On May 1, the first day pilots could fly under the new BasicMed rules, 1,354 pilots had already successfully completed the self-assessment checklist, physical examination with a state licensed physician, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s free online Medical Self-Assessment Course.
“AOPA has fought for medical reform for years, and we are happy that so many pilots are ready to fly under BasicMed on the first day,” said Mark Baker, AOPA President and CEO.
AOPA has developed Fit to Fly, a series of resources to help pilots understand BasicMed, which includes a Pilot & Physician’s Guide, FAQ, video, and more.
To help those who have been away from flying, AOPA is partnering with flight schools to offer Rusty Pilots seminars in hundreds of locations across the United States.
By attending the three-hour seminar free to all AOPA members, you will receive an instructor’s endorsement that meets the minimum requirement for the ground portion of a flight review, and you will get the opportunity to meet local flight instructors so that you can schedule a lesson to complete the ground and flight portion of a review.
Nearly 3,600 pilots have returned to active flying status through Rusty Pilots, according to AOPA officials.
Basic Med worked for me. Went to my Ame cost $100 and is good for four years. I’m 71 years old with no issues and can now fly my Mooney M20C for 4 more years.
I used to fly for recreation only until my FAA required med checks started amounting to a few thousand dollars every 2 years. My primary Dr. said these required checks wouldn’t change a thing as my medical history proved. I decided to wait for the new med rules and continued to support AOPA although I sold my PA16. I won’t reiterate what the previous posts have stated, but just tell you what I did with my airplane money. I went out and bought a pristine example of the best sports car buy on the market today, a Porsche 996 Twin Turbo. I’m as ecstatic as I ever was flying and no hangar cost. Thanks for the effort Mark Baker, yet with all the momentum on your side in the end you simply caved.
The original qualifications list as signed into law, included S.I. pilots. Then, they said, we’ll let the FAA play with it for a few months.And, GUESS WHAT!!! If you had an S.I medical before, you have to get one again to qualify for BasicMed.. WHAT A CROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Note that if you fly outside the U.S., for example to Mexico or Carribbean, you will still need an FAA medical…1
Attempted to get a BasicMed physical from my primary care physician. I provided him AOPA’s “BasicMed Pilot and Physician’s Guide” to acquaint him with the new program. He refuses to do it (didn’t provide a reason). I have no conditions requiring a special issuance.
Am scheduled for an AME to do the BasicMed physical rather than shop around for a willing primary doctor. He is going to charge me twice what he charges for a 3rd Class certificate. Looks like BasicMed is not really making it more affordable for someone not needing a special issuance.
Maybe teething problems for the new BasicMed program. Would be useful for AOPA or EAA to build a list of willing local non-AME doctors. I will be suggesting that to those organizations.
Hello Steve M. AFC Urgent Care facility in Florham Park, NJ DOES BasicMed physicals.I am not sure where you are located but we will be happy to assist you!
AFC Urgent Care Florham Park, NJ
Address:
128 Columbia Tpke, Suite 101
Florham park, NJ
tel: 973-377-9366
Fax: 973-377-9329
e-mail: [email protected]
Thank you AFC Urgent Care. I completed a BasicMed exam with an AME. He seemed pretty reluctant to do it though.
I live in SW Florida but appreciate your reaching out.
Steve M.
This whole thing started out to really help pilots by copying the LSA driver’s license medical that has worked so well for a good while now. Why make it hard for GA pilots to fly? Why add extra levels of hassle and expense to what has been working for LSA drivers? We are at the bureaucrat’s mercy. Maybe if we just keep fighting we will get a sensible result–how may years?
For the price of a loaded pickup truck you can buy a LSA that will outperform my Cessna 150. Where there is a will there is a way.
I noticed you said “my” Cessna 150…must mean you’re a, or were a, full on pilot. This legislature was about making it easier for regular non pilots like myself capable of being just that. I would like to have less restrictions on me than more, and this does nothing whatsoever for that. In fact, if I had to see an AME and deal with SI, than it would be idiotic for me to choose this over a standard pilots licence, it simply would cost me the same either way. LSA is too restrictive, cost almost as much to get a ticket, and said LSA aircraft are hideously over priced, like by tens of thousands of dollars. A fully loaded F150 is upwards of $60 grand, not at all affordable.Using your example, Cessna 150’s can be had all day long for less than half that.
I’m denied this, and so is every other LSA pilot (again using your example), because AOPA and EAA failed big time in getting the weights increased as was this legislatures original intent.
This is NOT whats going to save GA, only allow older pilots more time to keep flying, nothing more. GA is doomed in the USA and I’m really tired of pilots especially making it out like it’s safe and sound. You know better, stop making excuses.
It would cost you the same the first time, that’s true. But, before this, it would have cost you that much EVERY time, and if the costs were too much you’d have your application denied, and you couldn’t fly Sport Pilot either. Now, you do have to do the SI once, but normally only once. That’s a huge thing for many people. And, knowing that if you and your doctor decide it’s too much, for some reason, to fill out the BasicMed form, you may (depending on your condition) still be able to self-certify for Sport Pilot.
2020,, ,,, YOU HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER 5 TO 6 THOUSAND BUCKS FOR AN ADS-B….
Maybe you should not try flying. You sound a little like a Whiner, you know when you don’t get your way.
Indeed. LSA is the way to go.
I agree with you that this basic med leaves a lot to be desired. But I disagree with you on sport pilot.
I have been a private pilot since 1991 and have been flying sport pilot for 10 years. I own a sport pilot aircraft
And find it does everything I want to do. You should check it out. I have no intention of going to basic med, and will continue flying sport pilot.
Yep, all those PILOTS sure have it good now don’t they? It’s great to see PILOTS getting even more support and being allowed to keep on flying…….pity it happened to the one piece of legislation that was supposed to do the exact OPPOSITE of that. It was supposed to be a drivers licence based medical, no AME’s required, EVER. It was supposed to actually OVERHAUL the aero medical so that folks who have had real issues with it in the past, which includes mainly NEW wanna be pilots, would finally get a real chance to follow their dreams of actually BECOMING A REAL PILOT. LSA is too limited, ridiculously over priced, and simply not an option for way too many folks out there.
All I ever wanted to be since childhood was a pilot. My mental illness, which isn’t even remotely serious(it’s not bi-polar, psychotic, schizophrenic, etc., never has been or will be), keeps me out of the sky simply because I’d have to go the Special Issuance route…and I’ve been informed my many AME’s over the years it will cost more to get it passed than to actually learn to fly, no joke. This useless piece of legislation does absolutely nothing to change that, and in that regard it is a complete and utter FAILURE. Period. Look at these results in a few more months and see the real numbers, they will drop off like jumping off a cliff, that’s how few people this garbage will actually help to fly. AOPA and EAA need to stop breaking their arms patting themselves on their respective backs, this was a failure, THEY FAILED, nothing more, nothing less.
Interesting prediction. On the other hand, I think most pilots will go this route, over time. It gets what almost all of us need, it’s cheaper for people on SI, it doesn’t ground you for months for review by Oklahoma City, and it doesn’t carry the risk of a denial (possibly one you didn’t see coming), which would mean being grounded even for Sport Pilot.
Actually, let me put it another way.
Unless you need to be above 18,000 ft, etc., why would you EVER do a 3rd Class again?
It’s at least as expensive.
It can get deferred, grounding you for months.
It can get denied, or cancelled, or you may not be able to afford all the testing, and then it grounds you permanently.
I realize BasicMed doesn’t solve the problem for someone who can’t get through the SI process even once, and I do sympathize and think that’s a shame.
But it’s not “nothing”, or a failure.
As I stated firstly, this is indeed helping out folks who are already flying, and any improvement, no matter how small, is better than none at all….but for new pilots, this is useless, and will always be that way. We were hoping, nay, praying for this rule to be done as close to it’s original intent as possible. We waited for YEARS for this to pan out, and were willing to wait many more if that’s what it took to get the weight increase good and done so we can all fly safe, real FAA approved aircraft, not this lightweight flotsam that is hoisted upon us for outrageous prices…. But AOPA and EAA failed to do what we’ve been paying them to do, backing them to do, they allowed this end result that serves few and screwed over all of us that have steadfastly stood by their side urging them on to push this forward and hopefully save GA. In this regard, sir, they most assuredly FAILED.
Now there is zero hope of LSA being an actual useful course for those of us not born into wealth, the little guys/gals who just want to fly in proven, inexpensive aircraft with the usefulness and help of the proven drivers license route…..
I’m mad, you bet I am, and so are many, many others who actually expected these once fine organisations to do more than this. And they could have, they just did not. Believe whatever you want, this is a failure to all who care about the future of GA in the USA, this just staves off the inevitable until the old pilots die off one by one. Grim? You bet it is, and I’m sorry it’s happening….but it IS happening. I have 6 airports in NYS around me where the average age of the pilots is over 60, and it’s climbing rapidly. I don’t see any younger pilots, at least not from this country—they are all from overseas getting their training here and then off they go, no help at all to the GA environment here. Realize this and stop helping the overpaid organisations that fostered this turd celebrate and force them to do what they promised. Accountability is everything after all and they’ve lost all of theirs.
Exactly so. Basic med helps almost nobody. The criteia are the aame An AME exam cost me $150/yr. AOPA squandered who knows how much money to help (according to their numbers) less than 1% of pilots. Meanwhile ADSB which helps airlines buy not GA will end up costing me close to $10k. How about lobbying to allow the same equipment used in homebuiltsnand LSA to be used in certified aircraft? That’s where the real cost of flying is.
MIGHT BUY A BOAT
Like we told AOPA And FAA…We are not docs…we’re letting this work…then assess…all of your points may pan out as stated and or we’ll see a marked improvement in Gen Avn safety statistics per medical factors…watch for it..
Honestly, I truly hope there is an improvement in safety, somethings gotta come out of this mess….unfortunately “new pilots” isn’t going to be it, and that was the whole point of this legislation in the first place.
Depending on your point of view, basic med was not able to satisfy all pilots but a lot better than what we had. As for me it gets me back flying after 3 1/2 years out of the cockpit. As for LSA there are several affordable airplanes that can be flown LSA, Ercoupe, Taylorcraft, Aeronca Champ/Chief, Luscombe, etc.. These can be purchased for about 1/2 the price of that pick up truck.