Top BasicMed renewal questions answered

Question: What do I need to accomplish around the two-year expiration date of my BasicMed cycle in order to keep flying under this medical alternative?

Answer: At this point, you are only required to take the online medical education course. The BasicMed physical exam must be completed every 48 months (to the day), but the online education course is required to be completed every 24 calendar months (by the end of the twenty-fourth month). For example, if you completed the physical exam and the online course on May 15, 2017, your next physical exam would need to be accomplished by May 15, 2021, four years to the date after the first exam. Your online course completion would expire on May 31, 2019, 24 calendar months hence. So, the course would need to be retaken by the end of May in order to keep flying.

Question: I just took the course for the second time after flying under BasicMed for two years. What do I put in the data submission form at the end of the course regarding my doctor’s visit?

Answer: You will enter the same doctor’s exam data that you entered the first time, including the name, the state medical license number of the doctor who performed your BasicMed exam, the date of the exam from two years ago, and the doctor’s contact information.

Question: I completed my physical exam and the online medical education course, and I have my new BasicMed certificate in hand. What do I do now?

Answer: Go fly! It is a common misconception that you must submit part of your BasicMed paperwork to the FAA. This is not correct. AOPA submits the basic information that you provided at the end of the course to the FAA on your behalf.

Question: I am having difficulty accessing my BasicMed online course account.

Answer: You can contact our Pilot Information Center for assistance, either by phone at 888-462-3976 or via email.