Class 3 going away?

[scooter]

Been reading the AOPA stuff about trying to get FAA to do away with class 3 medicals. This got me to thinking that if this happens, do you suppose CAP would accept that and allow pilots to fly with just a drivers and pilot license? They haven't commented yet on the new in-flight cell phone rules so I am guessing they will do the same for the class 3. Sit and wait!

[Huey Driver]

Hmm. My guess is that CAP and especially USAF would definitely require a medical.  However, if that were the case and we made Class 2 the minimum, we would lose a lot of pilots (more than we can afford, IMHO).

[SarDragon]

IIRC, Class 2 isn't a whole lot harder than Class 3, it's just more frequent. There are fewer waivers available, too.

[nomiddlemas]

For my solo, I just went ahead and got a class one.  No point in doing a class 3 when I could get a class one just to be safe.  I dont think the AF and CAP would allow you to fly without a medical.  They are the USAF and I dont think they will let anything slip out of their hands. 

[Eclipse]

Been reading the AOPA stuff about trying to get FAA to do away with class 3 medicals. This got me to thinking that if this happens, do you suppose CAP would accept that and allow pilots to fly with just a drivers and pilot license?

No - especially when you consider the relative age of most of our pilots.

Using your phone is not the same as having a grabber while piloting a Yugo with a garage door stapled to it 2000'
over people's heads.

[nomiddlemas]

Hmm. My guess is that CAP and especially USAF would definitely require a medical.  However, if that were the case and we made Class 2 the minimum, we would lose a lot of pilots (more than we can afford, IMHO).

I guess It would.  I doubt we would lose TONS but I think we would lose a good amount. 

[Eclipse]

My guess is that there would be a "wailing and a gnashing of teeth", we'd lose some peripheral and
once-a-year players but the majority would just get a medical and move on.

[nomiddlemas]

My guess is that there would be a "wailing and a gnashing of teeth", we'd lose some peripheral and
once-a-year players but the majority would just get a medical and move on.

Ya getting a medical is not that bad or hard.  It took me maybe 20 minutes so Its not a real grind.  If having to do a medical makes you not want to fly anymore, thats a problem

[SarDragon]

My guess is that there would be a "wailing and a gnashing of teeth", we'd lose some peripheral and
once-a-year players but the majority would just get a medical and move on.

Ya getting a medical is not that bad or hard.  It took me maybe 20 minutes so Its not a real grind.  If having to do a medical makes you not want to fly anymore, thats a problem

Well, it's not that easy. I'm in the middle of getting a medical right now. Because I'm olde, and have a cardiac issue, I've had to get extra tests, which, if I had to pay for them, would have cost several thousand dollars. As it stands right now, I have been denied, but the problem is surgically correctable, at some expense and risk.

[Eclipse]

So as someone with personal experience in the issue, would you want you flying?

[SarDragon]

Right this minute, probably not solo. With a copilot, sure. After it's fixed, no problem, either way.

[a2capt]

For me, the difference between Class 2 and 3 was the eye test machine detail. It checks convergence. I learned to answer the value I saw right after I blinked.

[SarDragon]

I just had a look through the AME Guide, and there are very few differences among the three classes, mostly dealing with eyes, vascular system, and heart.

As an aside, I did notice this, since I have been denied a medical certificate:

To exercise sport pilot privileges using a current and valid U.S. driver's license as evidence of qualification sport pilots must:
• Not have been denied the issuance of at least a third-class airman medical certificate (if they have applied for an airman medical certificate)

[FW]

I just had a look through the AME Guide, and there are very few differences among the three classes, mostly dealing with eyes, vascular system, and heart.

As an aside, I did notice this, since I have been denied a medical certificate:

To exercise sport pilot privileges using a current and valid U.S. driver's license as evidence of qualification sport pilots must:
• Not have been denied the issuance of at least a third-class airman medical certificate (if they have applied for an airman medical certificate)

Yep, if already a pilot, you need to have a valid medical before using your driver's license.   Bummer!  The (good?) news is, you can get that medical back with some work and cash.

[JeffDG]

Yep, if already a pilot, you need to have a valid medical before using your driver's license.   Bummer!  The (good?) news is, you can get that medical back with some work and cash.

Not exactly.

You need to have not had the last decision be a denial to exercise DL-Medical for LSA.  That means that if you let your last medical lapse, you're good.  It doesn't need to be valid.

[a2capt]

It's kinda kooky. In a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" kind of way.

We've relaxed it, we're not forcing you to get one, but if we know you had one that we didn't like, you... can't.

[JeffDG]

It's kinda kooky. In a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" kind of way.

We've relaxed it, we're not forcing you to get one, but if we know you had one that we didn't like, you... can't.

I look at it more of a "Congressional Hearing" kind of thing:

Senator:  So, Administrator Smith, let's look at the case of Mr. Jones, who crashed into a schoolbus full of children in his CTSW last week, shall we?
FAA:  Sure, what can I tell you
Sen:  Well, I see here that he didn't have a FAA medical, is that right?
FAA:  It is

<Scenario 1>
Sen:  I also see here that the FAA denied him a medical 5 years ago?
FAA:  Also correct.
Sen:  So, why did you permit him to keep flying?
FAA:  Because the Light Sport rules permit someone who has a Driver's License to keep flying
Sen:  So, your rules permit someone who you know to be medically unfit to keep flying?
FAA:  Ummm, uhhh, I'm going to need to look into that

<Scenario 2>
Sen:  So, why did you permit him fly?
FAA:  Well, we had no reason to think he was unfit, and for certain small aircraft, if they have not been denied, we permit the pilot to self-evaluate their medical conditions.  If we had known of this issue, we would have prohibited him from flying, Senator.

[LTCTerry]

CAP already lets student, private, commercial pilots and Flight instructors fly without a medical. Really. Gliders.

I'd guess the only reason CAP requires a medical is because it's required to exercise the privilege(s) of your ASEL pilot certificate. CAP is unlikely to have said "go see a doc" if it wasn't required.

If the third class medical goes away for day, VFR, single engine flying then it will likely go away for CAP one day, too.

Side note - always be sure you're going to pass the physical before you take it. Your AME can do the physical without activating your info in MedExpress. If you don't have a valid medical because it expired, LSA is your friend. If you don't have one because you failed, life is hard. You can always make the effort to get a special issuance (SI), then when the 12-month SI expires fly LSA on the d/l (drivers license, not down low).

Terry

PS Just got a Form 5 in a 172 with a special issuance second class medical that has to be replaced yearly.