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You can get everything from student to cfi to atp on a 3rd class medical if I'm not mistaken.
[/ QUOTE ]You are not mistaken.
The removal of requirements for anything other than a Class 3 for any pilot certificate or rating was part of the 1997 Part 61 rules revision:
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The FAA has also retained its proposal to require that an applicant for a private, commercial, or ATP certificate possess only a third-class medical certificate; but after further review, has determined that the medical certificate requirements that were proposed to be contained in the eligibility requirements listed under each pilot certificate subpart should be placed in § 61.23. The purpose of this change is to reflect the FAA's position that a medical certificate applies to the type of pilot operation being conducted.
Most commenters support the FAA's proposal, which provides that applicants would only need a third-class medical certificate to be eligible to apply for a private, commercial, airline transport pilot, or flight instructor certificate. This change also was made in § 61.39, but is discussed here. These commenters feel that the proposal would encourage pilots to seek advanced training, even if they did not intend to exercise the privileges of the higher certificate. AOPA, GAMA, and NAFI support permitting applicants for a commercial or ATP certificate to hold only a third-class medical certificate. Like the other commenters, these associations felt that the proposal would encourage training toward advanced certificates and would improve safety.
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