BasicMed success

The Aeronautics Branch published a list of the first 57 physicians qualified to give medical examinations for pilot licenses, and private pilots were required to renew their medical certificates every 12 months—a surprisingly frequent cadence in the early days of aviation.

Other than changes to medical certificate classifications and durations, and an increase in the number of disqualifying medical conditions, pilot medical certification remained largely unchanged for 91 years. Until 2017, when BasicMed—championed by AOPA in a decades-long push for third class medical certification reform—became an attractive alternative for many general aviation pilots.

Pilots who complete the steps for BasicMed qualification can fly in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds gross takeoff weight, with up to six seats and carrying up to five passengers—no FAA medical certificate needed. They can fly day or night, VFR or IFR, at speeds up to 250 knots and at altitudes less than 18,000 feet msl. This covers a huge percentage of all GA activity. To date, 80,000 pilots have qualified to fly under BasicMed, and the FAA recently determined there are no discernible differences in safety when comparing pilots flying under BasicMed to pilots flying with a third class medical certificate.

To qualify for BasicMed, you need to have had held a valid medical certificate at any point after July 14, 2006 (even if it’s currently expired). If that is true for you, the next step is to schedule a BasicMed physical examination with a state-licensed medical doctor—ideally, the doctor you already use for your annual checkup. The doctor will complete the FAA Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC) you’ll bring with you. AOPA’s BasicMed website (aopa.org/basicmed) contains the CMEC form, and all instructions needed to qualify for BasicMed. Call AOPA’s Pilot Information Center at 800-USA-AOPA with any questions.

After you’ve finished your BasicMed physical exam and have your completed CMEC in hand (the doctor does not keep it), you’ll take an online medical education course. The course is a collaboration between AOPA and the FAA and provides health and safety tips related to flying you’ll rarely get from an AME. The course and educational materials cover such topics as health self-assessment, when to see a doctor, conditions that may require a closer look, and how to use diet and exercise to stay sharp while flying—and in life.

The course includes practical flying scenarios and decision-making tips for times you’re feeling less than 100 percent. One section titled “Gotchas” explains: “Did you know that drugs with no apparent side effects on the ground can create serious problems at even relatively low altitudes? Changes in the concentration of atmospheric gases in our blood can enhance the effects of seemingly harmless drugs—watch out for impaired judgment, decision making, and performance.” I certainly didn’t know.

After you pass a 20-question quiz, you’ll be prompted to complete your BasicMed certificate by entering your contact information and airman certificate number, the date of the BasicMed-specific exam, and your doctor’s name, contact information, and state medical license number. Click “Submit to FAA and download certificate,” and you’re done. Do not send the actual CMEC to the FAA; keep it in a safe place for future reference.

This next part is critical, and arguably the most important: BasicMed consists of two parts—the BasicMed physical exam/CMEC and the online course. The CMEC is valid for exactly four years. The online course is valid for 24 calendar months. Both must be current for you to be qualified to fly under BasicMed. For example, if you complete a BasicMed physical exam/CMEC on July 13, 2023, it will be valid through July 12, 2027—four years to the day. If you pass the online course on the same day, the course will be valid through July 31, 2025—24 calendar months. By August 1, 2025, you’ll need to retake the online course to continue flying under BasicMed. When you retake the course, you’ll need to enter the date and doctor information from your CMEC completed on July 13, 2023. That’s why you need to save your CMEC.

One final piece of advice from AOPA’s Pilot Information Center team: If either your CMEC or online course expires, you do not need to get another FAA medical certificate with an AME. The situation is treated like an expired flight review; just as you can’t fly as PIC until you have a new flight review, you won’t be able to fly under BasicMed until you have a new BasicMed physical exam or you retake the online course.

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