RFT 395: Flying Without A Medical

When you apply for a medical certificate, you are required to complete FAA Form 8500-8. Falsifying any information on this form can subject you to a five of $250,000 and five years in prison. If you have concerns about your ability to obtain a medical certificate, I recommend consulting an advisor before applying for your medical. One such advisor is David Hale, who you met in RFT 364.

There are several situations in which a pilot can find himself/herself without a medical certificate. One such case could be where the pilot has simply allowed his/her medical certificate to lapse. Another case could be where the pilot applies for a certificate and is denied due to a medical issue that the FAA considers disqualifying. In that case, the pilot may not use any of the other strategies, such as BasicMed or Sport Pilot medical.

Even with a denial, the pilot may continue to fly with a certificated pilot acting as Pilot In Command (PIC), as long as the aircraft does not require a copilot. The pilot may operate the controls, from either seat, but the pilot without a medical is officially a passenger. Many aircraft owners who have lost their medicals use this strategy.

If there has not been a denial from the FAA, there are other avenues available to General Aviation (GA) pilots. The pilot may operate as a Sport Pilot, flying a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). An LSA is an aircraft that:

Has a maximum gross takeoff weight of 1,320 lbs.

Has a maximum stall speed of 51 mph (45 knots)

Has a maximum speed in level flight of 130 mph (120 knots)

Has two-place maximum seating

Has single, non-turbine engine, fixed propeller, fixed landing gear.

With a Sport Pilot certificate, the pilot may use his/her driver's license in place of a medical certificate. See more at https://www.flysportusa.com/med_cert.php.

One step up from the Sport Pilot medical is BasicMed. Under BasicMed, pilots can get an authorization from their personal medical providers rather than from FAA Airman Medical Examiners (AMEs). The pilot completes a BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist and gets a physical exam with a state-licensed physician. The pilot then completes a BasicMed Online Course. That's it - nothing else required.

Under BasicMed, the pilot may operate an aircraft with:

a maximum gross weight of 6000 lbs

up to 6 seats

capable of flying at a maximum speed of 250 knots

maximum altitude 18,000 feet

VFR or IFR

Using BasicMed, the pilot cannot operate for compensation or hire.

One additional avenue for a pilot is to fly a glider, since no medical is required to fly a glider.

Above all, common sense should prevail - if you're not healthy enough to fly (whether or not you have a medical), don't fly!