Basic Med - SI

U

UTLonghorn_1979

Pre-takeoff checklist
PoA Supporter
Joined
Jun 11, 2024
Messages
370
Display Name
Display name:
UTLonghorn_1979
Apologies if this has already been addressed, didn’t see after a quick search.

Am I correct that after being approved for SI that you can immediately apply for basic med and operate under those privileges going forward?
 
You can hold both a SI medical certificate AND BasicMed at the same time. However, you're on the hook to comply with the Special Issuance Authorization Letter (SIAL) for as long as the underlying Special Issuance Medical Certificate (SIMC) is valid.

Now...AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT...you MUST comply with the terms of the SIAL all the way up to and through the expiration date of the SIMC. Any and all medical information required to be submitted by the SIAL must be submitted all the way up to and through the expiry date on the SIMC. You would normally do this when you go in to renew your SIMC. You're still going to go in and submit the information, but you're not going to fill out a MedXpress application, nor will you be doing a physical.

As @Brad Z, our resident FAA guy, once said, once the medical certificate is timed out and that final medical information submission is complete, DO NOT SEND ANYTHING to FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine unless you intend to renew the medical certificate.

Brad Z said:
SIs typically require periodic status reports from the airman in order to keep the authorization active. AMCD has no idea whether an airman plans to continue his or her medical so the reminders are sent. When an airman has let his medical certificate expire and transitioned to BasicMed gets one of these letters, the best thing to do is to respond with a letter indicating that the he or she is not intending to renew the medical certificate and transitioning to BasicMed. Otherwise, don't respond to the letter. Sending AMCD medical information when you don't want a medical causes issues- AMCD is obligated to review all medical data they receive. Simply put: don't do it.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Jon Wilder said:
You can hold both a SI medical certificate AND BasicMed at the same time. However, you're on the hook to comply with the Special Issuance Authorization Letter (SIAL) for as long as the underlying Special Issuance Medical Certificate (SIMC) is valid.

Now...AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT...you MUST comply with the terms of the SIAL all the way up to and through the expiration date of the SIMC. Any and all medical information required to be submitted by the SIAL must be submitted all the way up to and through the expiry date on the SIMC. You would normally do this when you go in to renew your SIMC. You're still going to go in and submit the information, but you're not going to fill out a MedXpress application, nor will you be doing a physical.

As @Brad Z, our resident FAA guy, once said, once the medical certificate is timed out and that final medical information submission is complete, DO NOT SEND ANYTHING to FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine unless you intend to renew the medical certificate.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much! Hoping to get SI within the next 12-15 months.
 
Jon Wilder said:
You can hold both a SI medical certificate AND BasicMed at the same time. However, you're on the hook to comply with the Special Issuance Authorization Letter (SIAL) for as long as the underlying Special Issuance Medical Certificate (SIMC) is valid.

Now...AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT...you MUST comply with the terms of the SIAL all the way up to and through the expiration date of the SIMC. Any and all medical information required to be submitted by the SIAL must be submitted all the way up to and through the expiry date on the SIMC. You would normally do this when you go in to renew your SIMC. You're still going to go in and submit the information, but you're not going to fill out a MedXpress application, nor will you be doing a physical.

As @Brad Z, our resident FAA guy, once said, once the medical certificate is timed out and that final medical information submission is complete, DO NOT SEND ANYTHING to FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine unless you intend to renew the medical certificate.
Click to expand...
Jon, he must comply with ther terms of the Special until the end date on the Certificate, not the end date of the SI authorization.
 
bbchien said:
Jon, he must comply with ther ter4ms of theie Special until the end date on the Certificate, not the end date of the SI authroization.
Click to expand...
And the SI’s are typically 6 months issuance, correct?
 
bbchien said:
....for psychiatry and drugs/alcohol, yes.
Click to expand...
So, basically I need to comply/adhere to the SI for six months then I can move to operate under Basic Med and Sports Pilot privileges?
 
bbchien said:
Jon, he must comply with ther terms of the Special until the end date on the Certificate, not the end date of the SI authorization.
Click to expand...
That’s exactly what I said. SIMC = Special Issuance Medical Certificate. Not to be confused with SIAL (Special Issuance Authorization Letter). He must comply with the terms of the SIAL all the way up to and through the expiry date of the SIMC.
 
bflynn said:
If your medical is for 6 months, then yes, after the medical expires.

Once the medical is dead, the SI becomes just a piece of paper.
Click to expand...
According to @Brad Z, the Feds try to trick you by sending a request for a status report. Some airmen I’m sure have fallen for this and sent them what they were asking for, which then starts the process for SI withdrawal and the rescinding of their BasicMed. Don’t fall for it. Either send them a letter stating you have no intention of renewing the medical and have transitioned to BasicMed, or don’t respond at all. Probably best not to respond at all.
 
Jon Wilder said:
According to @Brad Z, the Feds try to trick you by sending a request for a status report. Some airmen I’m sure have fallen for this and sent them what they were asking for, which then starts the process for SI withdrawal and the rescinding of their BasicMed. Don’t fall for it. Either send them a letter stating you have no intention of renewing the medical and have transitioned to BasicMed, or don’t respond at all. Probably best not to respond at all.
Click to expand...
Also contact the AME and any other medical providers involved and inform them they no longer can provide information to the FAA on your behalf.
 
Jon Wilder said:
According to @Brad Z, the Feds try to trick you by sending a request for a status report. Some airmen I’m sure have fallen for this and sent them what they were asking for, which then starts the process for SI withdrawal and the rescinding of their BasicMed. Don’t fall for it. Either send them a letter stating you have no intention of renewing the medical and have transitioned to BasicMed, or don’t respond at all. Probably best not to respond at all.
Click to expand...
To be fair, no one is trying to trick anyone. Status update letters are sent to remind SI holders to submit updates in a timely fashion. AMCD has no way of knowing whether you intend to keep your medical certificate or transition to BasicMed.
 
Brad Z said:
To be fair, no one is trying to trick anyone. Status update letters are sent to remind SI holders to submit updates in a timely fashion. AMCD has no way of knowing whether you intend to keep your medical certificate or transition to BasicMed.
Click to expand...
Yes but conspiracy theories are so much more fun.
 
TCABM said:
Also contact the AME and any other medical providers involved and inform them they no longer can provide information to the FAA on your behalf.
Click to expand...
Often times when there was confusion about the SI or someone who had gone BasicMed, it was because a "helpful" cardiologist or other medical provider took it upon themselves to send in a report to AMCD, thus re-opening their medical application. Stories of accidental withdrawn SIs seemed to be more common when BasicMed was relatively new; I haven't heard of this happening in at least two years or so.

That said, I'm impressed that a doctor's office was that in the ball to send in information without being prompted. Half the time I can't get my PCP to call me back to schedule an appointment, lol.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Yes but conspiracy theories are so much more fun.
Click to expand...
No doubt. While there was a certain degree of handwringing when BasicMed came around in certain aerospace medicine circles, FAA aeromedical is probably very have to not have to crunch through an additional 50,000 SI-likely airman right now.
 
Back
Top