3rd class medical VS sports license?

[Steve0715]

Thank you for all the replies on my previous Insurance Question post.  Very helpful.  Now I have another issue that might hold relevance to others.

you can get a sports license to fly with NO medical.  You are limited to LSA ( light sport aircraft) and the requirements/training are much cheaper and easier.  You most likely are aware.  This would be an easy route for me to get back to flying.  It could be way more convenient and cheaper.  For one thing, I could land next to my house and build my own hanger.  Heck, I’m considering buying an LSA and a hanger just to fly to my airport which is about 45 minutes away.

Here is the rub.  If I apply for the 3rd class medical and get denied, I will NOT be eligible for a sports license.  This is causing me a lot of heart burn.  Before I get that med express number, I have to decide.

 

Steve

 

[201er]

You don't need a Sport Pilot license if you are Private Pilot already. A Private Pilot can revert to Sport privileges without a medical certificate as long as it is not denied.

https://sportpilottraining.sportaviationcenter.com/downgrade-transition-lsa/

https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/advocacy-briefs/frequently-asked-questions-about-sport-pilot#pilots

 

Not to say you shouldn't get training in specific aircraft and get back into things. Just pointing out you don't have to take a test for anything.

[Ragsf15e]

I’d find a good AME (flight doc) and talk him through your situation before filling out the official medical request form.  If he/she thinks it can be approved pending faa review, I’d consider it.  If he thinks it’ll be denied with a 2 year wait for SI, you have your answer.  You will be able to find an experienced ame to talk to you with a little work.

[Steve0715]

18 minutes ago, 201er said:

A Private Pilot can revert to Sport privileges without a medical certificate as long as it is not denied.

And that is my dilemma.  Do I satisfy my desire to fly with a sports license and aircraft or do I roll the dice on getting my 3rd class medical?

[Steve0715]

4 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

I’d find a good AME (flight doc) and talk him through your situation before filling out the official medical request form.  If he/she thinks it can be approved pending faa review, I’d consider it.  If he thinks it’ll be denied with a 2 year wait for SI, you have your answer.  You will be able to find an experienced ame to talk to you with a little work.

I have done exactly that.  His opinion is that I should pass.  He has others with more issues that have passed.  And right now, I am doing well.  But heck, there just aren’t any guarantees.  My decision right now is to go for it.  But I’m putting the AME with my cardiologist to gather information that we know the FAA will require.  They just took an outrageous quantity of blood for testing including tests at the Cleveland Clinic (gold standard of heart institutes).  My AME and my cardiologist will both advocate for me.  
 

I mainly raised this question for others in a similar situation.

TBH, if I were in Europe, I’d buy a JMB vl3 and be a happy camper.

[201er]

1 hour ago, Steve0715 said:

I have done exactly that.  His opinion is that I should pass.  He has others with more issues that have passed.  And right now, I am doing well.

You only need to pass one so you could continue doing basicmed or light sport.

[Ragsf15e]

2 hours ago, Steve0715 said:

I have done exactly that.  His opinion is that I should pass.  He has others with more issues that have passed.  And right now, I am doing well.  But heck, there just aren’t any guarantees.  My decision right now is to go for it.  But I’m putting the AME with my cardiologist to gather information that we know the FAA will require.  They just took an outrageous quantity of blood for testing including tests at the Cleveland Clinic (gold standard of heart institutes).  My AME and my cardiologist will both advocate for me.  
 

I mainly raised this question for others in a similar situation.

TBH, if I were in Europe, I’d buy a JMB vl3 and be a happy camper.

Based on your history, is the ame going to sign your 3rd class and submit the testing as his basis for approval or is he requesting a SI and submitting the testing to the faa for approval.  Those are 2 different things.

I don’t have the guide in front of me, but there are “conditions an AME can approve or provide temporary approval for” and there are those that require the faa to approve.

I had a tumor and completely lost hearing in one ear.  Even my first class 1 after that was a condition that the ame could approve, so I’ve never had an issue.  If it has to be sent to Oak City, who knows??

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, Steve0715 said:

 If I apply for the 3rd class medical and get denied, I will NOT be eligible for a sports license.

Or Basic Med.

[carusoam]

Rolling the dice probably isn’t going to get you where you want to go…. It’s too easy to accidentally get restricted…

MS has both cardiac doctors… and AMEs…. Around here… There may be guidance available through private conversations….

AOPA is pretty good about supplying medical guidance to figure out what you have and what you need to do next…

 

Compare your medications to those allowable…

Find the list of questions for the Class III…

Having prior history may be a cause of having to go SI….

Just be careful to not accidentally keep yourself from using basic med, or whatever Light Sport requires…

 

PP thoughts only, not a doc or health expert…

Best regards,

-a-