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View Full Version : 3rd Class Medical Cetificate(continuation)



Johndeerejim
10-23-2013, 09:14 PM
I posted a thread in Auust 2013 regarding receiving, after a year of trying, my 3rd class Medical that was dated to expire in 2 months. I have searched over and over again for that thread but, sorry, I can't find it.
I want to report that in spite of being told by various folks, including my AME, that the expiry date two months after issue was not an error and that I'd need to start immediately to repeat the medical tests and procedures for submittal to the FAA. I gave up because it isn't practical to spend almost a year in medical tests only to receive a medical certificate that might again be good only for two months.

But in September this year, 2013, 5 months after sending a certified letter requesting the FAA to take another look at the dates on my certificate, I was surprised with a phone call from the FAA informing me that an error was indeed made and they sent me a corrected certificate that expires in July, 2014. They identified reasonable and expected medical tests I'll need for it's renewal.

Now the question. I live in Pennsylvania and will find very little good flying weather from now until next spring. Is it practical or even possible find a good weather teaching location where I could receive lessons every day and progress to solo in a week or two? I had only one lesson this year due to the lack of medical certificate. In total only three hours but I was able to land smoothly several times after the first hour. Beginners luck? There was no cross wind and the plane seemed to fly itself.

gbrasch
10-23-2013, 09:47 PM
John, as a side note, and this is water under the bridge, you don't need a medical to receive dual instruction, but you will to fly solo. Out here in Arizona there are several flight schools, with clear skies over 300 days a year, just a little hot in the summer.......

Johndeerejim
10-23-2013, 10:01 PM
Yes, Glenn, I knew that I didn't need the medical to take the lessons but I would need it to solo. I wasn't willing to spend a lot of time and money if I was going to have a certificate only a few months a year, or maybe not get it at all. Thanks for the reply. I have good air conditioning in my RV and think I can handle the heat out there. Maybe not. I have been to Tuscon and Pheonix and my car radiator overheated almost every I sat at an intersection waiting for the traffic lights to change! And the car was new.

gbrasch
10-24-2013, 09:24 AM
Sorry for your bad luck with the Arizona heat, I have lived here since 1974 and, knock on wood, have never had a car overheat on me here! Remember this, when you are shoveling snow this winter in Penn, it will be in the 70's here! (sorry again).

Bill Greenwood
10-24-2013, 09:49 AM
Saying it can be a "litttle hot in the summer" in Phoenix is like saying that the Titanic is a little wet.
Summer day time temps in Phoenix can be 110* and that is in the shade, of which there is precious little because there aren't many trees. It's mostly a big desert basin.
There are of course some good flight schools there, at Mesa and Chandler, but they aren't too scenic and you still have to deal with a control tower and class B airspace over the top of you.
There is an excellent glider school just SW of Phoenix at Estrella,

If I had time and money to go to flight school anywhere I'd look at Florida or Texas, maybe California. If it is not summer time, then San Marco south of Austin would be a nice place to spend a month, and there is a lot to do when you are not flying.

gbrasch
10-24-2013, 06:14 PM
I am in Tucson, usually 10 degrees cooler than PHX and no Class Bravo to deal with. Nice little flight schools at my home field 10 miles west of town and out of Tucson's Class Charlie......just my 2 cents...

jedi
10-24-2013, 11:44 PM
Great wx in Tucson this time of year. I am a CFI with time to fly but we will need to find the right plane for you. I does make sense to put those rental dollars into the purchase of your future plane. What kind of plane do you want and what kind of flying do you want to do? If medical will continue to be an issue, do you want a light sport qualified plane?