Class 3 Medical

[Kimblair13 0]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but...

In March 2007 I got a Class 2 Medical. On the card it says it's good as a class 2 for 2 years, then after 2 years it'd go to a Class 3 for 1 more year.

I was just reading on-line that Class 3's are good for 5 years, is this true? And if so, does that mean my Class 2 is good as a Class 3 for a total of 5 years?

[RMK 3]

The medical examination is the same for all FAA medicals. The classes of FAA Medical Certificate and validity lengths vary with what you use it for (i.e. ATPL, CPL or PPL) and also whether you are under/over 40 years old makes a difference to validity length.

Have a look at: http://flightphysical.com/part67/whatclass.htm

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[chutem 0]

Quote

The medical examination is the same for all FAA medicals. The classes of FAA Medical Certificate and validity lengths vary with what you use it for (i.e. ATPL, CPL or PPL) and also whether you are under/over 40 years old makes a difference to validity length.

Have a look at: http://flightphysical.com/part67/whatclass.htm

The web site looks good but the exams are different for different classes. For example the eye test is to a higher standard for higher classes. I could be wrong but I think a treadmill run is a requirement for a 1st class over a certain age.

If you were under 40 at the time of the last medical it's good for 60 months after the end of the month you had the exam in. If you were 40 or older at the time of the last medical you are out of luck. Double check as I could be mistaken, that is how remember it. I was a little bummed as I was over 40 at the medical in question for me when they changed the rule. (missed it by that much)

James

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

The web site looks good but the exams are different for different classes. For example the eye test is to a higher standard for higher classes. I could be wrong but I think a treadmill run is a requirement for a 1st class over a certain age.

I think you are trying to over-complicate it. While a class of license can be reduced over time the standards for the exam are not reduced for the same class.
If you get a class 2 medical Oct. 2000 it will be a valid class 3 until the end of Nov. 2005 if you are under 40 years of age. If over 40 it will expire at the end of Nov. 2002. This is only true if you do not renew your class 2.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[RMK 3]

I hold both FAA and JAA Medicals concurrently. A tip to anyone needing both the FAA and JAA (European equivalent) would be to find a doctor designated as an AME for both FAA/JAA and take one single medical that encompasses both requirements. The JAA medical is more intensive and includes an ECG. Costs for FAA are roughly USD 80-100 whereas the JAA is GBP 200. This will also synchronise your renewals in the future (example: someone over 40 need only have one doctor visit every two years.

In general, if anyone has pilot-related queries, the place to go is the forum on www.pprune.org where they’ll anwer your query in extreme detail.

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[riggerrob 562]

From what I understand about the Canadian Air Regulations:

Higher classes of medical (with class one being the highest) have more stringent standards and shorter periods of validity.
For example, my Class One (Commercial Pilot) medical is only valid for six months, because I am over 40 years old. Six months after my last medical exam, I can no longer fly commercially-registered airplanes, however, my medical reverts to Class Three (Private PIlot) and I can still fly privately-registered airplanes until the end of the year (12 months after my last medical exam).

An ECG is required for Canadian Class One medical if you are over 40.

Class 2 medicals are rare in Canada, only needed to maintain an air traffic control license.

The good news is that the planet is slowly converging on one set of air regulations. The bad news is that some countries need to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new century. For example, the USA still refuses to designate Class F air space. Instead Americans stubbornly retain a bewildering array of MOAs, restricted, aerobatic, testing, training, etc. blocks of airspace.

Often the difference between national air regulations won't kill you, but is just enough to make you fail an exam. For example, Canadian pilots are supposed to suck on oxygen if they fly above 12,500 feet MSL, but American pilots can wait until they are above 13,000 feet ... a trivial difference.

[bfilarsky 0]

Simple answer:

If you were under 40 at the time of you exam, you have 3rd class privileges until the last day of the month, 5 years from the date of your medical. So if you received it August 1, 2007, its good until August 31, 2012.

If you were 40 or over at the time of your exam, its only good until the last day of the month, 2 years after your exam. Preceding example, its good until August 31, 2009.