Confused about 2nd class medicals

[AirBadger]

Ok, I'm confused as to the duration of the second class medical: it expires on the last day of the 12th month, but if you're exercising the priviledges of a PPL, CFI etc etc it turns into a 3rd class and expires on the last day of the 36th month?

 

[j41driver]

Check the back of your medical certificate, it says:

"Second-Class - 12 calendar months for those operations requiring a Second-Class Medical Certificate; or 24 or 36 calendar months as set forth in FAR 61.23 for those operations only requiring a Third-Class Medical Certificate."

 

[j41driver]

Here's what 61.23 says...

§ 61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration.

(a) Operations requiring a medical certificate. Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a person—
(1) Must hold a first-class medical certificate when exercising the privileges of an airline transport pilot certificate;
(2) Must hold at least a second-class medical certificate when exercising the privileges of a commercial pilot certificate; or
(3) Must hold at least a third-class medical certificate—
(i) When exercising the privileges of a private pilot certificate;
(ii) When exercising the privileges of a recreational pilot certificate;
(iii) When exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate;
(iv) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate, except for a flight instructor certificate with a glider category rating or sport pilot rating, if the person is acting as pilot in command or is serving as a required flight crewmember; or
(v) Except for a glider category rating or a balloon class rating, prior to taking a practical test that is performed in an aircraft for a certificate or rating at the recreational, private, commercial, or airline transport pilot certificate level.
(b) Operations not requiring a medical certificate. A person is not required to hold a valid medical certificate—
(1) When exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate while seeking—
(i) A sport pilot certificate with glider or balloon privileges; or
(ii) A pilot certificate with a glider category rating or balloon class rating;
(2) When exercising the privileges of a sport pilot certificate with privileges in a glider or balloon;
(3) When exercising the privileges of a pilot certificate with a glider category or balloon class rating;
(4) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate with—
(i) A sport pilot rating in a glider or balloon; or
(ii) A glider category rating;
(5) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate if the person is not acting as pilot in command or serving as a required pilot flight crewmember;
(6) When exercising the privileges of a ground instructor certificate;
(7) When serving as an examiner or check airman during the administration of a test or check for a certificate, rating, or authorization conducted in a flight simulator or flight training device; or
(8) When taking a test or check for a certificate, rating, or authorization conducted in a flight simulator or flight training device.
(c) Operations requiring either a medical certificate or U.S. driver's license. (1) A person must hold and possess either a valid medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter or a current and valid U.S. driver's license when exercising the privileges of—
(i) A student pilot certificate while seeking sport pilot privileges in a light-sport aircraft other than a glider or balloon;
(ii) A sport pilot certificate in a light-sport aircraft other than a glider or balloon; or
(iii) A flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating while acting as pilot in command or serving as a required flight crewmember of a light-sport aircraft other than a glider or balloon.
(2) A person using a current and valid U.S. driver's license to meet the requirements of this paragraph must—
(i) Comply with each restriction and limitation imposed by that person's U.S. driver's license and any judicial or administrative order applying to the operation of a motor vehicle;
(ii) Have been found eligible for the issuance of at least a third-class airman medical certificate at the time of his or her most recent application (if the person has applied for a medical certificate);
(iii) Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn; and
(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.
(d) Duration of a medical certificate. (1) A first-class medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of—
(i) The sixth month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate for operations requiring an airline transport pilot certificate;
(ii) The 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate for operations requiring a commercial pilot certificate or an air traffic control tower operator certificate; and
(iii) The period specified in paragraph (c)(3) of this section for operations requiring a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), or a student pilot certificate.
(2) A second-class medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of—
(i) The 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate for operations requiring a commercial pilot certificate or an air traffic control tower operator certificate; and
(ii) The period specified in paragraph (c)(3) of this section for operations requiring a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), or a student pilot certificate.
(3) A third-class medical certificate for operations requiring a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), or a student pilot certificate issued—
(i) Before September 16, 1996, expires at the end of the 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate; or
(ii) On or after September 16, 1996, expires at the end of:
(A) The 36th month after the month of the date of the examination shown on the certificate if the person has not reached his or her 40th birthday on or before the date of examination; or
(B) The 24th month after the month of the date of the examination shown on the certificate if the person has reached his or her 40th birthday on or before the date of the examination.
[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61–103, 62 FR 40895, July 30, 1997; Amdt. 61–110, 69 FR 44864, July 27, 2004]

 

[midlifeflyer]

Try to avoid visualizing the medical certificate as "morphing' into a 3rd class after a certain time. The piece of paper always says "Second Class" (or whatever it said when it was originally issued)

The language the FAR and the certificate logo uses aside, this might be a helpful way of thinking of it:

The first class medical requires higher standards than the second which requires higher standards than the third. That means that:

1. the higher medical's basic time limit only applies to the type of flying that requires the higher medical;

2. a higher medical is good for as long as a lower medical for flying that only require the lower medical.

In other words, if I have a first class medical but only fly a CE-152 for personal purposes, why should I have to renew it every 6 months?

Does that make sense to you?

 

[SPilot]

Just think of medical class and privileges as a different but related thing.

There's three classes of medical, first, second and third. First class is required to excersise the privileges of ATP, second class for commercial and third for everything else.
First class medical is only good for ATP privileges for 6 months, but is then still good for second class privileges (commercial) for a total of 12 months...and good for third class privileges (private, recreational) for 36 months (24 above 40 years of age).



...

The Administrator have recently said that there will be some changes in the near future: the first class medical will be good for first class privileges for 12 months, and third class will be good for 5 years! They are trying to reduce paperwork, and I guess they can pretty much make statistics to get a good idea of at what age pilots usually start having medical disreprencies.

 

[midlifeflyer]

The Administrator have recently said that there will be some changes in the near future: the first class medical will be good for first class privileges for 12 months, and third class will be good for 5 years! They are trying to reduce paperwork, and I guess they can pretty much make statistics to get a good idea of at what age pilots usually start having medical disreprencies.

Do you happen to have a link or reference for that?

 

[SPilot]

Do you happen to have a link or reference for that?

Sure. Its on the FAA website. The Admin said it during a speech, which is available both as video and text.

"
We didn’t stop there. We started a rulemaking that will propose to extend the interval for first-class medical certification from six months to one year. For third-class medicals for pilots under 40 — from 2 years to 5 years. These two interval changes are consistent with the changes that ICAO is making. It is estimated that these two changes will reduce annual applications by 75,000 and therefore provide better, quicker service to others "




http://www.faa.gov/news/speeches/news_story.cfm?newsId=7350 around the middle of the page.

 

[midlifeflyer]

http://www.faa.gov/news/speeches/news_story.cfm?newsId=7350 around the middle of the page.

Thanks.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

The extension sounds good for the 3rd class privies, but I think 6 months for the 1st should still be maintained.

 

[j41driver]

The extension sounds good for the 3rd class privies, but I think 6 months for the 1st should still be maintained.

Why's that?

 

[minitour]

Why's that?

The Chemgoo the big boys are sprayin up der....it's bad on da lungs *hack* *Cough*

...so I hear

-mini

 

[avbug]

I'm not sure if this was covered, but presently after six months, a first class medical does not become a second class medical. It's still a first class medical certificate. After twelve months, it's still a first class medical certificate, and it's still a valid first class medical certificate. Just not for privileges requiring an ATP certificate.

Your certificate doesn't change into another class after a given period of time. It stays the same. The airman privileges that may be utilized in conjunction with that medical certificate will change with the life of the medical certificate, but it's class does not change. If you're flying in an operation that requires only a second class medical certificate, and elect to hold a first class, then you are still legal and still hold a first class medical certificate eleven months after the exam.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Why's that?

Well, I feel that since a 1st class is required to fly under ATP privileges, the medical exam should be more stringent based upon the type of flying that an average ATP holder normally engages in. A pilot only required to possess a 3rd class in general flies less sophisticated equipment and less demanding flying operations. The reason there is even such a large difference in the 1st and 3rd class now is due to this thinking or philosophy. One should not only be in better physical condition, but that they are checked for any medical issues more frequently.

 

[minitour]

A pilot only required to possess a 3rd class in general flies less sophisticated equipment and less demanding flying operations.

I know you said "in general" but in aviation I just really dislike generalizations.

I do realize you're talking about farmer Joe in his bugsmasher going in and out of 10,000' runways in a 150. But you also have to remember all of the King Air and soon-to-be VLJ owners that are going to or at least going to TRY to get those aircraft into 2,000' x 50' runways surrounded by trees with their family in the back.

At that point, is it the quality of my vision, blood pressure, etc or my decision making that makes the ultimate difference?

-mini

 

[rickair7777]

Well, I feel that since a 1st class is required to fly under ATP privileges, the medical exam should be more stringent based upon the type of flying that an average ATP holder normally engages in. A pilot only required to possess a 3rd class in general flies less sophisticated equipment and less demanding flying operations. The reason there is even such a large difference in the 1st and 3rd class now is due to this thinking or philosophy. One should not only be in better physical condition, but that they are checked for any medical issues more frequently.

The 6 month thing is outdated. The reality of modern operations which require the exercise of an ATP certificate is that BOTH pilots meet a high qualification standard. The chances of both being incapacitated at the some moment are negligible.


In the old days, the co-pilot might have been marginally qualified, and the average 40 year old male was a walking, smoking, steak, bacon, and egg- eating cardiac time-bomb... no longer the case (on average). Medicine and personal health have advanced tremendously.