BasicMed Status Report

After about eight months, as of early November, according to AOPA, approximately 25,000 pilots had taken advantage of BasicMed since the official roll-out on May 1, 2017. Since the FAA does not track this, we dont know the exact percentage of pilots who did not have a current medical after a multi-year hiatus from flying and decided to get back into flying with BasicMed, as opposed to pilots with medicals who renewed expiring medicals with BasicMed. AOPA estimates about 50% for each group. It will probably take at least two years for the BasicMed numbers to stabilize as pilots with current medicals decide to renew with BasicMed, but at this time it seems to be working.

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Monday, January 08, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

BasicMed offers an alternative medical certification for eligible pilots, replacing the traditional FAA medical exam with a physical from a state-licensed physician and an online medical education course.
Pilots utilizing BasicMed must adhere to specific operational limitations, including aircraft weight (max 6,000 lbs), seating (max 6), altitude (below FL180), speed (max 250 KIAS), and passenger count (max 5).
The process simplifies medical certification by allowing physicians to make a holistic judgment of fitness to fly without requiring diagnoses, and pilots are not immediately grounded if a doctor declines to sign the checklist.
While generally accessible (exam valid for 48 months, course for 24 months), BasicMed is not recognized for most international flights, and pilots must be prepared to explain the requirements to their examining physicians.

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After about eight months, as of early November, according to AOPA, approximately 25,000 pilots had taken advantage of BasicMed since the official roll-out on May 1, 2017. Since the FAA does not track this, we don’t know the exact percentage of pilots who did not have a current medical after a multi-year hiatus from flying and decided to get back into flying with BasicMed, as opposed to pilots with medicals who renewed expiring medicals with BasicMed. AOPA estimates about 50% for each group. It will probably take at least two years for the BasicMed numbers to stabilize as pilots with current medicals decide to renew with BasicMed, but at this time it seems to be working.

A Fresh Look

While the BasicMed roll out is still at its infancy, I have heard comments and observations from fellow pilots and CFIs that perhaps reflect a lack of full understanding of BasicMed. But first, let me be clear: BasicMed is not for every pilot, just like a First Class FAA medical is not for every pilot. Some pilots might find it stressful to search for a doctor willing to do a BasicMed exam or explain BasicMed to a doctor. It is simply another option for pilots who fly powered aircraft. If you prefer to get an FAA physical, there is nothing in BasicMed that would prevent you from doing so.