If you're under 40, your 1st class medical is good for 12 months!



Recently Published Rulemaking Documents

I just followed my own link and it doesn't take you anywhere that shows it. We just got a InFO from the chief pilot, but I can't figure out how to paste it here. Let me try again.

InFO
Information for Operators
U.S. Department InFO 08046
of Transportation DATE: 7/24/08
Federal Aviation
Administration Flight Standards Service
Washington, DC
Information for Operators (InFO)
An InFO contains valuable information for operators that should help them meet certain administrative, regulatory, or operational requirements with relatively low urgency or impact on safety.
Subject: Pilots under age 40, airman’s medical certificate duration periods extended
Purpose: To announce changes in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) § 61.23(d), effective July 24, 2008.
Background: The FAA last revised standards for holders of an airman’s medical certificate in 1996 when it extended a third-class medical certificate’s duration period from two years to three years for pilots under age 40, with no evidence to date of adverse effects on aviation safety.
Discussion: Since 1996 the FAA has reviewed relevant medical literature, its own aeromedical certification data, and accident data, and has found no compelling evidence that the U.S. should not conform to the standard adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in November, 2005. That revised standard extended the duration period of medical certificates from two to five years for private pilots under age 40.
The FAA also explored the possibility of extending the duration period of the first-class medical certificate, with similar findings, namely that there is little or no evidence that extending that duration period for pilots under age 40 would have any adverse effect on aviation safety.
Accordingly, § 61.23(d) will reflect the following duration periods, effective 7/24/08:
First-class medical certificate 12 months for pilots under 40
6 months for pilots 40 and older
Second-class 12 months regardless of age
Third-class 60 months (5 years) for pilots under 40
24 months (2 years) for pilots 40 and older
Recommended Action: Directors of safety, directors of operations, schedulers of pilots, and pilots themselves should be aware of the extended validity periods of airman’s medical certificates for pilots under age 40. For more information go to Recently Published Rulemaking Documents
For More Information About the Content of This InFO: Any questions regarding the content of this InFO should be directed to Judi Citrenbaum, Office of Aerospace Medicine, 202-267-9689.
Approved by: AFS-200 OPR: AAM

Do this extension of first classes to one year apply to all current first class medicals, or does the new rule apply to medicals received after 7/24/2008?

that's exactly what i was thinking, also how does that effect the 2nd class privileges?

I believe the answer is clear from the titles of the first two columns in the chart:

1) "If you hold"
2) "And on the date of examination of your most recent medical certificate you were"

In addition, one paragraph in the rulemaking notice states:

Adopting

This appears to grandfather all medical certificates into the new duration standard. AOPA's website indicates that "current and expired medical certificates are grandfathered under this rule."

Cool.

(This message now complies with APC's 10-character limit.)

You know, I've never quite understood this:

For a first class medical and using an ATP --

Your medical certificate expires, for that operation, at the end of the
last day of the 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate.

So if I get my medical in January 2008, it's good until February 2009? That's what it sounds like even though I have always gotten it in January. Any CFIs out there?

its good until the LAST Day of that month the following year... so if you got it on January 14th 2008, it would be good til January 31st 2009.... And this new duration amendment is retroactive for all pilots with current or EXPIRED first class medicals provided that it is still within the 1 year time period from the time it was issued... Pretty awesome huh? Definitely a positive in this dark period of aviation with furloughs and reduction in flying... Always gotta find the silver lining...

Also this does NOT effect second class medical durations. IF you get a first class medical, at the end of 12 months, your medical becomes a 3RD class not a second. The wording still says that a 2nd expires 12 months from the date of examination. So you either get a 1st or a 2nd, not both UNTIL you turn 40... Then it goes back to the 6 months (1st) 6 months (2nd), 12 months (3rd)....

Hey Ron It's Mikey. From GLA (ZK). No longer at ATA, Focus, Tradewinds. Call me sometime

So, I got my First Class medical Jan 15, 2008. It is good until midnight Feb 28, 2009. I called the FAA in Orlando today and still waiting to hear back from them to verify this. I think RonnyK320 is right. But then isn't the Captain always right?