Do I need a second class medical to earn a comm rating

thehobbit

thehobbit

Well-Known Member
I know you need one to exercise your privileges as a commercial pilot but do you need one to receive the commercial rating? The reason I ask is that I'm getting ready to get into a flight program where the gibill will pay for everything and my third class medical is only good for another year and a half. This leaves me just enough time to finish private-comm-ifr-cfi-cfii and I don't want to risk getting into the program.
 
If you haven't previously held a First or Second class, why would you not upgrade it? You're about to spend all this money flight training. I don't really understand either what you mean you don't want to risk getting into the program.
 
motormadness24 said:
If you haven't previously held a First or Second class, why would you not upgrade it? You're about to spend all this money flight training. I don't really understand either what you mean you don't want to risk getting into the program.
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Because their is always a slight chance that the medical could be denied or held up for further review. Since the government is funding 100% of my training and most of the schools I have called are already up to 50% full of VA students and Schools can't have more than 85% of students pursuing a degree VA funded. I don't want to cause myself any headaches with getting a new medical in the event that I might not receive it in time or get it at all.

But you ask why pursue aviation at all if their is a chance I could lose it? It's simple, I'm not paying for this and if one does lose their medical you can always ground instruct, instruct in a simulator, and as far as I know instruct when you're not required to be the PIC
 
Just FYI, it used to be a requirement to hold a 2nd class in order to test for a commercial certificate and a 1st class to test for an ATP. That changed some years ago (just guessing around 15 years ago).

If you are young and do not have any medical issues that you are aware of, it is highly unlikely that you would not receive a 2nd or 3rd class physical.
 
If you are young and do not have any medical issues that you are aware of, it is highly unlikely that you would not receive a 2nd or 3rd class physical.
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Or criminal issues. A underage will require an approval from the FAA. Not a big deal but takes about three weeks.
 
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