BasicMed medical reporting requirements

A

Anon

Guest
So, I am preparing for my PPL check ride. I currently have BasicMed and have a question about reporting medical issues that might come up in the future - I have no issues at this time and the BasicMed exam was a breeze.

If, sometime after I obtain my PPL under BasicMed and I have a medical issue such a stent, neuro or other issue, am I obligated to report that to the FAA and obtain a special issuance or can I just drop down to Sport Pilot (of course only if my primary doctor signs off)?

Or, let's say that I have let my BasicMed lapse and flying under Sport Pilot rules and the same scenario happens.

I am in my mid 60's and Sport Pilot hits 90% of the type of flying that I plan to do, especially with the proposed rule changes.

I prefer not to involve the FAA in my medical issues if it is not necessary and keep it between my doctor and myself. I most assuredly do not want to jeopardize the ability to fly as a Sport Pilot.

I am trying to decide whether or not to cancel my PPL checkride and schedule a Sport checkride.

I would like to reiterate that in the event of a new medical issue that I would only fly if my primary doctor concurs that it does not impact my flying abilities.

Your thoughts?

Anon
 
ETA: take the PPL, you’re qualified for it and it leaves more doors open than taking the Sport practical.

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If you’re flying on BasicMed, there’s no medical reporting to the FAA unless you encounter one of the disqualifying events.

At that point, you can either elect sport pilot limitations OR go for a one time Class 3 SI.

§ 68.9 Special Issuance process.

(a) General. An individual who has met the qualifications to operate an aircraft under § 61.113(i) of this chapter and is seeking to act as a pilot in command or serve as a required flightcrew member under that section must have completed the process for obtaining an Authorization for Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate for each of the following:

(1) A mental health disorder, limited to an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of—

(i) A personality disorder that is severe enough to have repeatedly manifested itself by overt acts;

(ii) A psychosis, defined as a case in which an individual—

(A) Has manifested delusions, hallucinations, grossly bizarre or disorganized behavior, or other commonly accepted symptoms of psychosis; or

(B) May reasonably be expected to manifest delusions, hallucinations, grossly bizarre or disorganized behavior, or other commonly accepted symptoms of psychosis;

(iii) A bipolar disorder; or

(iv) A substance dependence within the previous 2 years, as defined in § 67.307(a)(4) of this chapter.

(2) A neurological disorder, limited to an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following:

(i) Epilepsy;

(ii) Disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause; or

(iii) A transient loss of control of nervous system functions without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause.

(3) A cardiovascular condition, limited to a one-time special issuance for each diagnosis of the following:

(i) Myocardial infarction;

(ii) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment;

(iii) Cardiac valve replacement; or

(iv) Heart replacement.
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I'm just SGOTI, but in my opinion, there is no reason to not take the PPL checkride if you're prepared and legal to take it. You can always fly following sport pilot rules with a PPL. You can't fly following private pilot rules with a SPL.

If you have a current 3rd class, and you have a medical issue, you can either go through the SI process or immediately stop flying in a way that requires you to hold that medical certification and just let the medical expire.
 
To be clear, you previously held a 3rd Class or higher medical, even though you are just now going for PPL? (May be the case if you started training some time ago and stopped.) If you never held a 3rd Class or higher, you can't have BasicMed.
 
Anon said:
If, sometime after I obtain my PPL under BasicMed and I have a medical issue such a stent, neuro or other issue, am I obligated to report that to the FAA and obtain a special issuance or can I just drop down to Sport Pilot (of course only if my primary doctor signs off)?
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In that circustance, You are obliged to stop flying as your Basic is no good. At that time you consider if and how you apply for the onetime special isusance that you will need for your BASIC to again be valid. There is no report to be made. You just cease operating.
 
bbchien said:
In that circustance, You are obliged to stop flying as your Basic is no good. At that time you consider if and how you apply for the onetime special isusance that you will need for your BASIC to again be valid. There is no report to be made. You just cease operating.
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In that circumstance one would be obligated to stop flying as a Private pilot since basicmed is then invalid, but he can still fly while exercising Sport Pilot privileges.

A PP flying as a SP gives more freedom than a pilot with only a SP certificate as you don't need all the extra endorsements that a SP needs that are included in the PP certificate.
 
Dana said:
In that circumstance one would be obligated to stop flying as a Private pilot since basicmed is then invalid, but he can still fly while exercising Sport Pilot privileges.
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Maybe.
61.23(c)(2)

A person using a U.S. driver’s license to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) while exercising sport pilot privileges must—​
​
(iv) Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner.​
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so it depends on the condition and whether the FAA would say you have a “reason to know.” Sport privileges is not carte blanche to disregard your medical condition.
 
Dana said:
A PP flying as a SP gives more freedom than a pilot with only a SP certificate as you don't need all the extra endorsements that a SP needs that are included in the PP certificate.
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But then you're not flying as a sport pilot.

Edit: hmm... thinking about this one - take the Class B endorsement for example (61.325). If a PPL holder lets his medical expire and decides to fly an LSA from then on - does he need to get the Class B endorsement to fly in Class B airspace?

Regardless, I'd think that pilots can't just let their medicals expire and just decide to fly LSAs, correct? Your cert has become invalid. So one would have to obtain a sport certificate I assume.
 
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Baked Potato said:
But then you're not flying as a sport pilot.

Edit: hmm... thinking about this one - take the Class B endorsement for example (61.325). If a PPL holder lets his medical expire and decides to fly an LSA from then on - does he need to get the Class B endorsement to fly in Class B airspace?
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Why would the pilot certificate be affected by an expired medical certificate?

Baked Potato said:
…
Regardless, I'd think that pilots can't just let their medicals expire and just decide to fly LSAs, correct? Your cert has become invalid. So one would have to obtain a sport certificate I assume.
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Which certificate is no longer required?

What is required for a person to exercise sport pilot privileges?
 
midlifeflyer said:
so it depends on the condition and whether the FAA would say you have a “reason to know.” Sport privileges is not carte blanche to disregard your medical condition.
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True. But a likely scenario is that your and your your doctor agrees that you're safe to fly, but your don't want to jump through the hoops required to prove it to the FAA.
Baked Potato said:
Regardless, I'd think that pilots can't just let their medicals expire and just decide to fly LSAs, correct? Your cert has become invalid. So one would have to obtain a sport certificate I assume.
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No, a higher rated pilot can exercise the privileges of a lower certificate, in which case they only need to meet the medical requirements of the lower certificate. You don't actually exchange your pilot certificate for the lower one.
TCABM said:
What is required for a person to exercise sport pilot privileges?
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A Sport or higher pilot certificate and a valid state issued driver's license.
 
TCABM said:
Why would the pilot certificate be affected by an expired medical certificate?


Which certificate is no longer required?

What is required for a person to exercise sport pilot privileges?
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I see. This is covered in 61.303.
 
Baked Potato said:
Regardless, I'd think that pilots can't just let their medicals expire and just decide to fly LSAs, correct? Your cert has become invalid. So one would have to obtain a sport certificate I assume.
Click to expand...
There is no pilot certificate that is automatically made invalid by the expiration or loss of a medical certificate. The pilot may not be able to exercise certain privileges, but the certificate is still valid.

An ATP who no longer meets first class medical requirements is still an ATP. They don’t have to surrender their certificate and obtain a lesser one.
 
Baked Potato said:
take the Class B endorsement for example (61.325). If a PPL holder lets his medical expire and decides to fly an LSA from then on - does he need to get the Class B endorsement to fly in Class B airspace?
Click to expand...

There's been some debate around that one. The consensus seems to be that, since flying in a Bravo is part of SP privileges (with proper endorsement), and since the PPL pilot has already received towered airport training as part of his certificate, he can fly in a Bravo when using SP privileges. The PPL is effectively his endorsement.

Conversely, the PPL flying as a SP cannot exceed 10,000' MSL (or 2000' AGL, whichever is higher), since there is no SP privilege for doing so, even though his PPL would allow it.
 
Baked Potato said:
Regardless, I'd think that pilots can't just let their medicals expire and just decide to fly LSAs, correct?
Click to expand...

Sure they can. And many pilots have done exactly that. There are something like 13,000 LSAs registered in the US, but only about 6,000 Sport Pilots. Guess who's flying all those other planes?
 
From 61.303:

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Half Fast said:
Sure they can. And many pilots have done exactly that. There are something like 13,000 LSAs registered in the US, but only about 6,000 Sport Pilots. Guess who's flying all those other planes?
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And even more aircraft that are not S-LSAs or E-LSAs (and do not show up in any registry as an LSA) but can be flown under the sport pilot rules. Guess who...
 
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