Class 3 medicals and Student Pilot Certificate

[Jerry Jacobs]

Hey all,

Quick question.  My CFI says that the medical that the hospital gave me for flying is no good for flying but the hospital says its ok.  Its just a Class III medical on a plain white piece of paper and does not say Student Pilot Certificate.  Can anyone here input on this?

Thanks,


Jerry Jacobs

[Pace]

The medical sounds good, but you do need a student pilot certificate.  They usually come together for a student pilot and are a tannish color.  Since you already have a valid medical (assuming it is correct, signed, and dated), you can fill out an FAA Form 8710-1 and submit it to a Designated Pilot Examiner (no, you will not be tested on anything) or a Flight Standards District Office to receive a Student Pilot Certificate.

Now I have been out of the game since December and been focused on nursing so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you need the medical or the student pilot certificate until you get ready to solo.

[Pace]

Just in case I did not answer your question, the white medicals are generally issued to people who are already pilots since they do not need the back side to have a student pilot certificate.  That does not mean that your medical itself is invalid (unless the AME did not complete and sign it correctly).  It just means you do have to get a student pilot certificate.  Your case is unusual, but easy to fix.  Good luck with your flight training!!

[CASH172]

Unless you already had a pilot certificate, you should have been issued Medical/Student Pilot Certificate.  What you got is just a medical, not the Student Pilot Certificate.  Like Pace said, you can fill out an 8710 and go to a FSDO or DE and get a student pilot certificate. 

You'll only legally need the medical/student pilot certificate until you solo, but it would be really bad to wait all the way til the end to realize you cannot get one for some reason.  It happens for medical and sometimes paperwork reasons. 

Note: My last medical/student pilot certificate was printed on white paper, so yellow may be being phased out.  I got one from my AME and one from Oklahoma, both white. 

[Pace]

If you already have a valid medical, there really is no reason you should not be able to get a student pilot certificate.  The medical is the one that causes people problems.