FAA Medicals Impacted by COVID

[Airmutt]

Has anyone experienced a problem getting their medical renewed due to our current situation? More importantly, does anyone know if the FAA has any plans to grant temporary extensions until we get thru this crisis?

[FlyingRon]

The FAA hasn't indicated any intent to relieve any time limits to my knowledge. It is scary. Most of the providers around here have pushed back on routine visits. I'm due for a few non time-critical procedures (colonoscopy, etc...). My medical is up in June. Hopefully things will be loosened up then. My old AME is up in Virginia. I was planning to go basic med (our local doc has already done at least two, including my wife).

[Airmutt]

The FAA just released a partial answer....

The Notice states that from March 31, 2020 to June 30, 2020, the FAA will not take legal enforcement action against any person serving as a required pilot flight crewmember or flight engineer who holds a medical certificate that expires within this time period.

Unfortunately this does not address the GA community.

[lnuss]

Actually, it does. Note that "as a required pilot flight crewmember" means the PIC, among others.

[FlyingRon]

I've attached the FAA letter. This is somewhat good news. It gives us until June 30. I'm a little pessimistic whether that will be sufficient.

[Airmutt]

Just got off the phone with AOPA and they concur. The phrase flight crewmember was my concern. The term implies required crew to include pilots, FEs, navigators, cargo specialist if hazardous material carried, and flight attendants if more than 9 pax. In my tortured little mind that didn’t apply to GA types. My bad.

[Mike Switzer]

My AME retired the end of 2018 (and he was the only one I knew of in town). Most of the private practices in town have been bought out & are now owned by one or the other of the 2 major hospitals in town. The office my current doctor is in has moved all non critical appointments back to late April. My mother sees a doctor affiliated with the other hospital & they have done the same.

[dclaxon]

My AME retired the end of 2018 (and he was the only one I knew of in town). Most of the private practices in town have been bought out & are now owned by one or the other of the 2 major hospitals in town. The office my current doctor is in has moved all non critical appointments back to late April. My mother sees a doctor affiliated with the other hospital & they have done the same.

Mike, where in Central Illinois are you located? Unless he's stopped very recently there was an AME in Monticello, about half way between Decatur and Champaign.

Dave

[martymayes]

Just got off the phone with AOPA and they concur. The phrase flight crewmember was my concern. The term implies required crew to include pilots, FEs, navigators, cargo specialist if hazardous material carried, and flight attendants if more than 9 pax. In my tortured little mind that didn’t apply to GA types. My bad.

The next question is will insurance pay claims if PIC does not hold a valid medical and has a mishap? If said policy requires a valid medical that would technically breech the insurance contract.

[Mike Switzer]

Mike, where in Central Illinois are you located? Unless he's stopped very recently there was an AME in Monticello, about half way between Decatur and Champaign.

Dave

Dave I am in Decatur. As far as I know the guy in Monticello is still there. Right now I am not worrying about a medical as I don't have access to a plane, I will probably end up self certifying when the time comes. I might need to get a new doctor though, he wanted me to take a new BP med & I asked him if it was FAA approved & he didn't know what the FAA was. Then he acted like he thought flying a small plane was risky behavior.

[Floatsflyer]

I might need to get a new doctor though, he wanted me to take a new BP med & I asked him if it was FAA approved & he didn't know what the FAA was. Then he acted like he thought flying a small plane was risky behavior.

Did you tell him that dealing with a doctor like him was indeed risky behavior?

[FlyingRon]

The next question is will insurance pay claims if PIC does not hold a valid medical and has a mishap? If said policy requires a valid medical that would technically breech the insurance contract.
Does your policy say that? The insurance company was largely unconcerned with that sort of info on my forced landing. The FAA was a different story. They wanted copies of my certificates (why they can't look it up, they have all that) as well as my flight review signoff and the last annual.

I do believe the insurer asked for the annual info.

[Tom Charpentier]

We've had verbal indications from at least one insurer who stated that they would not pursue policyholders with expired medicals under this policy. I would get that in writing before flying, however. There are a lot of moving parts with this policy statement, and it doesn't help that the month is about to end. We're working on getting some clarifications and will publish an update as soon as we hear more.