Light Sport for a CFII?
 

All,

Here's the situation: I'm a Comm ASEL, AMEL, Instrument, CFII. I've just been diagnosed with epilepsy, so it looks as though my professional flying career is over.

However, if I voluntarily surrender my medical, and retain my state driver's license (though I had to give THAT up for 6 months), will I still be able to fly under sport pilot rules? Would I have to do any additional training or get another endorsement? Sport Pilot is something I admittedly know NOTHING about.

Any insight?

Thanks,
Jonathon

You should get some solid professional advice on this but there are two considerations:

1. You need to self-certify every time you fly, even only exercising sport pilot privileges, that you do not have a medical condition that makes it unsafe for you to fly.

2. You cannot have been denied a medical or had one suspended or revoked. See 61.303(b). There is no need for you to surrender your medical certificate and every reason in the world not to.

Simply put if your med is revoked or denied you can not fly sport pilot. If you simply let it lapse and not attempt to renew it, you can, by self certification and a valid drivers license. However since you have lost your drivers license you cant fly as a sport pilot even if you simply let your medical expire. I would contact the local chapter of EAA if you need any further qustions answered about the LSA rules. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think your unable to fly even LSA a this point. Good luck.

Here's a question no one has asked yet. And I hate to put it in such terms. Why are you going to continue flying if you are haveing seziures? You would be breaking regs every single time you fly having a known medical condition. And thats the light part of the deal.

Haveing a seziure while flying is potentially fatal not only for you, but for those around you. Imagine turning final, haveing a seziure and flying into someones house who lives under the approach path of the airport youare flying to. It's a cold hard reality that you should give up flying. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you need to accept the facts. Do us all a favor, and don't tarnish the already bad rap of aviation, even if it's for nothing more than to save the lives of others round you.

I hate being the FAR Nahzi

61.53 (b) Operations that do not require a medical certificate. For operations provided for in §61.23(b) of this part, a person shall not act as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember, while that person knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would make the person unable to operate the aircraft in a safe manner.

And 61.23 (c)Operations requiring either a medical certificate or U.S. driver's license(2)(iv) Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner.


Since you now know you have a defecenciy, you are not eligible to act as a sport pilot.

I was trying to in a kinder way.

I think you are done as PIC...unless your condition can be reliably controlled or cured.

But you can still fly, just not as PIC. Find some friends who like to fly, or maybe get your spouse/SO trained. Also you can still flight instruct, as long as the student is qualified to act as PIC for the flight in question...no medical is required for CFI's.

good call Rick....

here's the thing...my seizures are not the type that you see on TV where people are convulsing uncontrollably. I have partial seizures that only affect speech. I've been put on medication to control them, and in 4 1/2 months will get my driver's license back...the state of Michigan "makes" you "voluntarily" surrender your driver's license until you are seizure free for 6 months. So...in April when I get my license back, and under the control of meds I should be able to fly Light Sport...right? Exactly. I know ALL about self-certification, believe me. I'd never fly if I thought I'd be prone to a seizure.

Anyways...as a Comm ASEL, AMEL, CFII, what, if anything would I have to do? Would I have to get an endorsement to fly in controlled airspace? Fly cross country? As I said, very vague on the privs and limits of flying LSA.

Hmmm. Might want to talk to an aviation lawyer.

First off, do not surrender your FAA medical. You are not required to do so unless asked, self-grounding is sufficient.

Once you get your driver's license back, you might be able to legally fly LSA with a valid DL under the circumstances.

The key is that if you lose your medical or are denied a medical you are also banned from LSA. But if you never lose your medical, you can allow it to expire and then use your DL.

You would be self-certifying based on the fact that you are legal to drive. The question is are DL standards enough since you have a known issue which might be problematic for an FAA medical? If you have no reason to believe that you are in danger of impairment, that might be sufficient.

I think the FAA intends to operate on the "don't ask, don't tell" theory with LSA medicals, but if you want know your status for sure get some expert aviation legal/medical advice.