Flight Instructor Medical

bc2209

Well-Known Member
Quick hypothetical question; to act as a flight instructor one would have to hold only a third class medical?
 
Thank you for the replies. Could someone tell me what the difference is in a third class and a Student Pilot certificate?
 
Thank you for the replies. Could someone tell me what the difference is in a third class and a Student Pilot certificate?
[Correcting my deleted post which failed to consider those pursuing a Sport Pilot Certificate]
If you are pursuing a Sport Pilot Cert, you don't need a medical for your Student Pilot Cert. Otherwise, you need a Third Class Medical Cert.
 
If you're going to get a medical because you are pursuing a Recreational or higher pilot certificate, then the medical examiner will issue your medical and student pilot certificate together.
 
Thank you for the replies. Could someone tell me what the difference is in a third class and a Student Pilot certificate?

Two different things. A 3rd class medical has the student certificate on the back for those pursuing private or recreational training.

A DPE can issue a student pilot certificate without medical for those pursuing light sport flying which does not require a medical.
 
Is a student pilot medical certificate even a thing or am I making things up?
Historically, you needed a Third Class Medical to get a Student Pilot Cert. With the addition of the Sport Pilot Cert, which doesn't require a medical, a student pilot seeking a Sport Pilot Cert doesn't need a medical.

I guess you could postpone your medical by saying that you are pursuing a Sport Pilot Cert and fly with your Student Pilot Cert.
 
The Third Class Medical and Student Pilot certificate can be the same piece of paper... or not. The applicant must specify which they are applying for. I believe you can get either one independently of the other (although it's rare).

I had a student who went to the FSDO and got a student pilot certificate before he ever started training (didn't know what he was doing). It created a friggin mess downstream. The AME ended up doing the wrong thing when he did go in to get his first medical, that resulted in the FAA calling him, Oklahoma city mailing out new papers, the FAA calling me (after they found out I was now training him) to make sure his new certs were correct...

In short, just get it from your AME unless you really are certain you are only going to fly Sport.
 
I had a student who went to the FSDO and got a student pilot certificate before he ever started training (didn't know what he was doing). It created a friggin mess downstream. The AME ended up doing the wrong thing when he did go in to get his first medical, that resulted in the FAA calling him, Oklahoma city mailing out new papers, the FAA calling me (after they found out I was now training him) to make sure his new certs were correct...

In short, just get it from your AME unless you really are certain you are only going to fly Sport.
Was the mess the issuance of two Student Pilot Certs?
 
Was the mess the issuance of two Student Pilot Certs?

No, it was because the medical examiner didn't issue a student pilot certificate and I guess he should have and essentially thrown away the non-medical student pilot certificate. In the end they sent him a new medical/student pilot certificate.
 
Let's say you had a student with a Student Pilot Cert (no medical) seeking a Sport Pilot Cert. If the student satisfies the requirements for a Rec Cert, can the student go get a Third Class Medical without any negative feedback?
 
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