FAA Medical physical ?s

[Guest Bushmaster]

Hi folks,

I am planning on getting back to flying here in Korea at Osan, though I need to go get my FAA med. done first.

My question is about eyesight, I can not always see 20/20 with my right eye. Sometimes I can, sometimes on a bad day I can not. However I don't want to get a restriction on my license because of something that could be pseudomyopia or ciliary spams, I am planning to get an through eye exam done here on post and order contacts, though can you wear them for the FAA exam?

As far as I know, for a first class, you need to have 20/20 corrected or uncorrected, if it is corrected, then it has to go on your license. I was wondering if anyone out there has done the same thing, my refraction is very little, but big enough that drops my acuity to 20/25, 20/30 sometimes. When I took a military eye exam, part of the Army flight class 1 physical on May 31 this year, this darn right eye could read 10 of 10 20/20 letters where I was only supposed to read 5 of them. I don't understand why but fluctuations in my right eye is kind of frustrating. Last thing I want is to go to FAA AME here in Seoul and not being able to read 20/20 with the right.

[Guest kirkhac]

If you don't get any responses in here, you might want to try asking this in the Aviation Medicine forum.

[Sneedro]

What type of flying are you looking at doing?? If it is just general aviation have you thought about just getting a second or third class medical if you are worried about getting a restriction??

Unfortunately I cant help you much with the medical requirements of the different classes of medicals.

[ 12. August 2005, 09:40: Message edited by: Sneedro ]

[Guest Bushmaster]

As far as I know, any type of FAA license will show your restrictions on vision. I might be wrong, I think I am going to get a through eye exam and see if my vision uncorrected is good enough for flying, (I am just hoping to get my private license before turning in my Army flight packet) and fluctuations are results of eye strain or pseudomyopia, I will just wear contacts and take the FAA exam.

[GSXR6Racer]

The 1st class is 20/20 corrected and it goes on the medical slip not your license. And you can take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I thought that the FAA medical was alittle less strict than the Flying Class I, so you may be able to squeeze by without any problems. I have contacts and glasses and a 1st class medical and it just says where corrective lenses, no other restrictions.

[Guest Bushmaster]

Thanks for clearing it up Lt. Last time I took my FAA medical, it was 1999 and yea my eyesight slightly changed I feel. Yes FAA exam was nothing like the military class 1, only the reading eye chart, if that is still how it is, I think I can get through with contacts on. Don't want to have "corrective lenses" on limitations for a -.50...

Thanks for writing and sharing your info though.

[VL-16]

I just renewed my FAA first class medical and the vision part cracked me up. I could read 20/25 with one eye covered (L&R) but could read 20/20 with both eyes. I just kept taking the test (3 times) until I was able to read 20/20 in both eyes (or in all honesty...memorize the 20/20 line ). Regarding wearing contacts for the eye exam...I'm pretty sure you can, but don't take my word for it. Best of luck to you.

[ 12. August 2005, 11:30: Message edited by: ENJJPTorBust ]

[Guest Bushmaster]

Thanks bud. I don't know how they do things here in Korea. I remember things were pretty easy in the US, just read the line and pass. AMEs here are Korean and I don't want to be surprised if they go the distance to a cyclo refraction exam. I heard about disposable contacts, I want to get those and if crap hits the fan, I could just remove those or just suck it up and have the limitation.

[Guest SnakeT38]

I know my 20/20 line when I "walk" in the door!

D E F P O T E C, now read it backwards with the other eye, C E T O P F E D...........then she says

how did you read that with both eyes closed?

[Guest comanche]

Not sure what class you are going for, I know it says first, but I don't think you need that. It is more expensive but 67.103 for a first class 67.203 2nd, and 67.303 for 3rd. It says 67.203(a) "If corrective lenses (spectacles or contact lenses) are necessary for 20/20 vision, the person may be eligible only on the condition that corrective lenses are worn while exercising the privileges of an airman certificate." It will be listed under the limitations section on your medical. I believe you have to have a pair of glasses if you were contacts, not sure on that part.

Hope this helps

[ 14. August 2005, 15:31: Message edited by: comanche ]

[Guest L Unit]

Just got this in the inbox.

New Regs

There is a table on pages 6-7 that summarizes the new durations.

I don't know if a previously lapsed medical is now valid again: "The new duration periods will be effective the day this rule is published and will affect current medical certificates holders." Can anyone clarify?

Also attached below.

E8_16911.pdf

[hindsight2020]

Big thing is that 3rd class medical priviledges on all medical certificate classes are now valid for 60 months (under 40y.o) as opposed to previously 36 months. My interpretation is that if your medical expired under the old reg before the new reg was published, you're SOL, you won't be able to re-claim it as now valid. If you have a current one by the date of publising, your existing medical now benefits from the new periods.

It's only 70-80 bucks for an AME visit man....but hey, they came out with this sport pilot neato thingy, they let you buzz around with a valid US driver's license, no lie. Well actually, they do only if you don't have a record of being denied an FAA medical certificate in the past. So the guy with quadruple bypass surgery who just decided to become a pilot cause he might die tomorrow can fly around a sport plane because he's never applied (and therefore been rejected) for a medical. While they guy who lost their medical can't become a sport pilot with their valid drivers license cause essentially "the FAA already knows about you". Crazy but I digress....

[Guest L Unit]

Whoever moved this, thanks - it probably belonged here anyways.

I'm not worried about my medical, it expires (now) in 2013. I was just wondering for those folks who have lapsed due to un-interest or medical reasons.

Anyways, hope some people benefit from these changes. . .

[StoleIt]

When I got my last medical in 2007 the rules were 36 months under 40 years old until the 3rd class expired.

Now it says its good for 60 months.

Is my medical grandfathered in under the 60 month rule?

Thanks!

And what Google turned up: http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/m.../faq/response4/

[Jughead]

Is my medical grandfathered in under the 60 month rule?

You answered your own question w/ the site you posted--YES. If you were under 40 on the date of the examination, your medical is good through the end of the 60th month following (Class III--to which the others revert, if you had a higher class), regardless of any printed (earlier) expiration date on the certificate.

61.23(d) if you want to read it in the regs;

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance...ectLookup/61.23

[StoleIt]

You answered your own question w/ the site you posted--YES. If you were under 40 on the date of the examination, your medical is good through the end of the 60th month following (Class III--to which the others revert, if you had a higher class), regardless of any printed (earlier) expiration date on the certificate.

61.23(d) if you want to read it in the regs;

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance...ectLookup/61.23

Ooo. Missed that line.

I am a smart one.

[Guest USAFAPilot07]

Does your yearly FHA pass the requirement for the FAA as having a 3rd class medical certificate? Or do I need to find some civilian shoe clerk to verify what I already know that I'm in good enough shape as John Doe Cessna driver?

[Hacker]

Some Flight Docs have the ability to sign off FAA medicals, and some don't. Ask yours beforehand if (s)he can, and they'll do the paperwork. If not, spend your $69 like the rest of the community and have some doc downtown sign you off.

[Jughead]

Does your yearly FHA pass the requirement for the FAA as having a 3rd class medical certificate?

Hacker's answer is correct, and I'll add that it seems like most flight docs these days do NOT have the FAA cert. I used to get it done every year, but it's been at least 10 years & 4 PCS's since the last time--I still always ask. I've even seen at least one case where the doc had the right credentials but was not allowed to provide the service (someone in the Med Gp decided that it was too costly--since the only difference between your annual flight physical & an FAA Class 2 physical is a diabetes test [lab/urine] & some paperwork, that sounds fishy to me...).

HOWEVER--that, hopefully, is changing soon. The same rule change that will, if/when implemented, give you an easier path to an FAA CFI ticket includes a provision to make your military medical "count" for an FAA medical (more specifically, it waives the requirement to have an FAA medical if you have a current military flight medical). FAR 61.23(b)(9) (NPRM); here's the link, I've been watching carefully for it to become final: http://www.sheppardair.com/milcompcfi.htm.

I'm pretty sure the CFI part of that NPRM has been discussed here before; hell, I think I found that link on here.

[Combat Platypus]

There was a doc that would come to Eglin once a quarter and give up to class 2's for free. Actually he asked for a patch and I gave him several and an RMO. He wasn't in the military he just did it to help out or screw other docs. I haven't tried to get an appointment with him in 1 1/2 years since I thought I needed a class 1 for an airline job that doesn't exist.

[60 driver]

Some Flight Docs have the ability to sign off FAA medicals, and some don't. Ask yours beforehand if (s)he can, and they'll do the paperwork.

Careful -

The integrated AF flight doc/AME has the ability to save you a couple hundred bucks a year, but he also has the ability to to ground your ass simultaneously on both sides of the military/civilian fence if you ever have a medical issue.

It's easy enough to lose a medical without streamlining the process.

Just my $.02.

Edited August 3, 2009 by 60 driver

[awesome-o]

Does anybody know if there's any movement to get a military FC1 count for a FAA Class 1? FAR 61.23(b)(9) still states that the military FC1 can only be used in the U.S. in lieu of a FAA Class III. I'm just trying to save some dough here.

[SocialD]

Does anybody know if there's any movement to get a military FC1 count for a FAA Class 1? FAR 61.23(b)(9) still states that the military FC1 can only be used in the U.S. in lieu of a FAA Class III. I'm just trying to save some dough here.

This is the place to look for changes on that. He stays on top of most of that stuff.

[Whitman]

This reminds me, I need to make a copy of my FC1 (1042) and keep it with me when I fly civilian. The new guidance doesn't say exactly how to comply with the new rule that went into affect in October 09 (military physical counts for Flying class 3) but I figure this is the safest route if I get ramp checked by the nazi FSDO.

[nunya]

This reminds me, I need to make a copy of my FC1 (1042) and keep it with me when I fly civilian. The new guidance doesn't say exactly how to comply with the new rule that went into affect in October 09 (military physical counts for Flying class 3) but I figure this is the safest route if I get ramp checked by the nazi FSDO.

One of our flight docs (who's an AME, too) just emailed us and told us to do just that - carry a 1042 in lieu of a medical. I don't know if that came to her through official channels or not, but I think that's what everyone expected to do.