1st class medical for international opps?

[dogedog]

Is there an ICAO rule that you need to have a 1st class medical for international trips, and if so is there an offical place where I can find the info?

 

[ILOVEBEER]

A second class medical from the US is equivalent to an ICAO first class, so as long as you have a second class or better, you're good to go.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Not quite true. Even with the ICAO letter there have been some instances of crews being held up for a long time for having an expired First Class medical (outside 6 months)

We have transitioned over to simply getting them every 6 months to avoid the hassle.

Of course, the new ruling extends that to 12 months if you are under 40.

 

[dogedog]

Thanks for the replies, is there a web site that I can get some of this info from?

 

[2000Easyguy]

Not quite true. Even with the ICAO letter there have been some instances of crews being held up for a long time for having an expired First Class medical (outside 6 months)

We have transitioned over to simply getting them every 6 months to avoid the hassle.

Of course, the new ruling extends that to 12 months if you are under 40.

dogedog,

I second the above advice. Avoid the hassle.

http://www.icao.int/

 

[gear_guy]

.

Of course, the new ruling extends that to 12 months if you are under 40.

What rule is that? I heard about that, but I did not know it was in effect yet.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

What rule is that? I heard about that, but I did not know it was in effect yet.

Pilots under age 40 can save a trip to the AME. On July 24, the FAA will extend the duration of third class medicals from 36 calendar months to 60 calendar months (five years) and first class medicals from six calendar months to 12 calendar months for pilots under age 40.

“This is welcome news for the GA industry,” said AOPA President Phil Boyer. “AOPA supported the FAA’s move that makes it easier and more affordable for younger pilots to fly.”

Current and expired medical certificates are grandfathered under this rule.

For example, a pilot under age 40 who has a third class medical that would have expired at the end of July 2008 under the three-year limit is now good for another two years. In other words, the medical won’t expire until the last day of July 2010.

But what if you had let your medical expire? If you are under age 40, and the certificate was issued less than five years ago, it is now valid until the last day of the month, five years from its original issuance date.

Here’s how it works. Let’s say you got your third class medical on Sept. 20, 2004, (and you were under the age of 40 at that time) but have not renewed it. Under the current rules, you haven’t had a medical since Sept. 30, 2007, and could not act as pilot in command. Now your medical is valid again and will remain valid until Sept. 30, 2009. Welcome back to the skies!

Pilots under 40 who have first class medicals won’t need to renew theirs for one year after the original date of issuance. After one year, it will revert to a third class medical.

So, what if you turn 40 during this new one- or five-year window? That won’t impact the duration of your medical. If you get your first or third class medical the day before you turn 40, it will still be valid for one year or five years, respectively.

Because medical certificates that have already been issued and those being issued within the next month won’t reflect the new regulatory language, pilots should print this card that shows the new duration rules and carry it with their medical at all times. The FAA does not intend to reissue certificates to airmen who applied before the new certificates become available.

AOPA’s medical certification staff handles about 20,000 pilot medical inquiries each year. To address members’ medical concerns, AOPA periodically meets in person with the FAA’s Aerospace Medical Certification staff in Oklahoma City, Okla., and the federal air surgeon in Washington, D.C. Because of this relationship, AOPA and the FAA have been able to advance and streamline the medical certification process for pilots.

Have questions? Give AOPA’s medical staff a call at 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672).

 

[Nick5600]

Gulfstream 200 is right! Saving a 120 bones year thanks to that!

 

[54fighting]

Gulfstream 200 is right! Saving a 120 bones year thanks to that!

EXPEEEEEEEEENSE IT... That's my motto. :beer:

 

[Gulfstream 200]

EXPEEEEEEEEENSE IT... That's my motto. :beer:

they wont pay you anyhow.

 

[54fighting]

hmm, I never thought of that important point....

 

[Fblowjets]

Where is this published? I cannot find any info on this.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Where is this published? I cannot find any info on this.

www.faa.gov

front page.

http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=56742

 

[NCherches]

I couldn't get that link to work so here is the one that worked for me...

http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=56742

 

[Fblowjets]

Thanks

FBJ

 

[gear_guy]

Will this FAA ruling be accepted by the International community? I see that the FAA has changed their standards, but I can't see where it will be accepted world-wide. Does anyone know the answer to this for those of us flying Internatioinally. My company is allowing me to extend to 12 months with the caveat that the country I am flying to allows it. That may be more trouble that it's worth.

 

[jet2work]

I'm afraid that within the EU you will probaby face the same confusion that you get when you ask two different FSDO's the same question.

If you look at ICAO Annex 1

http://dcaa.slv.dk:8000/icaodocs/An...Personnel Licensing - 10th ed - July 2006.pdf

Go to Chapter 6 to see medical certificate requirements. specifically, look at paragraph 6.1.1 Which states if you are an ATP you need a 1st Class medical.

For duration of the 1st Class look at Paragraph 6.3.11 which references Paragraph 1.2.5.2 Which states that the 1st Class medical is valid for 12 Months.

Paragraph 1.2.5.2.2 goes on to modify the requirement for anyone who has passed his 40th birthday by reducing the validity by 6 months (to 6 months) for a pilot. Same is true for a pilot who is age 60 or older (1st class valid for 6 months).

So it looks like the FAA's new rule extending a 1st class medical to 1 year for pilots under 40 was to bring the US into harmonization with ICAO. As far as a second class medical being as good as an ICAO 1st class??? My guess is that the inspector doing your SAFO will only know enough to look for an "I" in the appropriate box.

If you were to ask me, I think that if you were over 40 you need to get a 1st class every 6 months. If you are under 40 you are good for 12 months.

However, every country may interpret this differently (look at the disparity of opinions in our own FAA). Your best bet would be to ask your handler. Remember when France was interpreting cabotage rules differently from the rest of the EU? We actually ended up "importing" our aircraft into the EU to avoid hassles with the French just over that one difference in interpretation.

 

[gear_guy]

Thanks. Great post. I saw that same document from ICAO and came to the same conclusion as you. Also I did call Universal yesterday and asked for their opinion. After a small pow-wow the overall concensus was that I am good for 12 months as long as I am under 40. They have not yet seen any problems with this from any other countries. However they will check with the specific country before the departure.

 

[aufan]

So if you are an ATP, you HAVE to have a 1st class? What if you fly part 91 only where a second class is only required and you do not leave the counrty? Is that 1st class req' only for Intl. Ops???

 

[Seadogrun]

I don't have documentation for this, but in my last International Ops class they said that for the EU that the medical required doesn't go with type of operation ie. part 91 or 135. EU wants a 1st class for any flight, whether commercial or not, if the pilot is being paid to fly. Basically if you are being paid to fly you are a commercial operation. Once again this was from the mouth of an instructor so take it for what it's worth.