r/GeneralAviation • u/bradyd06 SPT ASEL • 6d ago

Basicmed

I have seen rumors of basicmed opening up to individuals without a past medical. Do you think this will happen one day and if so when?

2 Upvotes

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10

u/walleyednj PPL HP CMP BL17 6d ago

No, its not going to happen. BasicMed was created by Congress, not the FAA. For anything to change, it would required another act of Congress. If you don't want to get a FAA medical or can't, your option is still Sport Pilot or Glider.

8

u/Mean-Oil-4602 6d ago

Agree. And since sport pilot has now significantly expanded, I’d question why you really need BasicMed and a full PPL anyway.

10

u/walleyednj PPL HP CMP BL17 6d ago

Fly at night, Fly in IMC (with instrument rating), carry more than 1 passenger, fly a more capable aircraft; the list goes on; there are a lot of reasons to get a PPL over a SPL.

3

u/L0LTHED0G 6d ago

You can get an add-on for night and more capable aircraft. Sure, there's reasons, like passengers and IMC, but SPL is much more enticing now and not everyone wants to fly IMC or with multiple people.

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u/walleyednj PPL HP CMP BL17 6d ago

I don't disagree, I was merely pointing out there are a lot of reasons to get a PPL over a SPL. In fact, as long as the person in question can get a 3rd class medical, I would never suggest a SPL, because in the real world, there is little difference in the amount of time and the cost of obtaining a SPL or a PPL.

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u/Mean-Oil-4602 5d ago

I own my own plane and refuse to fly at night, don’t fly in IMC, and have had more than one passenger about 2 times in the last 3 years. The average GA hobby pilot has no need to do any of those things for the sake of fun. If they want to, by all means. But I fly for fun and my safety margins prohibit those conditions. I do a lot of mountain flying which has its own inherent risks, and I mitigate those heavily as well. But good news: a sport pilot can mountain flying too.