FAA extends first, third class medicals

Tld

Waffles Brah.
interesting...

Good news: FAA extends first, third class medicals

By AOPA ePublishing staff
Pilots under age 40 can save a trip to the AME. On July 24, the FAA will extend the duration of third class medicals from 36 calendar months to 60 calendar months (five years) and first class medicals from six calendar months to 12 calendar months for pilots under age 40.
“This is welcome news for the GA industry,” said AOPA President Phil Boyer. “AOPA supported the FAA’s move that makes it easier and more affordable for younger pilots to fly.”
Current and expired medical certificates are grandfathered under this rule.
For example, a pilot under age 40 who has a third class medical that would have expired at the end of July 2008 under the three-year limit is now good for another two years. In other words, the medical won’t expire until the last day of July 2010.
But what if you had let your medical expire? If you are under age 40, and the certificate was issued less than five years ago, it is now valid until the last day of the month, five years from its original issuance date.
Here’s how it works. Let’s say you got your third class medical on Sept. 20, 2004, (and you were under the age of 40 at that time) but have not renewed it. Under the current rules, you haven’t had a medical since Sept. 30, 2007, and could not act as pilot in command. Now your medical is valid again and will remain valid until Sept. 30, 2009. Welcome back to the skies!
Pilots under 40 who have first class medicals won’t need to renew theirs for one year after the original date of issuance. After one year, it will revert to a third class medical.
So, what if you turn 40 during this new one- or five-year window? That won’t impact the duration of your medical. If you get your first or third class medical the day before you turn 40, it will still be valid for one year or five years, respectively.
Because medical certificates that have already been issued and those being issued within the next month won’t reflect the new regulatory language, pilots should print this card that shows the new duration rules and carry it with their medical at all times. The FAA does not intend to reissue certificates to airmen who applied before the new certificates become available.
AOPA’s medical certification staff handles about 20,000 pilot medical inquiries each year. To address members’ medical concerns, AOPA periodically meets in person with the FAA’s Aerospace Medical Certification staff in Oklahoma City, Okla., and the federal air surgeon in Washington, D.C. Because of this relationship, AOPA and the FAA have been able to advance and streamline the medical certification process for pilots.
Have questions? Give AOPA’s medical staff a call at 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672).
July 23, 2008


http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2008/080723medical.html
 
I heard this was going to be forthcoming a few months ago, great to see this actually make it into print!
 
$100?!?!

umm...you need to shop around. We have a guy in the DFW area that does 1st class for $35!

How far from the airport - and what's the cab fare?

I'll fly to DFW for a $35 1st class. . .much better than the $90 I'm paying now.

I can only really see this 1st class change being an advantage to all the ATP holders out there, who now, instead of every 6 months will only have to make it an annual experience. For the rest of us still holding a CPL. . .it was already 12 months.
 
Grandfathered medical? Hello, Dominos? Yeah, it's me. Yeah, the usual. 30 minutes? ok great.
 
Sweet! Another reason for me to renew my medical before September!

I wonder if I should bother to get a first class medical. It's not like I'll ever be using it.

Maybe I'll do it anyway and just let it lapse like I did this time.
 
Sweet! It doesn't really impact me (yet), as my company has always required me to maintain a Class I every 12 months (as SIC).
 
Sweet now I don't have to renew it till after I graduate. :rawk:


oh SWEET! i was due in august. do i need to obtain a new form with a revised expiration date??

***EDIT***

nevermind, i just need to print the revision card :-D

this RULES!!
 
Aint that the truth! I dont come on here very much anymore cause its so negative around here...

It's hard to have a positive outlook on an industry that's laying thousands of people off and that's reporting losses of billions of dollars.
 
Now now Tony. . .some just want to hear about the Good, without dealing with the negative reality.

To each their own. I'm a realist though, does me no good to ignore reality and think all is great.

I believe he is in Roanoke, which is about 15-20 mins away from DFW. If my schedule works out, I would be more than happy to give you a lift. I live right next to DFW.

Much appreciated. . .I'll have to check this doc out some more though to see what the real deal story is.

$35 is a steal. Drinks on me.
 
If ya wanna bop up to MEM, there's a guy that does them for $80, but you're in and out in about 10-15 minutes. That's worth the extra $$$ for me. If Ryan's talking about the guy I'm thinking, I waited 30 minutes just to START the medical.
 
Sweet! Another reason for me to renew my medical before September!

I wonder if I should bother to get a first class medical. It's not like I'll ever be using it.

Maybe I'll do it anyway and just let it lapse like I did this time.

It's not a very good idea to get a higher medical than required.
 
Back
Top