B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
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"Casey Wilson" wrote in message
news:sZRYc.7084$6q.5186@trnddc06...

"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.