as apposed to 3 to be a big difference. But I digress....
msmspilot
Well-Known Member
The difference comes in more of what's required for a special issuance (from what I understand).