FAA Medical expiry

[eddiec]

Can anybody tell me how long a third class FAA medical cert lasts for? I cant see an expiry date on it anywhere...... or do I need my eyes tested again?!

[eddiec]

I am 36 y/o by the way

[julian_storey]

In the original posters defence, FAA medical validities have all changed recently.

[Keygrip]

In So-Cals defence, the answers are still in the legislative documents.

Questions like this are nightmares for PPRuNe - who do you believe if you get different answers?

a) First person to post a reply
b) First person who's name you recognise
c) Majority answer over time
d) Favourite answer
e) Cheapest outcome
f) Easiest outcome
g) Not quite sure which - so, will go look it up in the legislative documents.

[AMEandPPL]

who do you believe if you get different answers?

The answer to that is UNDOUBTEDLY the AME who issued the certificate in the first place.

1. It would be a very poor show if he did not know normal periods of validity for any given class, licence, age, etc.

2. He is the only person (in JAR land, anyway - not sure about FAA land) who could reduce the validity for a specific medical reason. I must admit it is done VERY rarely, but in theory it's possible. The AME can not, however, increase the standard period of validity.

[dublinpilot]

In the original posters defence, the situation is somewhat different in Ireland (which is their given location).

Apparently the IAA will not recognise a third class FAA medical for flight on an EI reg aircraft after it's two years old. Obviously it would still be valid for flight on an N reg aircraft in year 3.

I suspect this has been the source of confusion that prompted the original question.

dp

[Keygrip]

Then the original question was (potentially) wrong.

Ask the right question, (maybe) get the right answer.

[dublinpilot]

Maybe, but I suspect the original poster didn't understand the issues involved. They probably had learnt 3 years doing their training, then somone aware of the rule in Ireland challenged them saying it was only 2 years.

If you don't understand where the issue is coming from, it can be very difficult to ask the right question ;)

Even a trip to the FAR's (which socal & yourself advised) is likely to have left the poster with the wrong conclusion. Unless you understand the issues involved, it can be difficult to ask the correct question first time.

[MartinCh]

AFAIK, it's 60 months now under 40yo. 24mths after 40yo. It was 3 years up until last summer under 40. I did recheck it in e-cfr. my thick FAR/AIM was printed before the changes :-/

AOPA had (I think) advice on the website at that time to have some doc printed out to make sure someone doesn't consider medical expired after 3 years (not knowing etc).

Isn't it crazy, IAA telling people how long they recognise a medical of foreign CAA (FAA in this case)? What next, telling people their FAA PPL need some kind of IAA revalidation???

I got it quite handy. I did JAA and FAA private medicals 2-4-1 price (should have asked for FAA comm medical, me not thinking, would have saved 'initial' exam next time) and now both for 5 years (or next 4 as of now). Good on wallet unless s:mad: happens, less charges/fees.

[SNS3Guppy]

There's no need to guess; the regulation is quite clear:

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: (http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=43e534546773ea6bb5b33fab18b03de2&rgn=div8&view=text&node=14:2.0.1.1.2.1.1.16&idno=14)

Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61.23 contains the answer to your question, and there's no need for debate.

(3) If you hold a third-class medical certificate:

(i) And on the date of examination for your most recent medical certificate you were under age 40, then your medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of the 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate.

(ii) And on the date of examination for your most recent medical certificate you were age 40 or older, then your medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of the 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate.

[eddiec]

Thank you SNS for that very straightforward simple answer to my equally straightforward question.
DublinPilot, I suspect you also feel my pain!

[dublinpilot]

So Cal, I think you mis understand me.

It's my guess that the poster is attempting to fly an EI (Irish) reg aircraft with an FAA licence and a class 3 medical.

I can't see any way to use a JAA licence and an FAA medical.

If he is indeed using his FAA licence and third class FAA medical to fly EI reg aircraft, he can only use the medical in it's first two years of validity. By year three it's still valid for N reg aircraft, but not EI reg aircraft.

Of course you're right, in that he has still failed to provide the information necessary. But I have some sympathy for someone coming here for answers without having enough info to be able to ask the right question. Too much info passes in hanger talk, and people get confused about about what the issue is.

I'd one club mate ring me up in panic thinking that his licence was invalid because he'd failed to get some 'check flight done' after some hanger advice. He had been totally confused by someone else. A quick chat about it, and I was able to confirm for him that all was actually in order. It's too easy to be confused by others who only know half the issues involved.

dp

[eddiec]

Spot on SoCal

To clarify, I am going back to the US next month to complete my JAA PPL training. I simply needed to know if I have to renew my FAA class three medical when I go out there or will the one which I was issued almost two years ago suffice?! and it looks like it will, so I have $80 more to spen on AvGas!

[S-Works]

If he is doing a JAA course he will need a JAA Class 2 medical before solo.

[Keygrip]

Following from comments in other threads here, I just typed the words "FAA medical validity" into the search box of Google.

Return number one was Aviation Medical Examiner (http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/app_process/general/validity/)

Is research really that difficult?