Fresh Medical...

zaitcev said:
What flight instructor? When I called the closest FBO about instruction, they said "get your medical and then we'll talk *beep* *beep* *beep*". In the other FBO they also warned me to get a student's certificate, but did not quite explain what it was. I had to play it by the ear at AME's office. I figured it was a part of minumum intelligence test.
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It's a good way to prevent people from taking the sport pilot option if you don't happen have any LSA's to rent. Screw them if you can't make any money off them.

Who cares if they locked out of S.P. for the rest of their life...
 
I don't know - I think it's worse when a CFI brings a student almost to solo, then says "Go get your medical - it's no big deal, if you can breathe you can pass." At least my CFI didn't do that, she was up front about what it meant, and made sure I understood the implications of any prescriptions and medical histories.
 
When Leslie and I first got our medicals, we went to a local senior AME who charged the same for all three classes. I went for third, she went for first. We went back after 3 years and renewed. This time, I went for second. I think she still went for first. Again, the same cost. Five years later, older, and more decrepit, we thought it might behoove us to go to someone we trusted, since we now had additional issues. I think we still went with second and first class, respectively. My second was more expensive, as it was now a Special Issuance (barely), and hers was more expensive because of the EKG. To be honest, I'd have to ask Dr. Bruce if we had to get on a scale, since I don't remember. I typically know my weight within a couple of pounds, and will report it accurately, so it's not a big deal one way or the other.

I disagree with any CFI who sends a student to get a medical without discussing the process and ramifications. They don't need to query the student about all their ailments, but they should make it clear to the student that they should go through one of the on-line applications and, if there are any red flags, discuss the potential consequences. This is the chance to steer the student towards Sport Pilot, or perhaps towards an AME who specializes in hard cases. The CFI should be there to help make sure that the student succeeds.
 
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denverpilot said:
Sheesh, I only ever skied behind a boat that could barely pull any of us up. :rofl:

The speed control was... "Hit it"... and the throttle went full forward and didn't come back until they were circling around you to pick you up or bring the rope back to you if you fell.

The best part was always during those couple of seconds while you were standing in holes in the water almost as deep as your knees waiting for the skis to come up... hahaha... and waiting... and waiting...
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When I was a lot younger we would sometimes pull up two skiers (lightweight kids), each on one ski behind a 12 ft boat with a 16HP motor. We'd start with about 50 ft of slack standing on one foot in shallow water. The boat driver would open the throttle on the tiller, scramble to the bow and steer with a paddle. When the ropes came tight the bow would pop way up so you had to hold on tight or get ejected. I don't know exactly why we did that but I suppose it was just to say we could. I can also remember pulling 11 skiers behind my 16 ft outboard with a 55HP motor for the same reason.

Things are a bit different today. The boat I ski with now (Ski Nautique) is 19 ft long with a 350 HP V8 in the middle of the boat for balance. Skis have come a long way from the $20 flat piece of wood I learned on to something made with carbon fiber composites costing more than $2000. Here's a picture of me skiing in the Nationals a couple years ago. The little orange ball is part of the slalom course.
 

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gismo said:
When I was a lot younger we would sometimes pull up two skiers (lightweight kids), each on one ski behind a 12 ft boat with a 16HP motor. We'd start with about 50 ft of slack standing on one foot in shallow water. The boat driver would open the throttle on the tiller, scramble to the bow and steer with a paddle. When the ropes came tight the bow would pop way up so you had to hold on tight or get ejected. I don't know exactly why we did that but I suppose it was just to say we could. I can also remember pulling 11 skiers behind my 16 ft outboard with a 55HP motor for the same reason.

Things are a bit different today. The boat I ski with now (Ski Nautique) is 19 ft long with a 350 HP V8 in the middle of the boat for balance. Skis have come a long way from the $20 flat piece of wood I learned on to something made with carbon fiber composites costing more than $2000. Here's a picture of me skiing in the Nationals a couple years ago. The little orange ball is part of the slalom course.
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That's cool. Correct Craft does make "Best of Breed" when they make something. I used to run a towing/mobile fueling & repair business with an old Fish Nautique that I put a 170hp Perkins and bunker tanks/pumps in.
 
Fearless Tower said:
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Those are some pretty f'd up FBO/flight schools. I do believe you, but it is sad that that kind of crap is out there.

No one should have to get a medical to take an initial lesson.

Even if it is a 'discovery' flight, they should provide a little guidance to a would be pilot.

Bottom line is you don't need a medical until you solo. Why force someone to get one if after they take a lesson or two they decide flying isn't for them?
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It was my understanding that a 141 student will need it, so I too got mine before my first lesson.
 
Henning said:
Edit LOL, I left this response earlier and came back, I appologize, you actually did get a First Class, good. It's a high risk maneuver though because it's actually to higher standards than the Third Class and could have opened a can of worms.
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Can you explain this further?
 
Henning said:
If the doc tells me "show me green, show me red" I can trace over all the permutations, I can even give closest PMA color number to some. Actually, if the book isn't a 50 year old yellowed copy viewed under fluorescent light, I can do ok. At the eye doc with a crisp set of plates under a 5500* bulb, I could make out the pattern they were looking for. Then there is also the Farnsworth Lantern Test which I had done before and always passed which the eye doc also used, then there was also another test where I put colored discs in a certain order differentiated by spectrum. All fine.

I once considered just memorizing them.
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Checking color vision year after year is stupid beyond imagination. You are either color blind or you're not.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Can you explain this further?
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I think what he means is - the higher class medical is more stringent and easier to fail. If you ever fail a medical for any reason, its basically going to make things very complicated / expensive for a while
 
So if you meet 2nd class standards but fail 1class, you still have a denial and further certification issues. Boo.
 
And I assume the requirements are posted somewhere? Once upon a time, I was tested and passed Naval Aviation standards, but that was a few pounds ago. I hope nothing else has changed.
 
Jaybird180 said:
And I assume the requirements are posted somewhere? Once upon a time, I was tested and passed Naval Aviation standards, but that was a few pounds ago. I hope nothing else has changed.
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Here's a quick overview:
http://www.leftseat.com/FAAforms.htm

And the official site:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/faq/
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/get/
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/
 
gprellwitz said:
When Leslie and I first got our medicals, we went to a local senior AME who charged the same for all three classes.
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I don't know how doctors can justify charging more for a first class since the things they test are the same AFAIK (except for the EKG), only the standards may be different. I have been to a selection of AMEs for a first class and none of the exams were what I would call very extensive.

gprellwitz said:
I disagree with any CFI who sends a student to get a medical without discussing the process and ramifications. They don't need to query the student about all their ailments, but they should make it clear to the student that they should go through one of the on-line applications and, if there are any red flags, discuss the potential consequences. This is the chance to steer the student towards Sport Pilot, or perhaps towards an AME who specializes in hard cases. The CFI should be there to help make sure that the student succeeds.
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I am guilty of being one of the people who though that all you needed to do to pass was to be warm and breathing as long as you didn't have diabetes or heart disease. In fact, I never gave medicals too much thought until I started reading internet boards.
 
Matthew said:
Here's a quick overview:
http://www.leftseat.com/FAAforms.htm

And the official site:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/faq/
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/get/
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/
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Seems the delta is vision and a req'd EKG exam.

Everskyward said:
I am guilty of being one of the people who though that all you needed to do to pass was to be warm and breathing as long as you didn't have diabetes or heart disease. In fact, I never gave medicals too much thought until I started reading internet boards.
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That's the problem right there.:rofl:
 
Color vision changes can be quite subtle... I see the figures and letters on the color charts without problems... But I quickly found in hematology lab that subtle color variations in red cells were hard for me to differentiate... So there is probably a subtle defect in my color vision (or maybe I'm just stoopid?)...

I agree that checking color vision with each medical is, well, stoopid...
Either you is or you ain't - it's not a variable...
Maybe they should be doing a chromosome scan each time also - maybe you changed gender?

denny-o
 
steingar said:
Checking color vision year after year is stupid beyond imagination. You are either color blind or you're not.
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Right, but stupid or not it's a rule, that's why he sent me to get the letter. This year, no Ichihara :)
 
Jaybird180 said:
So if you meet 2nd class standards but fail 1class, you still have a denial and further certification issues. Boo.
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You didn't ask for second class, you asked for first and you were denied, no backside. That's why if you don't know is get a consult first so you find out before you have a serial number.
 
bartmc said:
I haven't read the regs in a while but I don't think it works that way.
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It does, it is 60 calendar months - based on the age you were on the exam date. If you are under 40 a third class medical is good for 5 years. Going at 39, therefore, saves time and money.
 
FAA Extends Duration of First- and Third-Class Medical Certificates



July 24, 2008 — Effective today, July 24, 2008, the FAA has extended the duration of first- and third-class medical certificates for pilots under the age of 40. Under the revision, first-class medical certificates have been extended from 6 months to one year, and third-class medical certificates from 3 years to 5 years. The ages and examination periods were selected based on current ICAO standards.

The new duration periods are effective immediately, and effects current medical certificate holders as well. Those with first- and third-class medical certificates who were under the age of 40 on the date of the application for their certificate will be covered by the new, longer durations established under FAR 61.23(d).
 
bartmc said:
I haven't read the regs in a while but I don't think it works that way.
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Yeah sure, before her 40th a third is good for 5.

But seriously, from now on, unless you hold and intend to earn a living with an ATP certificate, do not apply for a First Class. If you do not hold or intend to use the privileges of a Commercial pilot, do not sit for a Second Class medical. Only sit for the one you can use because you don't want a denial.

It's good that you did it in a way though because you now know the option is there for you. I got a first class when I decided to pursue Airline career oohhh mid 90s just to make sure I wasn't wasting time and money then medically disqual.
 
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bartmc said:
Well that will work good for me too since my next one will run out when i'm 40 and 4 months, I'll just go 5 months early!
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Yep, it would be in your best interest to do it in the month of your birthday preceding it.
 
Henning: count youself as having good timing. The FAA no longer issues letters of demonstrated performance. NEVER lose that letter.
 
bartmc said:
Well that will work good for me too since my next one will run out when i'm 40 and 4 months, I'll just go 5 months early!
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I was lucky, because I went a couple of months early when it would buy me only an additional year, back when it was 3 years of third class privileges if under 40. Then the new rule came out, so I got 2 more years on top of that!
 
Fearless Tower said:
No one should have to get a medical to take an initial lesson.
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I'd rather see that than the situation where a student is a couple-thousand into training, CFI's ready to solo him, sends him off to the AME to get denied.
 
bbchien said:
Henning: count youself as having good timing. The FAA no longer issues letters of demonstrated performance. NEVER lose that letter.
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I don't have a SODA, this is just the AME accepting the letter from the eye doc.
 
JeffDG said:
I'd rather see that than the situation where a student is a couple-thousand into training, CFI's ready to solo him, sends him off to the AME to get denied.
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If the CFI gives a ****, that should be addressed long before the student gets that far into training.

I didn't say you HAVE to wait until you are ready to solo to get a medical. The bottom line is that medical certificates should be discussed with students early in the process. Flight schools/CFIs that let their students or potential students flail through the process are doing the community a diservice.
 
gprellwitz said:
I was lucky, because I went a couple of months early when it would buy me only an additional year, back when it was 3 years of third class privileges if under 40. Then the new rule came out, so I got 2 more years on top of that!
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Funny how the FAA regs work:

I actually had an expired medical for 3 months and was then suddenly valid again for 2 more years when the new rule went into effect back in 2008.

I didn't fly at all during my Chief Engineer tour and let my medical expire. When I finished my tour and was getting back into flying, I went to the AME who informed me that I was good to go for two more years.
 
I just renewed my medical. With questions on the form that asks all the physicians you have seen in the last three years and if you Ever have in your life been admitted to a hospital, it is a real dis-incentive to seek any medical attention or check up unless a real emergency.
 
skidoo said:
I just renewed my medical. With questions on the form that asks all the physicians you have seen in the last three years and if you Ever have in your life been admitted to a hospital, it is a real dis-incentive to seek any medical attention or check up unless a real emergency.
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You only cover the past on your first application. From there it's "Previously Reported, No Change" This year all I included beyond that is "Travel Medicine Cairns Aus, Tropical vaccinations & Dentist Fort Lauderdale, routine". That's it.
 
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