Yes, BasicMed became effective on May 1, 2017. The FAA’s BasicMed medical examination checklist, which is included in the AOPA Pilot & Physician Guide and the AOPA Medical Self-Assessment Course are available, and pilots can complete the examination and online course to become qualified under BasicMed rules.
At least every 48 months, visit a state licensed physician where he or she will perform an examination and affirm the absence of any medical condition that could interfere with the safe operation of an aircraft. Every 24 calendar months, take a free, online medical education course. AOPA’s online medical education course is available to all individuals, free of charge.
AOPA recommends taking the following steps, in order:
To comply with BasicMed rules, you’ll need to carry a valid state-issued driver’s license (and comply with all medical requirements or restrictions on that license) and your pilot certificate. You’ll need to retain with your logbook or store in an accurate and legible electronic format (but are not required to carry) the completed FAA medical examination checklist as well the certificate of completion demonstrating that you completed an approved online medical education course within the past 24 calendar months.
No. Neither the federal law nor the new rules contain an expiration date.
Yes. The reforms will not affect the rules for flight reviews.
Yes, the FAA final rule for BasicMed applies to the person acting as PIC, including flight instructors. As an example, the FAA has noted that flight instructors meeting the requirements of the new rule may act as PIC while giving flight training without holding a medical certificate, regardless of whether the person receiving flight training holds a medical certificate.
If you have had a special issuance medical within the 10-year lookback period and your medical status is unchanged, you should be able to fly under BasicMed provided you meet all the other qualifications, including being under the treatment of a physician for your medical condition. If you develop a new condition that requires a special issuance medical certificate, you will have to apply for a one-time special issuance for that condition.
Not at all. You may still fly light-sport aircraft with at least a sport pilot certificate and a valid driver’s license, in accordance with the existing Federal Aviation Regulations.
You are not required to surrender your valid medical certificate to fly under BasicMed. If you hold a valid medical certificate and also meet the requirements of BasicMed, you can choose to fly under the BasicMed rules. However, even if a pilot chooses to operate under BasicMed rules and is not exercising the privileges of his or her medical certificate, the FAA still has the authority to pursue enforcement action if there is evidence that the pilot does not meet the medical certification standards for that medical certificate. Generally speaking, a pilot who knows or has reason to know of any condition that would make them unsafe for flight must ground themselves whether they hold a medical certificate or fly under BasicMed. So, before you surrender any airman certificate, consider contacting an attorney experienced in aviation-related legal matters or AOPA’s Pilot Protection Services program.
AOPA went straight to the source and surveyed our insurance carriers. We learned that, nearly across the board, medical reform should have no negative impact on insurance coverage. What most of our carriers told us is that if a pilot is in compliance with FAA regulations, then in many cases that pilot may be in compliance with their company insurance requirements as well. Nevertheless, as each insurance policy may be different, the best course of action is to read your policy and consult with your insurance company.
You can do that. Just keep doing what you’re doing, including making regular visits to the AME, renewing your medical certificate as required, and complying with the current Federal Aviation Regulations that apply to your medical certificate.
AOPA has developed a Pilot & Physician Guide which includes the FAA’s BasicMed form. You can also download it directly from the FAA website.
The checklist has two parts—questions to be answered by the pilot in advance of the exam and a list of items for the doctor to include in the examination. The questions are similar to those asked on the standard third class medical application and include identifying information like name and address, date of birth, a short medical history and listing of current medications, and information about whether you’ve ever had an FAA medical certificate denied, suspended, or revoked. Just as you have in the past, you’ll have to affirm that your answers are true and complete and that you understand you can’t fly if you know or have reason to know of any medical deficiency or medically disqualifying condition. The second part contains a list of items for your physician to cover during the examination. The items are similar to those covered in an FAA medical certification exam and include:
Your physician will exercise his or her discretion to address any other medical conditions identified in the exam and determine if additional tests are needed. Your physician will need to affirm that he or she has performed an examination and discussed all the items on the FAA checklist, including medications, with you. Your physician will also have to affirm that he is unaware of any medical conditions that, as presently treated, could interfere with your ability to safely operate an aircraft.
You’ll need to provide some information about your physician (such as name, address, telephone number, and state medical license number) as well as the date of the examination to complete the online course, so make sure this information is legible on the FAA medical examination checklist.
AOPA has developed a guide to help pilots and doctors understand the regulations and their responsibilities. But the pilot also needs to be ready for the conversation and a good way to do that is to explore AOPA’s online suite of Fit to Fly resources or contact the AOPA Pilot Information Center by email at [email protected] or call (888) 462-3976 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
No. The third class medical process requires the doctor to note whether a patient’s condition is “normal” or “abnormal” and explain any abnormal findings. Under BasicMed, the physician is directed to conduct a medical examination and “address, as medically appropriate, any medical conditions identified.” In addition, the results of the exam are not sent to the FAA. Instead, the pilot keeps the completed checklist with his or her logbook or in an accurate and legible electronic format and provides it to the FAA only if requested.
Doctors are often asked to affirm that a patient is medically fit for a specific job or activity. Many physicians are willing to administer such exams. But the pilot also needs to be ready for the conversation and a good way to do that is to explore AOPA’s resources or contact the AOPA Pilot Information Center by email at [email protected] or call (888) 462-3976 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
The comprehensive medical exam must be conducted by a state-licensed physician. The FAA notes that “all States license medical doctors (M.D.s) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.s) as physicians, although Federal and some State laws may permit the licensure of other persons, such as doctors of dental surgery (D.D.S.) as physicians. While the FAA expects that a specialist physician, (e.g., D.D.S., dentist, podiatrist) who does not also hold an M.D. or D.O. would not have the breadth of training to conduct a medical exam as required in this rule, the FAA will rely on each State-licensed physician to determine whether he or she is qualified to conduct the medical exam[.]” To demonstrate compliance, keep the completed checklist with your logbook (or in an accurate and legible electronic format). You do not have to provide the checklist to the FAA unless specifically requested to do so. AOPA recommends that you consider consulting with the doctor who has the best knowledge and history of your health so you both can make a proper determination of your medical fitness to fly.
No. The BasicMed regulations require an exam by a state licensed physician performed in accordance with the new rules, and the completion of the medical examination checklist.
Your previous third class medical exam will not meet the requirement for the physical exam.
The FAA’s MedXPress system is only for completing an application for an FAA First, Second, or Third Class medical certificate. If you are pursuing BasicMed qualifications, you must download and print the FAA’s Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist.
The free AOPA Medical Self-Assessment course is available online.
If you are having technical issues, please email the AOPA Pilot Information Center at [email protected] or call (888) 462-3976 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
The AOPA Medical Self-Assessment Course should be compatible with all browsers but our developers recommend the Google Chrome browser on personal computers and Safari on iPads. Additionally, there may be issues accessing PDFs linked in the course if you are using a computer the the FAA’s network.
The course is free of charge and you do not need to be an AOPA member.
It takes about an hour to complete the online course.
If you do not pass the quiz on your first attempt, it is recommended that you review the course material. You may attempt the quiz as many times as necessary to receive the minimum score of 80 percent.
You can save your progress and return to the quiz, but you are not legal to fly under the reforms until the course is successfully completed and you have received the certificate of completion. Additionally, pilots must wait until May 1, 2017, to fly under BasicMed.
You will receive an online certificate of completion. You’ll need to print it out and keep it in your logbook, or in an accurate and legible electronic format.
You'll need to print it out and keep it in your logbook, or store it in an accurate and legible electronic format. When you fly, you'll need to carry a valid state-issued driver's license (and comply with all medical requirements or restrictions on that license) and your pilot certificate. You'll need to have (but not necessarily carry) a logbook or legible electronic record containing the completed medical examination checklist, as well the certificate showing your most recent completion of the online course. Be sure to store your completion certificate and medical checklist safely, whether electronic or on paper.
You will have 30 days from the time you pass the course to re-enter and go straight to the page where you may fill out the form and provide the required information. After 30 days, you will need to retake and pass the quiz in order to continue to the form and provide the required information to receive your certificate of course completion.
After completing the course, you have the option of opting in to have your pilot information saved. If you do not check this box, your information will not be saved when you re-enter your account. Please keep all information concerning your medical examination in your own records, as AOPA will not save this information.
Please email the AOPA Pilot Information Center at [email protected] or call (888) 462-3976 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, and provide your name, pilot certificate number, and the information that needs to be corrected.
The course will be periodically updated, and you will need to successfully complete the course every two years (24 calendar months) and this includes passing the quiz. The new course completion certificate will reflect the most recent date that you successfully completed the course, and this certificate is your proof of compliance with the requirement of 14 CFR 61.23(c) for successfully completing an online medical education course within the past 24 calendar months.
After completing the course, you may “opt in” by clicking a checkbox on the form that will then allow AOPA to save your pilot information to allow you to reprint your certificate anytime during the two-year period. Log in to the course and the reprint option will be on your account page.
If you did not opt in to have your pilot information saved, you will need to successfully complete the course again in order to obtain a course completion certificate.
Creating an account is required in order to track your course progress. This allows you to exit and re-enter the course at a later time and pick up where you left off.
Because this course is open to all individuals without any requirement to be an AOPA member or create an AOPA web account, you will need to create a separate account for this course so that your course progress can be tracked.
Currently, this course is not tied to the Air Safety Institute transcript. We hope to implement this feature in the future.
FAA WINGS credit is now available for the course. Please use your WINGS account credentials when creating your BasicMed account for record matching.
After completing the course, you may “opt in” by clicking a checkbox on the form to allow AOPA to send you reminder emails when it is nearing your 24 calendar month deadline to complete a medical education course, as required by 14 CFR 61.23(c). Remember, you are responsible for ensuring that you are qualified to act as PIC.
If you would like to take the course but are not doing so to satisfy the medial education course requirements of 14 CFR 61.23(c), you may close your browser window after completing the quiz. By doing so, you will not receive a certificate of course completion and your coursework will not satisfy the requirements of 14 CFR 61.23(c).
Hundreds of thousands of pilots can potentially fly under BasicMed. Under the reforms, pilots who have held a valid medical certificate any time in the decade prior to July 15, 2016 may not need to take another exam with an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner. AOPA has developed an online tool to help you determine if you may qualify for BasicMed.
To qualify for BasicMed you must:
The FAA maintains an airmen certificate database you can search online at http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/interactive_airmen_inquiry/. You can also contact the AOPA Pilot Information Center by email at [email protected] or call (888) 462-3976 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
Persons who have a medical history of, or are diagnosed with, the conditions described below as identified by the FAA, may not use BasicMed until they have been seen by an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and have been granted a special issuance medical certificate by the FAA. If they previously held a special issuance medical certificate for any condition below, it must have been valid within the ten years prior to July 15, 2016 for the pilot to be eligible for BasicMed.
I. Mental Health - A mental health disorder, limited to an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following:
Furthermore, the FAA’s new medical rules do not apply to an individual with a clinically diagnosed mental health condition if, in the judgment of the individual’s state-licensed physician, the condition:
II. Neurological – A neurological disorder, limited to an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following:
Furthermore, an individual with a clinically diagnosed neurological condition, is prohibited from exercising BasicMed privileges if, in the judgment of the individual’s state-licensed physician, the condition:
III. Cardiovascular - A cardiovascular condition, limited to a one-time special issuance for each diagnosis of the following:
If your regular or special issuance medical certificate expires before the new regulations are effective on May 1 and you want to continue flying, you will need to renew it in order to keep flying while the FAA completes its rulemaking process. Whether or not you choose to renew your medical certificate to cover the gap period, you will be allowed to fly as soon as the new rules take effect, provided your medical expired within the 10-year window following enactment of the legislation and you meet other requirements under the new legislation. To be clear, the 10-year lookback is based on whether you held a regular or special issuance medical certificate at any point in the 10-year period, not the issuance date, of your last medical certificate.
The new rule only allows Pilots to fly certain aircraft that are operated pursuant to several conditions. The aircraft must meet the following requirements:
The aircraft is not carrying more than five (5) passengers;
Under BasicMed rules, you may only act as a safety pilot in simulated instrument flight under FAR 91.109 if you are also acting as PIC. Remember, BasicMed only applies to the pilot acting as PIC. In this scenario, a safety pilot in simulated instrument flight who is not also acting as PIC is a “required crewmember” who is not covered by BasicMed and therefore, must possess an appropriate and valid medical certificate.
Yes, the FAA final rule for BasicMed does apply to the person acting as PIC, including flight instructors. As an example, the FAA has noted that flight instructors meeting the requirements of the new rule may act as PIC while giving flight training without holding a medical certificate, regardless of whether the person receiving flight training holds a medical certificate.
As long as the twin engine aircraft is not authorized under Federal law to carry more than 6 occupants and has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of not more than 6,000 pounds, you will be able to fly a twin-engine aircraft as long as you operate in accordance with the additional conditions in the new rule, listed above.
No. A "covered aircraft" which conforms to the limitations of the new rule is defined as one that is authorized under Federal law to carry not more than six occupants; and has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of not more than 6,000 pounds. Currently, aircraft that have a type certificate, amended type certificate, or STC that authorizes “6 or 7” occupants are also not covered aircraft, even if a seat is removed or not installed. AOPA is working to have these aircraft included in the new rules in the future.
Update. The FAA has provided the following Q&A concerning certain Piper aircraft:
Q33: Are PA-32 (Piper Cherokee Six series aircraft) “authorized to carry not more than 6 occupants”?
A: The Piper PA-32-260 (Cherokee Six 260) and PA-32-300 (Cherokee Six 300) aircraft are authorized by their type certificate (as set forth in Type Certificate Data [TCDS] A3SO) to be equipped with 6 seats and also to be equipped with 7 seats only if they have been converted by the installation of Piper Kit No. 69072-3. If your PA-32-260 or PA-32-300 is equipped with 6 seats and has not been converted to a 7-seat configuration by installation of the Piper kit, you may fly the aircraft under BasicMed. If your aircraft has been converted to the 7-seat configuration using the Piper kit you may not fly the aircraft under BasicMed. To fly that aircraft under BasicMed you would have to remove the installed kit and document its removal in the aircraft’s maintenance records. An FAA Form 337 would not be required to document the installation or removal of the kit. You may also fly the aircraft under BasicMed if it is equipped with the 6-seat Optional Club Seat configuration.
A total of 14 aircraft models are listed on TCDS A3SO and their eligibility to be operated under BasicMed depends upon the specific aircraft model. The Piper PA-32R-300 (Lance), Piper PA-32RT-300 (Lance II), PA-32RT-300T (Turbo Lance II), PA-32R-301 (Saratoga SP), PA-32R-301T (Turbo Saratoga SP), PA-32-301 (Saratoga), and PA-32-301T (Turbo Saratoga) are authorized to be equipped with 7 seats.
Although the center seats may be removed and replaced by Optional Club Seats to carry 6 occupants and some aircraft are also authorized for an unmodified 6 seat configuration, all these aircraft are authorized to carry more than 6 occupants without further modification and therefore may not be operated under BasicMed. These aircraft may only be operated under BasicMed pursuant to the issuance and inclusion in their type design of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that restricts the aircraft to 6 seats.
The PA-32R-301 (Saratoga II HP), PA-32R-301FT (Piper 6X), and PA-32R-301XTC (Piper 6XT) are only authorized to be equipped with 6 seats and may be operated under BasicMed.
The PA-32R-301T (Saratoga II TC) is authorized to be equipped with 5 or 6 seats and may be operated under BasicMed.
The PA-32S-300 (Cherokee Six Seaplane), PA-301-32R-301 is authorized to be equipped with 7 seats and may only be operated under BasicMed pursuant to the issuance and inclusion in its type design of an STC that restricts the aircraft to 6 seats.
If your aircraft has been altered to permit the installation of a 7th seat by an STC, the seat may be removed and the aircraft may be operated under Basic Med provided the removal is recorded in the aircraft’s maintenance records and also on FAA Form 337 (unless the removal instructions were provided as part of the STC).
Yes, if you do not exceed 250 knots indicated airspeed. The aircraft must be operated as follows: the covered aircraft is not authorized to carry more than 6 occupants (and is not carrying more than the pilot and five passengers) and has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of not more than 6,000 pounds. The individual is operating the covered aircraft under visual flight rules or instrument flight rules. Also, the flight, including each portion of that flight, is NOT: carried out for compensation or hire, including that no passenger or property on the flight is being carried for compensation or hire; at an altitude that is more than 18,000 feet above mean sea level; outside the United States, unless authorized by the country in which the flight is conducted; or at an indicated air speed exceeding 250 knots.
Yes. The rule makes no distinction among category or class of aircraft. As long as the aircraft meets the provisions for “covered aircraft” you can fly it in accordance with limitations in the new rules, listed above.
You can fly under the medical reform provisions outside of the United States only if authorized to do so by the country in which the flight is conducted. It’s a good idea to check with AOPA or the aviation authority for the country in which you intend to fly to determine what conditions you will need to meet to fly internationally.
If you want to exercise privileges outside of those established under BasicMed, you’ll need to keep going through the medical certification process to obtain the appropriate class of FAA issued airman medical certificate. That means visiting an AME for your medical exam and renewing your medical certificate as needed.
We’ve tried to answer the most common questions our members are asking. We’ll keep this page updated as we get new information. In the meantime, feel free to contact the AOPA Pilot Information Center at 888.462.3976 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern time or email [email protected]. For a more in-depth review, consider enrolling in AOPA’s Pilot Protection Services program.
