The literal differences between the classes are quite small, IIRC. Stepping
up to 2nd you only need to have vision correctable to 20/20 and 1st adds the
requirement for an EKG every so often after the age of 35. Besides that the
exams are theoretically identical.

However, in reality the examiner (and the people in OKC who review the
application) certainly have some leeway to decide whether an issue merits
further review or not. If you're 100% clean, no worries, get the higher
certificate. But if you will answer "yes" to any of those two dozen "Have
you ever..." questions, then I'd expect a 2C or 1C application to be
scrutinized much more closely. A private pilot who has chest pains and loses
it in IMC, they'd probably never even figure it out. But if a CFI has a
heart attack on a student's second flight might attract a little more
attention. AMEs like it when people pass, it helps keep the repeat business
up. Nobody I've heard of will overlook an obvious issue, but there's often
times when you can make a judgment call that X is or is not significant. I
have to think that the class medical being applied for has some influence on
how that call is made.

-cwk.

wrote in message
oups.com...
If you don't need a class II, stay with a class III. If for some
reason you fail any part of the class II additional checks (I don't
know what they are off hand) you have failed a class III and will have
to appeal it to the FAA. that could cost you any future medicals.