With Basic Med in the realm...

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Ravioli

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Let's say you're new to flying and thinking LSA.

What's the argument to not get a third class and then do a CMEC? Sure you need to do an online test every second year and see a doc every 4th, but that's not too much to ask.

Also, if you're Basic Med you can do some night flight and not many other things and get to PPL.

Am I crazy?

[Full disclosure - I'm PPL and now flying under Basic Med]
 
Ravioli said:
Let's say you're new to flying and thinking LSA.

What's the argument to not get a third class and then do a CMEC? Sure you need to do an online test every second year and see a doc every 4th, but that's not too much to ask.

Also, if you're Basic Med you can do some night flight and not many other things and get to PPL.

Am I crazy?

[Full disclosure - I'm PPL and now flying under Basic Med]
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I'm not completely understanding your question...are you asking about having the AME signing the CMEC at the same time as administering a FAA medical examination? There's nothing that prevents them from doing it, although I hear some will only do one or the other (and some won't do BasicMed medical examinations at all). If they'll do it, that's great.
 
@Brad Z - not so much "at same time" but certainly within the validity of the third.

It's more a question of keeping the option open instead of going LSA the whole way.

My CMEC was $40 bucks. That's $10/year, right?
 
Ravioli said:
@Brad Z - not so much "at same time" but certainly within the validity of the third.

It's more a question of keeping the option open instead of going LSA the whole way.

My CMEC was $40 bucks. That's $10/year, right?
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Sure. What seems to spook a lot of folks who go sport pilot is getting that one-time medical certificate in order to continue under BasicMed. The truth is that most medical conditions where someone can realistically safely fly an aircraft can eventually be issued certificates, but many don't want to invest the time/money/emotional capital to pursue it.
 
Brad Z said:
The truth is that most medical conditions where someone can realistically safely fly an aircraft can eventually be issued certificates, but many don't want to invest the time/money/emotional capital to pursue it.
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Which can be considerable. In many not terribly difficult cases, it takes 6-12 months and upwards of $10k. A substantial portion of the cost of an entire private certificate.
 
If you attempt and don’t get your medical then you’re SOL for light sport.
 
Salty said:
If you attempt and don’t get your medical then you’re SOL for light sport.
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Exactly.

That’s why I went to Dr. Bruce for mine. Not worth messing around or rolling the dice. It was a bit onerous and I would stick with SP if PP meant doing that every year. Bruce doesn’t click until he’s certain it will pass. One and done, Basic med from here on.
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
Which can be considerable. In many not terribly difficult cases, it takes 6-12 months and upwards of $10k. A substantial portion of the cost of an entire private certificate.
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This. Thank you for saying that.

Speaking from the other side of the OP's question, I have amused resignation at the number of folks here who will invariably say, "forget the SP, go for 3rd Class medical and a PPL! We have Basic Med now ..."

Some of us (cough) have never been licensed and/or have never passed a medical in the first place. Some of us have considered the cost; have looked at the meds that we're taking/have taken; etc., etc. .. .. . and at the end of the day, it's just not worth it.

It's just not worth it. Not asking anyone to agree with me, but there it is.
 
Stephen Poole said:
This. Thank you for saying that.

Speaking from the other side of the OP's question, I have amused resignation at the number of folks here who will invariably say, "forget the SP, go for 3rd Class medical and a PPL! We have Basic Med now ..."

Some of us (cough) have never been licensed and/or have never passed a medical in the first place. Some of us have considered the cost; have looked at the meds that we're taking/have taken; etc., etc. .. .. . and at the end of the day, it's just not worth it.

It's just not worth it. Not asking anyone to agree with me, but there it is.
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I agree with you. I myself would be perfectly fine with SP limitations with one exception: the LSAs can't carry enough load. I want to use a plane to travel with my wife, and while it can be done with an LSA, it means severely limiting the baggage. If the LSA weight limit were a couple of hundred pounds higher I would have no need to go to PPL.

Two recent changes made upgrading worthwhile for me:
1) Basic Med. Getting the 3rd class was a burden and not one I would be willing to do every year, especially considering that every year it would be a dice roll against a denial.
2) Last summer's rule update that allows all training received from a CFI-S to count toward PP. Without that change, I would have needed to repeat a significant portion of my training, for no practical reason.​

Together, those things make it worthwhile to upgrade my ticket so I can fly larger aircraft and have more rental options.
 
Half Fast said:
have more rental options.
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Oh, no doubt. Very few LSAs for rent. Also no doubt, it would be better to get the 3rd and PPL. Didn't mean to imply otherwise.

What I had in mind was some new guy here posts about SP/LSA. Others immediately say, "Call Dr. Bruce and go for the 3rd ...!" The new guy goes quiet because he/she KNOWS that he/she can't pass a medical without jumping through $$$$ hoops. They don't want to discuss why (typically medications or something in their past), so they just quietly slip away .. .. .. and to complete the hilarity, someone here will then declare the OP a "troll" because he/she has stopped answering. o_O
 
Stephen Poole said:
Oh, no doubt. Very few LSAs for rent. Also no doubt, it would be better to get the 3rd and PPL. Didn't mean to imply otherwise.

What I had in mind was some new guy here posts about SP/LSA. Others immediately say, "Call Dr. Bruce and go for the 3rd ...!" The new guy goes quiet because he/she KNOWS that he/she can't pass a medical without jumping through $$$$ hoops. They don't want to discuss why (typically medications or something in their past), so they just quietly slip away .. .. .. and to complete the hilarity, someone here will then declare the OP a "troll" because he/she has stopped answering. o_O
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Very true. I would prefer to encourage such people to go ahead with SP. Once they learn whether they like flying and want to continue, they can decide whether or not to go through the 3rd class hassle or just stick with LSAs.
 
Put me in the not worth it camp as well. 3rd class lapsed for years and not willing to endure the fleecing and uncertainty of the med community. I'm retired and 72 and I know only a handful of guys with an intact medical. I look back to the hoops I went through when I was in great shape except for blood pressure. Made me do a full on EKG for absolutely nothing. Passed with flying colors but vowed not to subject myself to the system for the profit and amusement of the overlords again. I fly (flew) for fun....can't imagine the nightmare for the commercial guys with a job on the line.
 
Ravioli said:
Let's say you're new to flying and thinking LSA.

What's the argument to not get a third class and then do a CMEC?
Click to expand...

Well first if you're doing LSA, then no medical at all. It needs your drivers license and a self certification of medical fitness to fly.

Second, if you're new to flying, you have to a 3rd class once. I can think of no real reason to do a CMEC when you get your initial 3rd class. Wait two years and don't waste the money.

There's minor restrictions on BasicMed from a flight standpoint, but right now nothing I fly has more than 5 passenger seats, goes over 250 kts or goes higher than FL180.
 
I guess if your under 40 it makes not so much sense since the Third is good for 60 months.

Over 40 it may be a consideration since the Third is only 24 months and Basic is 48.

Getting it done right after a Third would make it a simple paperwork exercise and you're good for 48 instead of only 24.

LSA getting BasicMed would be important to someone who may decide to get the night and hood time to 'upgrade' to PPL.
 
PPL currently under basic med. If they raised the LSA weight limit I wouldn't be sad.
 
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