Its been more than six years since the FAA established the sport pilot certificate. Along with the rules on what a sport pilot can and cannot do, there was something noticeably missing: Any requirement for a sport pilot to obtain or hold an FAA medical certificate, as long as he or she has a U.S. drivers license (and 288
Do We Really Need The Third-Class Medical?
Its been more than six years since the FAA established the sport pilot certificate. Along with the rules on what a sport pilot can and cannot do, there was something noticeably missing: Any requirement for a sport pilot to obtain or hold an FAA medical certificate, as long as he or she has a U.S. drivers license (and had not been denied a medical). At the same time, the new rules allowed anyone with a higher certificate to fly a light sport aircraft without a current medical but with a current drivers license.
Key Takeaways:
- For over six years, sport pilots flying without an FAA medical certificate (using a driver's license instead) have had no documented accidents due to medical incapacitation.
- Searches of NTSB and FAA databases confirmed a complete absence of medical incapacitation incidents among sport pilots, despite a low probability existing even for medically certified pilots.
- The article concludes that a medical certificate is not a guarantee against incapacitation, and a driver's license serves as a sufficient and cost-effective indicator of pilot fitness.
- It advocates for supporting a formal petition to eliminate third-class medical requirements for pilots operating certain Part 91 aircraft up to 6000 pounds.
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