Private Pilot without Medical -- Sport Pilot operation?

"ET" wrote in message
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"Gig Giacona" wrote in
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"ET" wrote in message
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"Darrell" wrote in
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B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
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"Casey Wilson" wrote in message
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"Danny Deger" wrote in message
m...
I am a private pilot without a current medical, but with a valid
drivers license. Can I fly under the sport pilot rules, or do I
need to apply for a sport pilot certificate? I have never been
denied a medical.

We've kicked this horse a lot.
You are going to get a range of responses from yes to no. The
way I
look at it, if you have a physical condition that would flunk
getting a third class medical certificate, then you should NOT be
flying.
The most specious argument against my statement goes something
like:
"Well, I(you/he/she/it) may be taking a disqualifying medication,
but otherwise...."
Dang it, if you are taking a medication (let's say an
antihistamine)
that can degrade your skills, abilities, functions, congnition,
etc., then you damn well shouldn't be taking the risk. Or for that
matter, putting the
rest of the pilots and people in the area at risk.
If that isn't the answer you wanted, I don't apologize.
I'm 68 years old and just recently passed my physical. If I
didn't
take
a wad of (FAA acceptable) pills every day, I would not have
passed. Well..., I may have passed AWAY.
Using the driver's license in lieu of a physical may be
justified by
not wanting to incur the expense, but certainly not to thwart
safety.
So, why don't you just go take the physical?

I finished my last 3 years flying Captain for a major airline with
a Special Issuance First Class medical good for only 6 months for
ANY class of flying due to a heart bypass operation. Following
retirement I kept up my medical (every 6 months) which required a
stress EKG, cardiologist evaluation, blood counts, etc, plus every
other test had to include a thallium injection with a scan. This
was in addition to a normal FAA flight physical.

After a couple years of retirement (while teaching MD-80/737 flight
simulator for FSI) a radiologist thought he "saw" something on the
thallium scan and the FAA said I had to get an angiogram to renew
my medical. I thought that was an unnecessary danger and so did my
cardiologist. But his and my letters to the FAA went unheeded. So
I let it lapse since I could teach flight sims without a medical
certificate. Since then I have had a hip replacement and am
currently being treated for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma of the bone
marrow. I'm pointing out these things to show that in some cases
it is very difficult to get a medical out of the FAA.

I workout 3 days a week, feel great, and am still teaching MD-80
flight simulator. I have never had any physical problems while
flying the simulator or while working out at the gym. I would feel
quite safe to fly. I wish I could get a medical out of the FAA.
The only prescription medicine I take is Zoccor. I'm now 71 and
would be very interested in Sport Aircraft flying if I could do
that with just my driver's license.




Assuming you feel you are safe to fly (medical wise) and you have a
drivers licence you CAN FLY TOMORROW..... in an ercoupe (c or cd)
some Taylor craft, some cubs, etc, not to mention a Sonex or Zodiac
(other than HDS) or........

I assume you'll need your bi-annual though....

In spite of all the whining here, that is really the ONLY part of
Sport Pilot that really goes into effect tomorow as far as who can
fly....

The rest of us who are not yet pilots, and want to be Sport Pilots,
have to wait until Jan 15th.


Wrong...

He had a medical denied so he has to jump though the hoops at least
once more and then let the special issuance expire.



No, he said he let it lapse.

After reading his post again though, what he needs to do is pay the ten
dollars to the FAA to see what they really have on record for him. Did
he really just let it lapse, or did they request furthur info, he not
turn in the info, so they denied it??

--

I read the following as the FAA had requested (which should be pronounced as
required) further information.

After a couple years of retirement (while teaching MD-80/737 flight
simulator for FSI) a radiologist thought he "saw" something on the
thallium scan and the FAA said I had to get an angiogram to renew
my medical.

If he didn't give them the angiogram I'd bet the FAA would consider that a
denial, though I might be wrong. Wouldn't be the first or the last time.

GigG