(Snowbird) wrote:

There isn't one, except through 61.53 by a back door route.

I think there isn't one, period.

I've been through this argument before, when someone was
told his medical was "void" after a medical episode. During
that argument, I was on your side :-) The "back door route"
I'm referring to is that 61.53 won't let you fly if you
can't meet the requirements for a medical, but sometimes
those requirements say that after a medical episode, you
have to be have a particular test and be re-examined and
only if you have the test and pass the re-exam will you be
permitted to fly. The re-exam, however counts as a new
medical and resets the date for your next medical. Is the
first medical void? No, not really, you could probably say
to the doc that you don't want a new one, but practically,
who would do that? It's pretty clear however, that until
you have the test and get the new test, you don't meet the
conditions for a medical, and until you do, you can't fly,
regardless of how safe you are.

My understanding is: don't act as PIC while suffering from a medical
condition or taking medication which preclude safe flight or which
are not approved by FAA. When the condition is ameliorated and
the medication is out of one's system, go for it.

Your understanding is a bit off. The applicable FAR 61.53
only mentions safety if a medical is *not* required to act
as PIC (gliders, etc.) If a medical *is* required, the
standard is whether you can "meet the requirements for the
medical certificate."

I don't think my understanding is off a bit.

I do. You used "preclude safe flight" to determine when you
can fly. That's not the FAR standard. Their standard is
"meet the requirements" for a medical.

But that's not the issue.

I didn't say it was the issue. I said your description of
when you can fly was "a bit off" since it referred to
"safety."

The issue is, Toks claims you have to "void your medical
certificate voluntarily" and be re-examined and have a new
certificate issued when the condition ameliorates.

Which I agree, is not true, but via the back door, described
above, there are some conditions for which the practical
effect is exactly that - no flight until you pass a new
medical

If the medical requirements prohibit granting you a
medical when you have the underlying condition , then you
can't fly an airplane, even if you are safe, regardless of
whether you are taking the medication.

No argument. But that's not the issue here.

Agreed. I was commenting on your shorthand description,
which I thought "was a bit off."

I want to know where it's required that one "void one's
medical certificate", rather than simply refraining from
flying while unable to meet the requirements of the medical
certificate, and resuming flight when one can.

No, it's not required, unless the FAA requires a new medical
after the medical condition you suffer from. I know it's a
technical point, but pilots have been hung on less. You
need to be able to pass a medical. If the requirements for
people with your condition are to pass a medical test that
you haven't had and then have that test reviewed by an AME
during a new medical exam, and that hasn't been done, then
you can't fly until you've gone through all that, no matter
what your physician says about your condition or your
"safety" during flight.

Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
___
Make a commitment to learn something from every flight.
Share what you learn.