glider pilot medicals

At 19:27 02 May 2012, Tony wrote:
On Wednesday, May 2, 2012 2:01:15 PM UTC-5, Mike the Strike
wrote:
Regardless of the specific wording of FAA rules, you cannot
self-certify
to be in good health for aviation purposes if you have failed a
medical!

Mike

what if the condition that caused you to fail the medical has been
resolved?


The FARs are clear that different medical rules apply to glider
pilots. A glider pilot indeed does not need to hold any medical
certificate, and the FARs do not require that he has not failed a
medical certificate. He is only required to be able to honestly
believe he is fit to fly on the specific day he wants to fly.

I'm not sure why the FAA made these rules. My guess is, as an
extreme example, an illness that will cause death in one or two
years would mean that a 3rd class FAA medical can't be obtained,
even though the pilot may still be perfectly ok to fly that day, and
for many months to come. The FARs are written to allow a glider
pilot to use that time to legally fly, on all days when he honestly
believes he is fit to fly. Like all pilots, holding a medical certificate
or not, glider pilots are expected to ground themselves on any
days when they are not fit to fly.