FAA Safety July/August 2017 BRIEFING

Your source for general aviation news and information

BasicMed

Begins ...

Bring On BasicMed! What You Need to Know p 8

You Asked, We Answered Your Top BasicMed Questions p 18

How to Talk To Your Doctor about BasicMed p 22

faa.gov/news/safety_briefing

@FAASafetyBrief

Federal Aviation

Administration
FAA Safety Briefing is the FAA safety policy voice of non-commercial general aviation.

The July/August 2017 issue of 

FAA Safety Briefing explores 

several key facets of the new 

BasicMed rule, which offers 

pilots an alternative to the FAA’s 

medical qualification process for 

third class medical certificates. 

Under BasicMed, a pilot will 

be required to complete a 

medical education course every 

two years, undergo a medical 

examination every four years, 

and comply with aircraft and 

operating restrictions.

Features

8 Bring On BasicMed! What The FAA’s New Regulatory Relief Rule Means For You

by Brad Zeigler

12 Errare Humanum Est To Err is Human

by Sabrina Woods

16 BasicMed One Departure Procedure BasicMed Infographic

by Paul Cianciolo

18 You Asked, We Answered Your Top BasicMed Questions 

by Jennifer Caron

22 Doctor, Doctor, Let Me Give You the News How to Talk to Your Doctor about 

BasicMed 

by James Williams

25 How to Defeat Dehydration A Forgotten Risk to Flight Safety

by Trey McClure

26 National GA Award Honorees Top 2017 General Aviation Professionals Announced

Departments

1 Jumpseat – an executive policy perspective

2 ATIS – GA news and current events

5 Aeromedical Advisory – a checkup on all things aeromedical

6 Ask Medical Certification – Q&A on medical certification issues

15 Checklist – FAA resources and safety reminders

28 Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons – GA maintenance issues

29 Angle of Attack – GA safety strategies

30 Vertically Speaking – safety issues for rotorcraft pilots

31 Flight Forum – letters from the Safety Briefing mailbag

32 Postflight – an editor’s perspective

Inside back cover FAA Faces – FAA employee profile

25

8

22

18
Jumpseat JOHN DUNCAN

DIRECTOR, FLIGHT STANDARDS SERVICE

July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 1

The Basics of BasicMed

By the time you read this issue of FAA Safety 

Briefing, the new BasicMed rule (14 CFR part 

61.113(i)) will have been in effect for around three 

months. Based on the intense level of interest we 

have seen and heard in the community, I imagine 

that a number of the pilots the FAA team will meet at 

AirVenture this summer will have chosen to operate 

under the new rules.

I will be among you. As many of you know, I 

have been exercising sport pilot privileges to fly my 

Titan Tornado light sport aircraft since allowing my 

FAA medical to lapse after a now-resolved health 

issue. I have flown my Piper Cherokee with pilots 

qualified to act as PIC, but she has still been very 

jealous to see the Titan fly a lot more often than she 

has. I am eager to restore the balance, if only to keep 

the peace in my hangar.

Rights and Responsibilities

There is no doubt that BasicMed is good and 

happy news for many of us, but I want to take a few 

minutes here to talk about rights and responsibilities 

or, as the FAA likes to say, privileges and limitations. 

It’s important, so stay with me.

A few years ago, I was deeply involved in the 

development of 14 CFR part 117, the Flight Duty and 

Rest rule for commercial air transportation flight 

crewmembers. Some of the points I made to the 

community at that time are also applicable to BasicMed. Like part 117, the new rule represents what 

should be a familiar approach to the FAA’s rules: that 

flight safety (via risk management) is an inherent, 

personal responsibility that belongs to each flight 

crewmember. However, with part 117, Congress 

charged the FAA with turning some very specific 

requirements into a regulation that we could implement and oversee.

In the case of part 117, Congress intended for us 

to develop a science-based rule that would ensure 

well-rested pilots. Because the science was not as 

robust as we hoped it would be, the FAA developed a 

rule based on the science and data that did exist, one 

intended to be a guide.

In the case of BasicMed, Congress intended for 

us to develop a rule that would give greater flexibility to those flying for recreation and personal 

transportation. While the 2004 Sport Pilot rule has 

provided some useful information on the safety 

of operations with the so-called “driver’s license 

medical,” the breadth of BasicMed’s applicability 

still puts both the FAA and the aviation community 

in new territory.

In Letter and in Spirit

Consequently, just as with part 117, BasicMed 

needs to be implemented in the spirit of its intent, 

and its success depends on honest, professional, 

mutual cooperation by all parties. Those who fly 

under BasicMed do not have to navigate the kind of 

employer/employee challenges inherent in the dayto-day operation of part 117, but the kind of safety 

and “just culture” issues embedded in that rule are 

just as important in BasicMed.

Safety assurance is a shared responsibility, and 

it requires a lot more than just following the letter of 

the regulations. Medical self-certification is expected 

of all pilots, but those of 

us using BasicMed have 

the same obligation to 

take our risk management responsibilities 

seriously and achieve 

the same safety standard we have enjoyed 

when using a third-class medical or flying as Sport 

Pilots. Just as in those other areas of operation, we 

need to see and avoid medical risks, and we must all 

adopt zero tolerance for reckless behavior. We need 

to demonstrate our understanding that safety management is risk management.

Fortunately, BasicMed provides not only new 

opportunities, but also new tools. Completing 

one of the new, online medical education courses 

is a requirement for operating under BasicMed, 

but whether or not you decide to use this option, 

enhancing your aeromedical education is very 

worthwhile. For everyone’s benefit, I urge you to take 

this information — and the fit to fly self-certification 

responsibility — very seriously.

Now — let’s go fly!

Those of us using BasicMed have a special 

obligation to take medical self-certification 

very seriously and show the world — 

including the many doubters — that we can 

measure up to the highest expectations.
ATIS AVIATION NEWS ROUNDUP

2 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

New Graphical Forecasts for Aviation

To improve operational benefits and enhance 

safety within the National Airspace System (NAS), 

the FAA will replace the Area Forecast for the continental U.S. (CONUS), a legacy textual product 

used to describe en route weather phenomena, 

with the Aviation Weather Center’s new Graphical 

Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) now available on AviationWeather.gov/GFA. Area Forecasts for Alaska, 

Hawaii, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico will 

not change at this time.

The new, interactive GFA webpage focuses 

on low-altitude flights and includes the following 

observational weather products: Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Reports 

(METARs), Precipitation/Weather (PCPN/WX), 

Ceiling & Visibility (CIG/VIS), Pilot Reports 

(PIREPs), and Radar & Satellite. Forecast information is displayed for non-meteorologists, and pilots 

get a complete three-dimensional picture of the 

weather, including forecasts and warnings for: 

Terminal Area Forecasts (TAFs), thunderstorms, 

clouds, flight category, precipitation, icing, turbulence, and wind.

The GFA and static graphical forecast images will 

be updated continuously at AviationWeather.gov. More 

details will be available in a future revision of Advisory 

Circular 00-45H, Aviation Weather Services. A short 

video explaining how to navigate the GFA interactive 

web tool is available at youtu.be/kLe6Eu3fwS0.

Flight Plan Changes in the D.C. FRZ

The FAA plans to transfer responsibility for the 

filing of flight restricted zone (FRZ) flight plans 

from Flight Service to the flight data unit, located 

at the Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center 

(ARTCC), in the fall of 2017. The transfer of this 

responsibility will increase security in the validation of flights allowed to operate in the FRZ. Pilots 

will need to use a new telephone number to call in 

a FRZ flight plan.

Pilots flying in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, designated as a Special Flight Rules Area 

(SFRA) that includes the FRZ, are keenly aware that 

aircraft are under additional security measures to 

protect the nation’s capital. The SFRA is an area 

where the identification, location, and control of 

aircraft is required and considered national defense 

airspace. The SFRA consists of a lateral 30-nm radius 

of the DCA VOR/DME and is clearly marked on the 

Washington, D.C. sectional chart and the associated 

terminal area chart. The FRZ, which is subject to 

additional restrictions, is located within the SFRA 

and covers approximately the area within a 13-15 nm 

radius of Washington, D.C.

Before departure, IFR and VFR pilots seeking to 

fly through or within the FRZ, or depart or arrive at 

College Park, Potomac Airfield, or Washington Executive/Hyde Field airports currently have to file a FRZ 

flight plan with the Washington Hub Flight Service 

Station. Effective September 26, 2017, at 1200Z, the 

Washington ARTCC Flight Data Unit will file pilots’ 

FRZ flight plans. These flight plans are only accepted 

after it has been determined that the aircraft is on the 

applicable waiver list, or that the pilot has provided 

the appropriate identification. Pilots will not be able 

to submit flight plans to or from a FRZ airport online. 

To receive search and rescue services, pilots must file 

a VFR flight plan with Flight Service.

The FAA will update the DC SFRA course to 

reflect this change, as well as provide the Washington ARTCC contact information once final. For further information on the training required to fly in the 

Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, visit the FAA 

Safety website at 1.usa.gov/2pOJm8l.

UAS Facility Maps Released

The FAA has published more than 200 facility 

maps to streamline the civil (part 107) drone autho-
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 3

rization process. The maps depict areas and altitudes near airports where UAS may operate safely, 

but drone operators still need FAA authorization to 

fly in those areas.

This marks a key first step as the FAA and industry work together to automate the airspace authorization process. The maps are a tool to help tailor part 

107 remote pilot requests to align with locations and 

altitudes when they complete airspace authorization 

applications at faa.gov/uas/request_waiver.

Operators may download the map data in several 

formats, view the site on mobile devices, and customize their views. The map viewer at arcg.is/2qsLdTo 

displays numbers in grid cells which represent the 

distances above ground level (AGL) in one square 

mile up to 400 feet where drones may fly. Zeros 

on the UAS facility maps indicate critical locations 

around airports and other aircraft operating areas, 

like hospital helipads, where requests to operate will 

require further coordination and FAA safety analysis, 

which can take additional time to process and may 

result in additional safety mitigations to be complied 

with by the drone operator.

Additional maps will be published every 56 days 

through the end of the year. The updates will coincide with the agency’s existing 56-day aeronautical 

chart production schedule. If a map is not yet available, it can be expected in future releases.

The facility maps are an important accomplishment as the FAA collaborates with industry to 

safely integrate drones into the NAS. They will help 

improve the safety of drone and traditional aircraft 

operations. Questions may be directed to the FAA’s 

UAS Integration Office via uashelp@faa.gov or by 

calling 844-FLY-MY-UA.

Supporting a Public Agency with UAS

If you are a certificated Remote Pilot operating your civil UAS in accordance with 14 CFR part 

107, you may conduct a mission on behalf of a 

public agency (e.g., local fire department) with their 

expressed permission, and without specific approval 

Safety Enhancement Topics

Please visit www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing for more information on these and other topics.

July: Pilots & Medications

Understanding how drugs can compromise a 

pilot’s ability to control the aircraft.

August: Runway Safety

Tips and best practices that can help you avoid 

incursions and improve your overall runway safety.

The UAS facility map viewer displays numbers in grid cells 

which represent the distances above ground level (AGL) in one 

square mile up to 400 feet where drones may fly.
4 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

from the FAA, as long as you can operate under the 

provisions of part 107.

However, some public safety missions don’t 

allow for a safe flight under part 107 and do require 

approval from the FAA in the form of an authorization or waiver. If preplanning and preparation are 

possible, a civil UAS operator should request the FAA 

authorization or waiver necessary for the anticipated 

missions in advance. When this is not possible due 

to emergency circumstances, the public agency 

can sponsor a civil UAS operator for issuance of an 

emergency Special Government Interest-Certificate 

of Authorization (SGI-COA).

In order to enable issuance of an emergency SGICOA, the public agency must call the FAA System 

Operations Security Center at (202) 267-8276 and 

follow up with an email to 9-ator-hq-sosc@faa.gov. 

The public sponsor will need the UAS operator’s 

name, part 107 remote pilot-in-command certificate 

number, and the UAS registration number(s) and 

phone number to facilitate that approval. The small 

UAS operator must have a current 14 CFR part 107 

Remote Pilot Certificate, and copies of any current 

part 107 waivers must be provided as part of the 

public sponsor’s request for emergency airspace 

access and/or SGI-COA for verification by the FAA.

The remote pilot must operate under the part 

107 regulations not specifically waived and any 

special provisions provided as part of the SGI-COA. 

Civil UAS operators are encouraged to get a written 

approval from the sponsor to operate on their behalf 

for the specific emergency and to obtain a copy of 

the SGI-COA from the FAA to be kept with them 

during the operation. 

The emergency SGI-COA process works more 

quickly if the public agency already has a Certificate 

of Authorization (COA) on file with the FAA. For the 

latest information, see faa.gov/uas.

U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Aviation 

Administration

ISSN: 1057-9648

FAA Safety Briefing

July/August 2017 

Volume 56/Number 4

Elaine L. Chao Secretary of Transportation

Michael P. Huerta Administrator

Ali Bahrami Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety

John Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service

James Viola Manager, General Aviation and Commercial Division

Susan Parson Editor

Tom Hoffmann Managing Editor

James Williams Associate Editor / Photo Editor

Jennifer Caron Assistant Editor

Paul Cianciolo Assistant Editor

John Mitrione Art Director

Published six times a year, FAA Safety Briefing, formerly FAA Aviation News, promotes aviation safety by discussing current technical, regulatory, and procedural 

aspects affecting the safe operation and maintenance of aircraft. Although based 

on current FAA policy and rule interpretations, all material is advisory or informational in nature and should not be construed to have regulatory effect. Certain 

details of accidents described herein may have been altered to protect the privacy 

of those involved.

The FAA does not officially endorse any goods, services, materials, or products of 

manufacturers that may be referred to in an article. All brands, product names, 

company names, trademarks, and service marks are the properties of their respective 

owners. All rights reserved.

The Office of Management and Budget has approved the use of public funds for 

printing FAA Safety Briefing.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The magazine is available on the Internet at:

http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing

Comments or questions should be directed to the staff by:

● Emailing: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov

● Writing: Editor, FAA Safety Briefing, Federal Aviation Administration, AFS850, 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20591

● Calling: (202) 267-1100

● Twitter: @FAASafetyBrief

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July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 5

Aeromedical Advisory MICHAEL BERRY, M.D.

FEDERAL AIR SURGEON

Can You Fly While High?

Change, the defining characteristic of history, is 

inevitable. Sometimes change creates conflict between 

state and federal laws, as is the case now that some 

jurisdictions around the United States approve medicinal and even recreational use of marijuana. As far as 

the federal government’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is concerned, marijuana is classified as a 

Schedule 1 drug and, as such, is strictly illegal.

The debate about who’s right and who’s wrong 

about marijuana is beyond the scope of this column. 

My point is that even if legality was not an issue, 

marijuana remains a disqualifying drug. Let me be 

perfectly clear: If you are flying while under the influence of marijuana, you are flying impaired. If you are 

flying with marijuana or its metabolites detectable in 

your body, you are flying illegally. You should also be 

aware that marijuana, or its metabolites, may remain 

in the body for as long as 30 days after use.

Why Do We Need to Make this Statement?

In 2014, the National Transportation Safety 

Board (NTSB) released a long-term study of pilot 

impairment (go.usa.gov/x56Ky), which examined the 

toxicology results of pilots fatally injured between 

1990 and 2012. In this study, the NTSB noticed an 

increased prevalence in marijuana use among those 

pilots. In fact, the NTSB noted that when comparing 

the first five years to the last five years of the study, 

positive marijuana results nearly doubled.

Combined with other studies that show 

increased marijuana use in the general population 

and new state laws allowing expanded medical/

recreational use of marijuana, the NTSB became 

concerned about the potential safety impact. Its 

report notes that “illicit drug use is particularly 

concerning to transportation safety because, unlike 

typical therapeutic use of drugs in which impairment 

is often an undesired side effect, illicit drug users are 

often actively seeking the impairing effects of the 

drug.” The NTSB concludes that: “Not surprisingly, 

there is evidence showing that taking illicit drugs 

significantly elevates the risk of having an aviation 

accident.” The FAA concurs with this opinion.

What is the FAA’s Policy on Marijuana?

FAA policy on marijuana use is clear. The FAA 

considers marijuana to be an illicit drug, regardless 

of whether the airman has a prescription or lives in 

a state where marijuana is approved for recreational 

use. Illicit drug use by crewmembers (including 

pilots) is not allowed, as stipulated in 14 CFR part 

91.17(a)(3): “(a) No person may act or attempt to act 

as a crewmember of a civil aircraft — (3) While using 

any drug that affects the person’s faculties in any 

way contrary to safety.” Parts 91.17, and 61.15, also 

contain penalties for conviction of crimes involving 

marijuana (Federal or State).

Additionally, 14 CFR part 67 (medical standards) 

defines substance dependence, including marijuana 

dependence, as a specifically disqualifying condition 

for all classes of medical certificates (sections 67.107, 

67.207, and 67.307). This means 

that both the use of marijuana, and 

dependence upon it, are disqualifying. The DOT states that: “Marijuana 

remains a drug listed in Schedule 

I of the Controlled Substances Act. 

It remains unacceptable for any safety-sensitive 

employee subject to drug testing under the Department of Transportation’s drug testing regulations to 

use marijuana.” (See go.usa.gov/x56kv for more).

While DOT drug testing (random and preemployment) regulations don’t apply to many 

general aviation pilots, the same safety sensitivity 

does. As I noted earlier, marijuana is a significantly 

impairing drug. The qualities that make it so attractive to some users are the same ones that make it 

particularly dangerous for an airman. It results in 

significant performance degradation of the executive functions of the brain (e.g., decision-making, 

multitasking, and situational awareness), which are 

absolutely critical to safe piloting.

The FAA policy is clear: No flying on marijuana. 

If you are not a pilot subject to drug testing, you are 

still risking your safety. If you are subject to drug 

testing, you are also jeopardizing your employment, 

regardless of any prescription or recreational use 

laws. If you do live in a state that approves medical/

recreation use of marijuana, please exercise great 

care, and remember how long marijuana and its 

metabolites remain in the body, when deciding if 

you are ready to return to flight.

Bottom line: I recommend avoiding marijuana if 

you want to fly.

If you are flying while under 

the influence of marijuana, you 

are flying impaired.
6 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Ask Medical Certification PENNY GIOVANETTI, D.O.

M ANAGER, AEROSPACE MEDICA L 

SPECIALTIES DIVISION

Q1. I understand that the FAA will not allow a 

pilot to fly using monovision corrective lens, (contacts or eye glasses) where one eye is corrected 

for distance vision and the other is corrected for 

reading. What is the FAA position on cataract surgery, where this is done?

A1. Surgical monovision is treated the same as 

acquired monocularity, and requires a Medical 

Flight Test and Statement of Demonstrated Ability 

(SODA) after a 6 month adaptation period.

Q2. Stress test noted progressive Ischemia. Nuc 

or Echo stress tests requested. Also a vision field 

test — is that vision test really a necessary test?

A2. Without knowing your specific case, I cannot 

answer this question. Visual field testing can be very 

important with some eye diseases such as glaucoma 

where peripheral vision is gradually lost.

Q3. If you were to have a medical condition that 

prevented you from flying, such as a pulmonary 

embolism, and you were able to get rid of the 

embolism and stop taking blood thinners before 

your next physical, are you obligated to tell the 

flight surgeon before you start flying again, or is it 

sufficient to disclose it during the next physical?

A3. You are not obligated to tell the flight surgeon; 

however, pulmonary embolus can be life threatening and it would be wise to discuss your condition 

with the flight surgeon before you return to flying. It 

would be important to discuss your current condition as well as your risk of future events.

Q4. I have chronic back and sciatica pain. I had 

a L 4-5 fusion 7 years ago. My doctors say Gabapentin would help my neuropathy. I have tried it 

and it helped tremendously with no side effects at 

all. I know it was made for seizures which I never 

have had, but I don’t understand why someone 

like me can’t use it? Also, if I did occasionally use 

it, would I be able to fly if I waited “X” amount of 

days and if so what would “X” be? Same question 

if you took a pain killer like Vicodin or a half of 

Percocet?  Is there a time period that would allow 

a pilot to occasionally use a restricted medicine 

but not fly until after so many hours/days after 

use?  I would think after a surgery a pilot would be 

given pain killers, but eventually fly again after a 

certain amount of time? Thank you.

A4. We must always consider the reason a medication is being taken and not just the medication itself. 

If you have chronic back pain and neuropathy, it 

may not be in your best interest to take medications 

episodically. Nor would it be wise to fly with distracting back pain and neuropathic symptoms. All three 

of these medications depress the central nervous 

system. If you and your treating doctor find that rare 

use of these medications are in your best interest, 

the minimum wait times are 24 hours for Vicodin, 36 

hours for gabapentin, and 72 hours for Percocet.

Q5. I want to start flying again after 30 years of 

flight inactivity. I am a healthy 80 year old male 

with a St. Jude pacemaker/defibrillator, the first 

one implanted in 2006, and lasting for nine years 

before a low battery necessitated a replacement. 

Now, for almost 11 years, the device has not been 

activated by any cardiac anomaly. Is there a possibility that I can get a 3rd class medical certificate 

with the device? I have a multi-engine instrument 

rating with about 1,500 hours logged.

A5. I am sorry to say that unless the defibrillator 

function of the device is inactivated, you would 

not be eligible for a medical certificate. You may 

fly with a pacemaker as long as you are not totally 

dependent on it.

Penny Giovanetti, D.O., received a bachelor’s degree from Stanford, a master’s in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine from the University 

of Iowa and doctorate from Des Moines University. She completed a 27-year 

career as an Air Force flight surgeon. She is board certified in aerospace 

medicine, occupational medicine and physical medicine/rehabilitation. She 

is also a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and a private pilot.

Send your questions to SafetyBriefing@faa.gov. We’ll 

forward them to the Aerospace Medical Certification 

Division, without your name, and publish the answer 

in an upcoming issue.
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 7

- 

 

0830 – 0945 1000 – 1115 1130 – 1245 1:00 – 2:15 2:30 – 3:45 4:00 – 5:00 

Monday 

July 24

Runway Safety 

Update

Andy Miller 

Wings: BK2 

Over the Counter 

Drugs and Flying 

FAA, Dr. David Schall 

Wings: BK3 

Weather and 

Colorado Mountain 

Flying 

Bill Standerfer

Wings: MK2 

BasicMed-How 

Does it Work & Is it 

Right For You? 

Gregory Pinnell, MD 

Wings: BK3 

Tactical IFR 

Guy Lieser & Panel 

Wings: AK2 

Pilot/Controller 

Communication 

Forum 

Robert Obma 

Wings: AK2 

Tuesday 

July 25

Don ‘t Go Bump in 

the Night: Night 

Flying Hazards

Bob McCabe 

Wings: AK1 

Decision Making in a 

Crisis 

Cmdr. Kirk Lippold 

Wings: MK1 

Four Landing 

Accident Stories: 

Cause & Prevention 

Woody Minar 

Wings: BK2 

Fly the Easy Way; 21 

things that make your 

flying easier, safer . . . 

Larry Bothe 

Wings: BK3 

FAA Medical 

Update 

FAA, Dr. David Schall 

Wings: BK3 

High Altitude 

Physiology 

FAA, Rogers Shaw 

Wings: AK2 

Wednesday 

July 26

ADM and Risk 

Management for 

UAS Operators 

Kevin Morris - FPM 

Wings: BK3 

Ditching and Water 

Survival 

COMO Robert Shafer 

Wings: MK2 

ADS-B Prepared 2020 

– Airspace, 

Equipment, Benefits 

Panel

Wings: BK3 

The Kings on Avoiding 

Unwanted Adventure 

John and Martha King 

Wings: AK1 

All About Spins 

Catherine 

Cavagnaro 

Wings: MK2 

Panel of Experts 

(IFR) 

Guy Lieser & Panel 

Wings: AK2 

Thursday 

July 27

General Aviation 

Awards 

CFI of the Year 

AT of the Year 

FAASTeam Rep of 

the Year 

Would the Real PIC 

Please Stand Up 

Greg Feith

Wings: AK2 

*No Session* 

Meet the 

Administrator 

@ the EAA Pavilion 

*No Session*

How to Talk to ATC 

Heather McNevin 

Wings: MK2 

TFRs & 

Interceptors: How 

to Avoid an Escort 

Major Josh 

Boudreaux

Wings: MK2 

Avoiding Runway 

Incursions and/or 

Deviations

Peg Ballou 

Wings: BK2 

Friday 

July 28

VOR Minimum 

Operational

Network (VOR MON) 

Panel 

Wings: BK3 

FAA Medical Update 

FAA, Dr. Michael 

Berry 

Wings: BK3 

Visual Flight Illusions 

Michael Stretanski, 

D.O.

Wings: MK2 

Making Wrong a 

Little More Right; 

The Normalization of 

Deviance 

Sarah Rovner 

Wings: AK2 

Stop Talking about 

Safety 

Tom Turner 

Wings: AK2 

Airman Certification 

Standards: Update 

FAA, Susan Parson 

Wings: BK3 

Saturday 

July 29

Check-ride Tips: Do’s 

and Don’ts 

Warren Smith 

Wings: BK3 

Professionalism & 

the Top-10 “Most 

Wanted” 

Undesirable 

Attitudes

Rex Alexander

Wings: AK2 

Airborne NEXRAD 

Radar – Review, 

Update Accident 

Analysis 

David Strahle, MD

Wings: MK1 

1800WXBRIEF The 

Best of the Future of 

Flight Service 

Joe Daniele 

Wings: BK3 

Fatigue/Stress in 

Aeronautical 

Decision Making 

FAA Rogers Shaw 

Wings: BK3 

FAA Legal Update 

James Tegtmeier 

Wings: BK3 

Sunday 

July 30

Closed

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2017 July 24 – 30, 2017
Bring On

BasicMed

8 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

What the FAA’s New Regulatory Relief Rule Means for You

BRAD ZEIGLER

F

or thousands of general aviation (GA) pilots, May 

Day, a.k.a. May 1, signified much more than a day 

of seasonal celebration. May 1, 2017 marked the 

start of BasicMed, the medical certificate relief that 

allows GA pilots, exercising private pilot privileges, 

to fly powered aircraft as pilot in command (PIC) 

without holding an FAA-issued medical certificate.

BasicMed originated from Congress and is the 

FAA program implementing provisions of section 

2307 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 

2016 (FESSA).

BasicMed in a Nutshell

BasicMed permits certain pilots, flying certain 

aircraft, to conduct certain operations, without holding a current medical certificate. It is an alternative to 

the third class medical certificate; however, it is not a 

replacement of the third class certificate, and it is not 

a “fourth class” certificate. BasicMed is simply another 

means of being able to establish medical eligibility in 

order to act as PIC of a powered aircraft in certain circumstances. Let’s take a closer look at the details.

Are you Eligible for BasicMed?

Here are the items that you’ll need to qualify for 

BasicMed:

Driver’s License. You must hold a current and 

valid U.S. driver’s license and have it in your personal 

possession when operating under BasicMed. While 

you might use an official passport to serve as a valid 

form of photo identification under section 61.3(a)

(2), it may not be used in lieu of a driver’s license to 

operate under BasicMed. An international driver’s 

license or a foreign driver’s license does not suffice 

either. Any restrictions on your driver’s license, such 

as corrective lenses or “daylight driving only” will 

also apply under BasicMed.

At least one Medical Certificate. You must have 

held a valid FAA medical certificate at any point after 

July 14, 2006. If that medical certificate was associated with special issuance, the expiration of the 

special issuance must be after July 14, 2006. Remember, if you are operating under BasicMed, your most 

recent medical certificate must not have been suspended or revoked, any special issuances must not 

have been withdrawn, and if you’ve since applied for 

another medical certificate, that completed application cannot have been denied.

One Special Issuance. BasicMed contains several 

provisions that require specific actions for individuals who have ever had certain mental, cardiac, or 

neurological health conditions. If you have had 

one of those conditions, you must obtain a medical 

certificate with authorization for special issuance. 

You are required to obtain only one special issuance 

medical certificate for each condition in order to 

operate under BasicMed. If you presently have, or are 

newly diagnosed with, a cardiovascular, neurological, 

or mental health condition described in section 68.9, 

you may not use BasicMed until you have been found 

eligible for special issuance of a medical certificate. 

The list of special conditions from section 68.9 is 

listed on the BasicMed website, faa.gov.go/BasicMed.

Once you’ve determined your eligibility, here are 

the steps you’ll need to take to fly under BasicMed:

Step 1: See Any State-Licensed Physician

Before you go to your appointment with a statelicensed physician of your choosing (and preferably 

one who’s familiar with your health history), you 

must first complete your portion of FAA Form 8700-

2, Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist 
Photo by James Williams

July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 9

(CMEC). If the section you’re required to fill out 

looks familiar, it should — it’s derived from a previous version of FAA Form 8500-8, the medical certificate application form that now exists in MedXPress.

Section 2 of the form requires you to answer 

questions about your medical history. Your physician 

will review your responses to those questions and 

address any medical issues or medications taken, as 

they apply to operating an aircraft or motor vehicle.

In addition to reviewing your responses in 

section 2, your physician will conduct a medical 

examination of the items listed in section 3. These 

are similar items that an Aviation Medical Examiner 

would review for your third-class medical exam.

If your physician is satisfied that you present no 

medical conditions that would interfere with your 

ability to safely operate an aircraft, he or she will sign 

the form and complete the identifying information, 

including his or her state license number. Legibility 

is key here as you will need this information in order 

to print your medical education course completion 

certificate. Once the CMEC is completed, store it in 

your logbook. In order to act as PIC under BasicMed, 

you must have completed a medical examination in 

the preceding 48 months.

The FAA acknowledges that your CMEC contains 

private medical information, and a representative of 

the FAA will never ask to see the form unless there is 

an incident or investigation that warrants inspection 

of the document.

Step 2: Take the BasicMed Online Medical 

Course

The FAA’s BasicMed website contains a list of 

each approved medical education course provider 

for BasicMed. The courses contain several topics 

regarding fitness for flight, including:

• medical self-assessments;

• warning signs of potential serious medical 

conditions;

• risk mitigation strategies for medical 

conditions;

• awareness of impairment from over-the-counter 

and prescription drug medications; and

• regular medical checkups.

Once you complete the course, you will be 

required to electronically certify that you allow the 

FAA to access your driving records, that you’re being 

actively treated for any medical condition that affects 

your ability to fly, that you’ve completed the CMEC, 

and that you understand your obligations under section 61.53 regarding operation of an aircraft during a 

medical deficiency.

Once you complete the course and make the 

required certifications, you will be required to enter 

information about yourself and the physician who 

completed the CMEC (be sure that the personal 

information you enter matches exactly what’s on 

your pilot certificate). This information is transmitted to the FAA, and you will be provided with 

a course completion certificate to retain in your 

logbook. In order to act as PIC under BasicMed, you 

must have completed the online medical course 

within the preceding 24 calendar months.

Step 3: Fly A BasicMed Covered Aircraft

Under BasicMed, you may fly any aircraft with 

a maximum take-off weight of 6,000 pounds or less, 

and certified to carry not more than six occupants. 

The aircraft may be type-certificated, or certified 

under an experimental airworthiness certificate. 

BasicMed makes no distinction on the number, type, 

or horsepower of engines, but you must adhere to 

the operational limitations described below.
10 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Step 4: Know Your BasicMed Operating 

Limits

While BasicMed permits flights of any distance 

or duration, any time of the day, under visual or 

instrument flight rules, there are a few operational 

limitations that you need to be aware of. Congress 

established that these limitations apply to the entire 

flight, so take note if you routinely trade off PIC 

responsibilities with another pilot during a flight. 

Even if the pilot you are flying with holds a valid 

medical certificate and has the ability to operate 

beyond the constraints of BasicMed, you cannot act 

as PIC at any time during that flight if those limitations are exceeded, even if the other pilot is acting as 

PIC during that portion of the flight.

Max Passengers (five). You may not fly with more 

than five passengers, regardless of the number of seats. 

U.S. Airspace. Because BasicMed is not recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization 

(ICAO) as meeting internationally-agreed medical 

standards, you may not operate under BasicMed 

outside the United States unless you are authorized by 

the country in which the flight is conducted.

Max Altitude. While BasicMed doesn’t prescribe 

a limitation on the service ceiling of the aircraft you 

are flying, you may not fly above 18,000 feet mean 

sea level (MSL) while operating under BasicMed. 

This is an important flight planning consideration 

if you typically fly over high terrain, weather, or just 

want to avoid turbulence at lower altitudes.

Max Airspeed. If you fly a fast plane, you may 

need to throttle back so you can remain at or below 

250 knots indicated airspeed. This is indicated airspeed, so your true airspeed or groundspeed may be 

higher than 250 knots.

No Compensation or Hire. Just as is the case 

when exercising your private pilot privileges under 

a third-class medical certificate, you may not operate under BasicMed for compensation or for hire. 

The standard exceptions of section 61.113(b) still 

apply to BasicMed, so you may continue to split the 

pro-rata share of the operating expenses with your 

passengers or receive reimbursement for search 

and location efforts. Flight instructors take note: The 

FAA considers the compensation flight instructors 

receive to be for teaching, not piloting the aircraft. 

As such, flight instructors may receive compensation 

for instructing while operating under BasicMed.

Step 5: Know Your Fitness to Fly

Assessing your medical readiness for flight should 

not be limited to once every 1,461 days. We should be 

evaluating ourselves each and every time we fly. Just as 

we preflight the aircraft we’re about to fly, we should be 

conducting a thorough preflight on ourselves to determine if there are any medical conditions that could 

prevent us from safely conducting the flight. Whether 

you fly under BasicMed or not, section 61.53 prohibits 

you from acting as PIC if you know, or have reason to 

know, of any medical condition that would make you 

unable to operate the aircraft in a safe manner.

The BasicMed online training courses provide 

education and resources on how to conduct this evaluation. For this reason alone, the course is worth taking, 

even if you don’t plan to operate under BasicMed.

Step 6: Know Your Limitations

The FAA enacted BasicMed exactly as Congress 

prescribed. As such, there are a few things worth 

noting.

Dates. Note that the comprehensive medical exam must be completed in the preceding 48 

months. That is exactly 1,461 days prior to the day 
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 11

of the flight. On the other hand, the online medical 

course must be completed 24 calendar months prior 

to acting as PIC under BasicMed. Calendar months 

means that if your course was completed on May 

10, 2017, you have until May 31, 2019, before you 

must take it again in order to continuously act as PIC 

under BasicMed.

Safety Pilots. You may not act as a safety pilot 

under BasicMed unless you also agree to act as the 

PIC. A safety pilot, by virtue of being a required crewmember, is required to hold a medical certificate. 

Because BasicMed only applies to pilots acting as 

PIC, a safety pilot who is not PIC must hold a valid 

medical certificate, and may not operate under 

BasicMed. This also applies to flight instructors if 

they are providing instrument instruction to a pilot 

who has agreed to act as PIC. The moment the pilot 

receiving instruction puts on a view-limiting device, 

the flight instructor has become the safety pilot, and 

must hold a valid medical certificate unless the flight 

instructor agrees to act as PIC.

Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs). Congress 

did not extend the relief provided by BasicMed to 

DPEs, so in accordance with section 61.23(a)(3)(iv), 

DPEs must hold at least a third-class medical certificate in order to perform the duties of an examiner.

Aircraft Certificated to carry more than six occupants. Certain aircraft, such as variants of the Piper 

PA-32 and PA-34, and other makes/models do not 

qualify under BasicMed because they are certificated 

to carry more than six occupants, even if they only 

have six seats installed. In order to determine the 

number of occupants your aircraft is certificated 

to carry, refer to your aircraft’s type certificate data 

sheet, found on the FAA public website.

The FAA expects the regulatory relief offered 

with the BasicMed rule to be a major success for 

the GA community. In fact, as of this writing, more 

than 5,000 pilots have already completed the online 

course and submitted their BasicMed medical exam 

records. The new rule is also consistent with the 

FAA’s shift towards risk-based regulation and decision making, shifting responsibility from the agency 

to the airman, and his or her physician, to collaboratively assess fitness for flight. This helps provide 

a winning combination for general aviation: keeping 

pilots safe and flying affordable.

If you have any questions or comments about 

the FAA’s BasicMed rule, please contact us at 

9-AWA-AFS-BasicMed@faa.gov. You can also find 

answers to frequently asked questions at 

go.usa.gov/xNkPs. 

Brad C. Zeigler is an aviation safety analyst with the General Aviation and 

Commercial Division. He is also an Airline Transport Pilot, Certificated Flight 

Instructor, and frequent Cessna 182 flyer around the Washington, D.C. area.
12 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Errare

Humanum Est

To Err is

Human ...

SABRINA WOODS

T

his might come as a shock to you, dear reader, 

but someday, sometime — perhaps even within 

the next hour or so — you will make a mistake. 

Actually, this is highly likely because as humans, we 

make dozens of little mistakes daily. They are those 

innocuous little “oops” that rarely manifest into 

anything more than an irritant; that is if they even 

go noticed at all. Even Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the 

early first century Roman philosopher, is attributed 

with saying “Errare humanum est ...” which means 

to err is human.

Still need convincing? Ok. When was the last 

time you burned your tongue diving (knowingly) into 

a hot piece of pizza or cup of coffee? When was the 

last time your glasses/cell phone/keys “took a walk” 

on you? And my personal favorite, when was the last 

time you walked purposefully into a room, only to 

find out you have no idea what that purpose was?

Now let’s get a little more substantial. Let’s talk 

about those mistakes that can rear up and really do 

you harm if not vigilant. When was the last time you ...

... Skipped a Full Weather Brief?

Because you were “only going to take ‘er up for an 

hour or so?” You might believe that a brief hop from 

here to there shouldn’t warrant more than a cursory 

glance at METARs (aviation routine weather reports), 

but I guarantee that Mother Nature can (and often 

will) have a very different take on your plans.

Managing the weather can often be the most 

difficult part of flying. Continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and encountering thunderstorms or wind shear remain firmly 

affixed in the top 10 causes of GA accidents. It is 

by far the most lethal, with more than 75 percent 

resulting in fatalities. This is a statistic the FAA and 

NTSB, as well as advocacy groups such as AOPA, 

EAA, the National Association of Flight Instructors 

(NAFI), and the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) are diligently working to bring down.

Long gone are the days when you had no other 

option but to call for an updated weather report. 

Today, up-to-date, accurate weather can be at your 

fingertips with any one of the great weather applications available out there. With a mere swipe, you 

can access the information needed to give you a 

complete mental picture of what to expect during all 

phases of your flight.

Even if you are flying in always-sunny Phoenix, 

Ariz., your safest bet is to start each and every flight 

with a full, standard weather briefing. Then set the 

app of your choice or the Adverse Condition Alerting 

Service (1800wxbrief.com) to give you timely, continuous updates throughout the duration of your trip. 

Last, always have a back-up plan for diverting ready to 

go just in case.

One more thing: cross-talk is a huge help in 

keeping the information stream flowing. The National 

Weather Service has a nifty pilot weather reports 

(PIREP) infographic (aviationweather.gov/airep) that 

can help with flight planning. Pilot reports that either 

support or cast doubt on the forecast can help your 

fellow aviators in making their own go/no-go decisions when planning their flights, so share the wealth!
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 13

... Didn’t Top Off?

Another common cause of GA mishaps is fuel 

mismanagement. This fact is rather appalling considering that of all the common reasons for mishap, 

this one is easily the most preventable.

One November day in 2015, the pilot of an 

amateur built aircraft failed to visually check his fuel 

level during the preflight inspection. At the time, 

he guesstimated his flight would only take about 

1.5 hours and that he had more than 3 hours’ worth 

in the tanks. About 10 miles from his destination, 

the engine sputtered and died and he was forced to 

make an off-field landing. Post-accident investigation revealed only about a gallon of unusable fuel 

remained in the wing fuel tanks.

This pilot got lucky: he managed to walk away 

relatively unscathed. In a more tragic example, 

almost the entire Brazilian Chapecoense soccer 

team, as well as several support staff, were killed 

when, according to a preliminary report, their chartered Avro RJ85 ran out of fuel, and crashed in the 

Andes. Apparently, the pilot failed to include appropriate fuel stops in his flight planning.

Whether due to oversight, distraction, or miscalculation, these pilots took a gamble on getting to where 

they were going without physically checking or topping 

up the fuel. They both paid dearly for this mistake.

... “Multitasked?”

There is a reason this word is in quotes. It is 

because multitasking is a myth. Our brains simply 

aren’t designed to perfectly concentrate on more 

than one thing at a time. Before anyone protests 

too much, please note the emphasis here is on 

the words “at a time.” What most people think of 

as multitasking is really “task switching” between 

several different tasks in very short intervals. While 

experience and training definitely help to speed up 

a person’s ability to “task switch” efficiently, human 

beings are incapable of applying 100 percent of their 

concentration to more than one thing at a time. 

When we try to literally do everything at once, each 

task only gets a percentage of our full concentration. Said another way, this also means each task is 

getting shorted our full concentration. As Murphy 

often dictates, the thing getting the least attention 

typically has the biggest potential to bite us. So, 

while you are simultaneously receiving instructions 

from ATC, running the landing checklist, configuring your plane, and watching out for traffic in the 

area, you are really task switching from one aspect 

to another to accomplish everything.

The limitation is in our working memory. We use 

our senses to pick up information we need to make 

decisions. Anything we don’t think is necessary, we 

dump. What is left over is combined with long-term 

memory (experience) in order to make decisions. 

Because we aren’t receiving all of the information 

we need when we attempt to multitask, the quality 

of the information we do have to make decisions is 

degraded. This is how “distraction” and its equally 

evil fraternal twin “fixation,” are born.

This magazine has discussed both of these 

hazards many times, but just as a quick refresher, 

distraction is anything that draws a person’s attention away from the task at hand. The more a person 

attempts to multitask, the more likely he or she will 

become distracted by any one of the tasks.

The opposite effect is fixation. That occurs when 

a person only concentrates on one task despite information indicating something else might need attention too. One situation that fits both of these scenarios 

is when flying with other people, particularly nonpilots. While wanting to engage with your passengers 

is only normal, never forget your number one task is 

to aviate. A gentle conversation about key, silent cockpit moments prior to even stepping out to the aircraft 

will go a long way in ensuring your passengers don’t 

inadvertently become a detriment to safety.

... Skipped a Checklist? 

Quite often, particularly when we become 

comfortable with something, we have a tendency to 

take doing that thing for granted. We think: “nothing 

has ever gone wrong before, so why would it now?” 

I once wrote a short article about complacency 

(https://go.usa.gov/x5kwq) confessing how I totally 

messed up a batch of chocolate chip cookies because 

I got cocky and decided to skip looking at the recipe 

card. Long story short; nasty, hard, pale little coal 

Photo by Tom Hoffmann
14 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

cookies. While there wasn’t a whole lot of harm done 

in the total annihilation of what otherwise would 

have been a tasty snack, in the aviation world complacency and failure to use the tools provided to you 

(e.g., checklists) can result in mishap or worse.

Industry safety databases are full of mishaps that 

could have been prevented if the participants had 

stuck to the checklist. In aviation, perhaps none is 

more glaring than the May 31, 2014 crash of a Gulfstream IV that took the lives of seven people. The aircraft failed to get airborne because the pilots simply 

forgot to disengage the gust locks. The post-accident 

investigation revealed the pilots failed to run a single 

checklist between engine start and take-off. Sadly, this 

omission appeared to be a bit of a habit for them.

The bottom line? Complacency is a killer and 

checklists were written for a reason.

... Rushed a Preflight? 

Similarly, rushing or bypassing a preflight is just 

a really bad idea. The preflight is literally that last 

line of defense before taking to the skies. It is your 

chance to ensure your bird is up to the task, and it is 

a chance for that previously unknown little anomaly 

to finally catch your attention.

Forgoing the preflight can result in anything from 

forgetting to release the tie-down (an embarrassing, 

but likely non-injurious situation) to failing to discover contaminates in the fuel. The latter is by far the 

most common overlooked item in a preflight and can 

result in power loss or complete engine failure.

Rushing a preflight is often a symptom of a 

dreaded ailment variously known as get-there-itis, 

hurry-up syndrome, or pressing. A quick review 

of 125 Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) 

mishaps that fell into these categories indicated the 

majority (63 percent) could trace the point of error 

back to something missed in the preflight.

... Flew Under the Weather?

I’ve already mentioned paying respect to the 

actual weather, so that isn’t what I mean here. We 

super-motivated, driven, eager human beings have 

this pesky tendency to “push through” and stiffupper-lip-it when it comes to not feeling well and 

getting the job done despite it. You may not realize 

it, but your overall health is directly connected to 

your mental faculties and decision-making ability. 

Meaning, when you aren’t feeling your best, your 

ability to safely and efficiently execute a task (like 

piloting an aircraft) is also diminished. For more 

tips on happy, healthy flying, check out the Angle of 

Attack and Checklist departments, and the article 

“How to Defeat Dehydration,” in this magazine. Take 

heed because cruising around at 1,600 feet AGL is no 

place to suddenly have your body completely rebel 

and shut down on you.

Now About That Quote

To be clear, the entirety of Seneca’s famous 

quote is errrare humanum est, sed in errare perseverare diabolicum. It means “to err is human, but 

to persist in error is diabolical.” What he meant was 

that while we are all human and therefore prone 

to making mistakes, consistently making the same 

mistakes over and over again is folly, and downright 

dangerous. Ensuring all of our little mistakes don’t 

manifest to anything more than a burnt mouth and 

misplaced iPhone takes diligence and a real understanding of our own limitations. 

Sabrina Woods is a guest writer for FAA Safety Briefing. She is a human 

factors scientist with the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. She spent 12 years as an 

aircraft maintenance officer and an aviation mishap investigator in the Air Force.

Photo by Tom Hoffmann

Seneca, early first century Roman philosopher
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 15

Checklist SUSAN PARSON

With the inauguration of BasicMed — which 

begins as I write this column on the long-awaited 

May 1, 2017 start date — pilots in the United States 

now have a brand-new medical qualification option. 

As John Duncan observes in this issue’s Jumpseat 

column, though, BasicMed privileges come with the 

responsibility to take our fitness to fly very seriously.

Of course that is true regardless of your medical 

certificate category. Whether you fly with the new 

BasicMed, as a sport pilot with the “driver’s license 

medical,” as a private pilot with a third-class medical, as a commercial pilot on a second-class medical, 

or as an airline transport pilot on a first-class medical, the FAA and the regulations (14 CFR section 

61.53, to be precise) expect you to exercise judgment 

about your health and fitness for flight before every 

flight you take.

Human Airworthiness

As an instructor, I generally present this idea 

with a mechanical (airworthiness) analogy. I once 

sent a student out to preflight a Cessna 152, after we 

had jointly verified that it was airworthy in terms of 

compliance with applicable Airworthiness Directives 

and required inspections. When he got to the airplane, though, he found an impressive puddle of oil 

under the nose, one that was visibly expanding with 

a steady drip-drip-drip from the engine compartment. Solid paperwork notwithstanding, clearly our 

little bird was in no condition for safe flight.

So it is with human airworthiness. Your medical 

certificate — a term I use here to encompass everything from a driver’s license medical to BasicMed to 

the standard medical certificate classes — is valid 

only as long as you meet the criteria under which it 

was authorized or issued. As stated in 14 CFR 61.53, 

no pilot can fly if the pilot “knows or has reason to 

know of any medical condition that would make 

the person unable to meet the requirements for the 

medical certificate necessary for the pilot operation.” 

That includes taking medication or receiving treatment for any medical condition that would render 

you unable to meet the requirements for a medical 

certificate. In all cases, the rules state that you must 

not act as pilot in command, or as a required flight 

crew member, if you know or have any reason to 

know of a medical condition that would make you 

unable to operate the aircraft in a safe manner.

Pilot Preflight Primer

Sometimes it’s obvious that you are medically 

unfit to fly: ailments like a ferocious head cold, an 

ear infection, or a stomach bug leave little doubt.

In others cases, it may be less clear. While there 

have always been multiple sources of information 

to help you determine your fitness for any given 

flight, one of the many benefits of BasicMed is the 

associated development of FAA-approved courses 

designed specifically for this purpose. At this writing, the AOPA-developed BasicMed course is up and 

running, with another course by the Mayo Clinic 

expected to be available soon.

Even though I don’t have any immediate plans 

to use BasicMed, I took the AOPA course as soon as 

it became available. I highly recommend it to all my 

fellow aviators. As with AOPA’s other safety courses, 

the BasicMed offering is well-designed, well-paced, 

and packed with useful information. It is accessible 

via desktop computer or iPad, and you have the 

option of switching between the two if you need to 

pause and pick up again later.

Organizations such as AOPA and EAA have 

extensive BasicMed resources on their websites, but 

there’s also a lot of information on the FAA’s website. 

Resources (see below) include a dedicated BasicMed 

page with detailed information on the regulation, a 

set of frequently asked questions, links to the industry-developed courses, and to the BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC) 

you will need to complete with a state-licensed physician. As you will see when reviewing the CMEC, it 

essentially asks the physician to complete a physical 

examination and affirm the absence of any medical 

condition that could interfere with the safe operation 

of an aircraft — which is a goal we can all support.

Rx for Information

Learn More

BasicMed

faa.gov/go/basicmed

BasicMed Advisory Circular (AC 68-1)

go.usa.gov/x5yYc

BasicMed FAQs

go.usa.gov/x5yYa

BasicMed CMEC

go.usa.gov/x5yYC
16 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

(BMED1.FLY) 

BASICMED ONE DEPARTURE

NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM (NAS)

U.S.A.

BASICMED ONE DEPARTURE

(BMED1.FLY) 1MAY17

U.S.A.

NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM (NAS)

AFS-800, 1 MAY 2017 to FUTURE

AFS-800, 1 MAY 2017 to FUTURE

WEBPAGE 

FAA.gov/go/BasicMed 

EMAIL

9-AWA-AFS-BasicMed@faa.gov 

TOP ALTITUDE:

18000 

NOTE: Graphic by Paul Cianciolo

DRIVER’S LICENSE

--. . - 

Do you hold a valid 

driver’s license?

LAST MEDICAL CERT

...-- .-. -..

Was your last FAA issued 

medical certificate valid 

after July 14, 2006?

(NARRATIVE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)

Medical was not suspended/revoked 

Special Issuance was not withdrawn 

Last application was not denied 

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

-.-. .-.. .- ... ...

Do you have a medical 

condition described in 

§68.9 and not have a 

Special Issuance for it? 

EXAM BY DOCTOR

-... -.-- 

Did you get a complete 

medical exam from a 

state-licensed physician?

ONLINE EDUCATION 

.--. .- ... ...

Did you take an online 

medical education 

course and print the 

completion certificate?

FLY 

SAFE

3RD CLASS MEDICAL

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 17

(BMED1.FLY) 

BASICMED ONE DEPARTURE

NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM (NAS)

U.S.A.

BASICMED ONE DEPARTURE

(BMED1.FLY) 1MAY17

U.S.A.

NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM (NAS)

AFS-800, 1 MAY 2017 to FUTURE

AFS-800, 1 MAY 2017 to FUTURE

BASICMED DEPARTURE ROUTE DESCRIPTION 

THE AIRMAN MUST: Meet certain requirements to be eligible to fly under BasicMed ...

1. The airman must hold a valid and current U.S. driver’s license.

2. The airman must have held a FAA medical certificate at some point after July 14, 

2006. The most recent certificate must not have been revoked or suspended. If the 

certificate was associated with a special issuance, that special issuance authorization 

must not have been withdrawn. The most recent submitted application for a medical 

certificate must not have been submitted and denied. 

3. The airman must not have a mental health disorder, neurological disorder, or 

cardiovascular condition as described in 14 CFR part 68.9 unless the process for 

obtaining a special issuance authorization for that condition has been completed. 

4. The airman must receive a comprehensive medical examination from a statelicensed physician using the FAA BasicMed checklist. 

5. The airman must complete an online BasicMed medical education course and retain 

the completion certificate.

THE AIRCRAFT MUST: Not be authorized to carry more than 6 occupants or have a 

maximum take-off weight more than 6,000 pounds. 

THE OPERATION MUST: 1) Carry no more than 5 passengers; 2) Remain within the 

United States and maintain 18,000 feet or below; 3) Fly at 250 KIAS or less; 4) Not 

offer service for compensation or hire. 

THE PILOT MUST: Retain the signed comprehensive medical examination checklist and 

BasicMed online course completion certificate in logbook, and the PIC must carry 

driver’s license when operating under BasicMed.

BASICMED NOTES: 

 No operations during medical deficiency (14 CFR part 61.53) 

 May operate day or night, VFR or IFR

 Must be PIC; May not act as safety pilot unless also acting as PIC 

 May store documents as digital copies in electronic logbook 

 Operational limitations apply to whole flight, from take-off to touch-down 

 Instructors receiving compensation for flight instruction may operate under 

BasicMed
18 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

You Asked, We Answered

Your Top BasicMed Questions

JENNIFER CARON

B

asicMed Begins — These two small words have 

so much meaning for me and my fledgling aviation career. Did you know that a fledgling is a 

young bird learning to fly? Well, that’s me. But in this 

case, I’m a young bird with medical issues — and I’m 

planning to one day switch from my “driver’s license 

medical” under the sport pilot rules to a third-class 

medical flying as a private pilot. BasicMed now 

affords me the option to choose between flying with 

a medical certificate, or operating under BasicMed. 

However, like many of us in the GA community I 

have some questions, both general and specific.

To get the answers, I took a look at the FAA’s 

frequently asked questions (FAQ) page at 

faa.gov/go/basicmed. Although it’s an extensive 

list of FAQs, updated regularly as more and more 

questions come in, I wanted to find out which 

questions are the most common, and the most 

shared, by pilots who want to fly under BasicMed. I 

went straight to the experts, and met with the FAA’s 

BasicMed team.

Here’s a list of the top 20 BasicMed questions, 

answered by the FAA’s BasicMed experts, that I’d like 

to share with you.

The Basics

Do I Qualify for BasicMed?

You probably qualify for BasicMed; nearly all 

pilots do! You will need the following:

• A current and valid U.S. driver’s license.

• A valid FAA medical certificate, held at any 

point after July 14, 2006. If that medical 

certificate was associated with special 

issuance, the expiration of the special 

issuance must be after July 14, 2006. Your 

most recent medical certificate must not have 

been suspended or revoked, and any special 

issuances must not have been withdrawn, and 

if you’ve since applied for another medical 

certificate, that completed application cannot 

have been denied.

• For pilots who have ever had certain 

mental, cardiac, or neurological health 

conditions, you will need a one-time only, 

special issuance medical certificate for 

that condition. If you already got a special 

issuance for that diagnosis, then you don’t 

have to get another one. But if you haven’t had 

a special issuance for that condition, and you 

currently have, or you are newly diagnosed 

with, one of the cardiovascular, neurological, 

or mental health conditions described in the 

list of special conditions, you may not use 

BasicMed until you have been found eligible 

for special issuance of a medical certificate. 

For the list of special conditions, see Medical 

Conditions Requiring One Special Issuance 

at faa.gov/go/basicmed.

For more information, take a look at this issue’s 

BasicMed infographic (BasicMed One Departure), 

in the centerfold of this issue. For complete details, 

check out the feature article, “Bring on BasicMed!” 

also in this issue.
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 19

Student Pilots

I’m new to aviation, can I use BasicMed?

As a student pilot this question is near and dear 

to my heart. But, I’m sorry to say if you have never 

held an FAA-issued airman medical certificate, you 

do not qualify for BasicMed. Since every BasicMed 

pilot will need to have held a medical certificate at 

any time after July 14, 2006, you will need to get one, 

FAA medical certificate to qualify. However, for those 

of us who have, or have previously held, an FAAissued airman medical certificate issued at any point 

after July 14, 2006, you’re good to go.

Flight Instructors

Can I exercise my flight instructor certificate when 

acting as pilot in command (PIC) under BasicMed?

“Yes, but the key term here is PIC,” explains Brad 

Zeigler, FAA Aviation Safety Analyst and contributing 

expert on the BasicMed Advisory Circular, AC 68-1A. 

“An individual may only operate under BasicMed 

when acting as PIC of an aircraft that is covered 

under BasicMed,” says Zeigler.

The bottom line is you can exercise your flight 

instructor certificate as PIC under BasicMed, as long 

as you are flying a covered aircraft (an aircraft that 

meets the BasicMed requirements). To see the provisions for a covered aircraft, visit the Aircraft Requirements section at faa.gov/go/basicmed.

Zeigler goes on to say, “in case you were wondering whether you can accept compensation for flight 

instruction while operating under BasicMed, the 

answer is ‘yes,’ you may. The FAA generally considers 

the compensation associated with flight instruction 

as compensation for teaching, not for flying.”

Safety Pilots

Can I use BasicMed to act as a safety pilot, 

instead of holding a medical certificate?

Again, the key term here is PIC. You can use 

BasicMed while performing the duties of a safety 

pilot, but only if you are also acting as the PIC. 

Confused? To clarify, I turned again to Zeigler to 

shed more light on this topic. “Congress specified that BasicMed applies only to those who are 

acting as PIC,” says Zeigler. “If you are not acting as 

PIC, you cannot use BasicMed in lieu of a medical 

certificate.” In this case, a safety pilot is considered 

a required flight crewmember, and a flight crewmember is required to hold a medical certificate. 

If the flight crewmember is not acting as PIC, he or 

she cannot utilize BasicMed. The safety pilot in this 

instance requires an FAA-issued airman medical 

certificate,” explains Zeigler.

Practical Tests

Can I use BasicMed privileges to take an Airline 

Transport Pilot practical test? 

Yes, you can, as long as you are flying in a covered aircraft (an aircraft that meets the BasicMed 

requirements) for that practical test. A person taking 

any FAA practical test is exercising no more than private pilot privileges because the conducted operation is not for compensation or hire, so they can fly 

under BasicMed.

Third-Class Medical Holders

Is the third-class medical application similar to 

the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC) for BasicMed?

Yes. The CMEC is derived from the same exact 

form used to apply for a FAA medical certificate. 

It has many of the same questions, and the exam 

includes the same items. The significant difference is that a state-licensed physician performs a 

BasicMed comprehensive examination, while an 

Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), using standards 

specified in part 67, performs the FAA-issued 

airman medical exam.

I just completed a third-class medical exam and 

received a third-class medical certificate. Can I 

skip the BasicMed comprehensive medical exam, 

and just use my third-class medical certificate to 

qualify for BasicMed?

In this case, the answer is no. “The congressional 

mandate that authorizes BasicMed,” Zeigler cites, 

“did not allow for an exam, associated with an FAAissued medical certificate, to substitute for a BasicMed comprehensive medical examination.”

But can I be examined by my AME for BasicMed, 

and for a FAA medical certificate at the same time?

Yes. An AME can elect to conduct a comprehensive medical examination for BasicMed in the 

same visit as an examination for an FAA-issued 

medical certificate. As Zeigler explains, “while 

a BasicMed comprehensive exam is outside the 

scope of an AME’s official duties as a representative of the FAA, they may conduct the BasicMed 

physical exam and sign the CMEC by virtue of 

being a state-licensed physician, and the exam 

may be conducted concurrently with an exam for a 

medical certificate.”
20 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

I already have a third-class medical certificate. 

Can I fly under BasicMed at the same time?

Yes, you can. “BasicMed does not replace a 

third-class medical, and you can qualify for both 

at the same time. You do not lose one certificate in 

favor of another one. BasicMed is an alternative to 

the third-class medical, it is not a fourth class medical,” Zeigler clarifies. “But,” Zeigler advises, “you 

have to choose one for each flight; you can’t switch 

from BasicMed to using your medical, or vice-versa, 

in mid-flight.”

For dual BasicMed and third-class holders, after 

your third-class expires after two years, you can continue to fly under BasicMed for up to 48 months from 

the date of the comprehensive medical exam.

Do I need to keep my expired, paper medical certificate?

It’s not required, but it’s a good idea to keep it. 

Quick tip — take a picture of it with your phone, or 

scan it into your computer files.

Types of Doctors

What kind of physician can perform the BasicMed medical exam?

A BasicMed CMEC requires a state-licensed 

physician to conduct the medical exam, and that 

physician must be the signatory on the CMEC.

The FAA relies on the determination of each 

state, territory, and U.S. possession as to which persons it will license as physicians. If the person holds 

a license as a physician issued by any state, territory, 

or possession, then that person meets the requirement as a state-licensed physician.

But can a physician extender (such as a nurse 

practitioner or physician assistant) conduct the 

BasicMed exam?

A physician extender is a health care provider 

who is not a physician but does perform some medical activities typically done by a physician. Physician 

extenders are generally nurse practitioners or physician assistants. Registered nurses, medical technicians, and medical support personnel also assist with 

certain elements of an examination, but they are not 

considered to be physician extenders. Section 2307 of 

the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 

(FESSA) regulation on BasicMed did not specifically 

exclude participation by a physician extender, however under BasicMed, the physician is responsible for 

conducting the medical examination, and the physician must be the signatory on the CMEC.

How do I find a doctor?

A BasicMed CMEC requires a state-licensed 

physician to conduct the medical exam, and a physician that is familiar with your complete health history is a good choice. Many physicians are familiar 

with examinations similar to the BasicMed exam, as 

in physician’s examinations for sports or exercise, a 

return to work clearance, or a scuba-diving physical.

BasicMed encourages you to have an open 

dialogue with your doctor. See the article “Doctor, 

Doctor, Let Me Give You the News” in this issue. It 

discusses ways in which you can talk to your doctor 

about BasicMed.

Special Issuance

I had a special issuance in the past. When do I 

need to get another one?

You need to undergo the FAA process for special 

issuance if you newly develop (or have never held 

a special issuance for) any of the following medical 

conditions since the last time you received a FAA 

medical certificate:

Mental Health: (i) personality disorder severe 

enough to have repeatedly manifested itself by overt 

acts, (ii) psychosis, (iii) bipolar disorder, and (iv) substance dependence within the previous two years.

Neurologic: (i) epilepsy, (ii) disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation 

of the cause, and (iii) a transient loss of control of 

nervous system functions without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause.

Cardiac: (i) myocardial infarction (heart attack), 

(ii) coronary heart disease that has required treatment, (iii) cardiac valve replacement, and (iv) heart 

replacement.

Where do I find more information on BasicMed 

Special Issuance Medical Certificates?

For more information on the conditions requiring special issuance, visit faa.gov/go/basicmed. 

For more special issuance FAQs and answers, visit 

go.usa.gov/xNbRn.
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 21

Medical Questions

What’s an acceptable blood pressure to fly under 

BasicMed?

Consult your physician for answers to all your 

medical questions. It is up to your doctor to use his 

or her best judgment. Keep in mind that BasicMed is 

not a medical certificate.

The CMEC Form

Here’s a quick tip. You must print out your completed CMEC. The CMEC is a worksheet between 

you and your doctor. It is not submitted to the FAA.

Another tip — make sure your doctor’s handwriting on the CMEC is legible! I know, I know, 

sometimes your doctor’s handwriting can look like 

ancient Sanskrit at times, but ask your doctor to 

print legibly their name, address, and state license 

number on the form. You will need to enter the physician’s name and state license number later when 

you complete the process for printing your BasicMed course completion certificate.

Best practice — keep the completed, signed 

CMEC in your file cabinet, or better yet, scan it into 

your computer.

The Course Completion Certificate

I’ve mislaid my BasicMed course completion certificate. Can I still fly under BasicMed?

Unfortunately, no. Even though you don’t have 

to have your BasicMed Course Completion Certificate or your CMEC with you when you fly, if you lose 

either of these documents, you may not fly under 

BasicMed. It’s a great idea to hold on to both forms 

for safe keeping — file away the hard copies, or scan 

both into your computer.

7-Seater Aircraft

My PA-32 (Piper Cherokee Six series aircraft) 

is “authorized to carry not more than six occupants” because it used to have a seventh seat 

in the back, but that seventh seat hasn’t been 

installed in 40 years. Can I fly my Cherokee Six 

using BasicMed?

The FAA BasicMed team has provided detailed 

information on aircraft authorized by type certificate 

to be equipped with both six and seven seats, and 

whether or not these aircraft are considered covered 

aircraft under the BasicMed requirements. Visit the 

main FAQ page at go.usa.gov/xNbRn for details.

Can I Ask the FAA BasicMed Experts?

Yes! Send your questions by email in writing to 

9-awa-afs-basicmed@faa.gov. In less than a week, 

you will receive an answer from the FAA headquarters’ team of BasicMed experts. Please note that the 

FAA team cannot provide medical or legal advice, or 

provide responses to hypothetical, “what if” scenarios.

As BasicMed begins, and continues forward as 

another medical qualification along with the traditional FAA medical certificate, I am confident in the 

knowledge that one day, I will progress from fledgling student to private pilot — with the option to fly 

under BasicMed! 

Jennifer Caron is an assistant editor for FAA Safety Briefing. She is a certified technical writer-editor, and is currently pursuing a Sport Pilot Certificate. 

Learn More

Take a look at the BasicMed Advisory Circular 

go.usa.gov/xNkcd

Find the FAA Pharmaceuticals (Therapeutic 

Medications) Do Not Issue – Do Not Fly list 

faa.gov/go/dni

See medical facts for pilots in Chapter 8 of the FAA’s 

Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM 8-1-1) 

faa.gov/air_traffic/publications
22 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Doctor, Doctor,

Let Me Give You the News

How to Talk to Your Doctor about BasicMed

 JAMES WILLIAMS

B

y the time you read these words, one of the 

biggest-ever changes in pilot medical certification 

will have started. BasicMed is a shift in the way 

many pilots will meet their required medical qualification for conducting lower-risk, non-commercial flying.

If you are among those intending to use BasicMed, the first question in your mind may be “which 

doctor should I go see?” BasicMed offers new 

options you’ll want to consider.

There are two key factors here: who you wish to 

partner with, and who wishes to partner with you.

A Different Kind of Dance

In the pre-BasicMed world, things were pretty 

straightforward. If you needed a medical exam, you’d 

book an appointment with your chosen AME. The 

AME would conduct the exam. You’d walk out of the 

office with your new medical certificate (in the vast 

majority of cases). This system is still available to you 

should you choose it.

In the BasicMed world, the concept is to take 

the BasicMed checklist to your Primary Care Physician (PCP), who evaluates your condition for each 

item on the checklist, and signs off on your fitness 

for flight. But BasicMed gives you significantly more 

latitude regarding which physician you choose to 

use. “Any state-licensed physician may conduct a 

comprehensive examination for BasicMed,” explains 

John Linsenmeyer, the FAA Flight Standards Lead for 

BasicMed. “It’s obviously best to go to the physician 

who is the most acquainted with your overall health, 

but you can choose any other physician you’ve been 

to, or your AME, or even a physician who’s seeing 

you for the first time,” Linsenmeyer continued.

But for physicians, simply being qualified is only 

one part of the equation. BasicMed is opening up 

the door to thousands of physicians who now have 

the authority to sign an airman off as being medically eligible to fly recreationally in GA aircraft. At 

this point, quite a few of those physicians will be 

unaware that they now have this authority. In some 

cases, physicians who haven’t heard of BasicMed 

may have reservations about conducting these sorts 

of examinations. Under BasicMed, though, you still 

have plenty of options even if your PCP or AME has 

chosen not to participate.

Presentation is Key

In some cases, you may find yourself educating your doctor on BasicMed. Many physicians are 

aware of the FAA medical certification program, 

and may assume an FAA-approved doctor (an AME) 
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 23

must sign the comprehensive medical examination 

checklist (CMEC). Because they are unfamiliar with 

BasicMed, they may be hesitant to perform the comprehensive examination without further research.

When selecting a physician to conduct the 

BasicMed exam, be sure to inform the physician’s 

staff prior to the appointment. If they have questions 

about BasicMed, direct them to the FAA’s BasicMed 

website for more details. If your physician of choice 

elects not to offer BasicMed exams, ask them for a 

referral to a physician who offers the service.

Ideally, you would be able to find a doctor who is 

familiar with your history. Based on early anecdotal 

evidence from pilots who have completed BasicMed 

examinations, the physicians who seem the most 

willing to conduct BasicMed physicals are the ones 

who already conduct physical exams on a routine 

basis (such as physicians who perform annual preventative medicine physicals, physicals for clearance 

to play on sports teams, or to attend summer camp, 

or for certain occupational physical exams).

Be Prepared

The best way to prepare for the examination is to 

make sure you have thoroughly answered the questions in Section 2 of the CMEC and provided the necessary information for the physician to evaluate your 

medical history. Fortunately, many medical insurance companies offer online access to your medical 

records, which will help you to answer questions 

about visits to health professionals and prescription 

medications. If you’ve held a FAA medical certificate 

in the past, with a special issuance authorization, 

you will want to share that information with your 

physician, as well as any recent tests that may provide insight as to your current medical status.

If your doctor has concerns, deal with them 

directly. This is where taking a page from the FAA 

process might be beneficial. During the special issuance process, the FAA often 

requests more information 

in order to mitigate a specific concern. If there is an 

issue that causes concern 

for your physician, ask 

them what further information about your health condition you could collect 

that would help them feel more comfortable about 

signing you off for BasicMed.

It might also help to note that while your doctor 

is examining each item on the checklist, he or she is 

not certifying that you meet the specific criteria of a 

traditional FAA medical certificate. “How you deal 

with any issue is between you and your doctor,” Linsenmeyer explains. “That means that any conditions 

that don’t fall under those specifically outlined in the 

regulation are up to you and your doctor to resolve. 

So, you certainly want to explore possible resolutions 

with your physician.” It’s worth noting that while the 

doctor is signing off on the form today, the obligation for determining your fitness for flight ultimately 

resides with you, as it always has.

While the doctor is signing off on the 

form today, the obligation for determining 

your fitness for flight ultimately resides 

with you, as it always has.
24 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

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Doctor’s Education

One of the main reasons doctors might be 

uncomfortable with BasicMed is that they might 

not have training or experience in aviation medicine. BasicMed doesn’t provide a medical “standard,” like part 67 does for medical certificates. 

BasicMed relies on the physician’s general medical 

training (and their own experience and discretion) 

to make the decision about whether the pilot has 

a health condition (or combination of conditions) 

that precludes them from operating under the limited recreational flying allowed under BasicMed.

In drafting the bill that created BasicMed, Congress gave this broad discretion to physicians to 

exercise their own medical discretion when conducting the physical exam. This means that much of the 

decision-making on what is, and is not acceptable, is 

left to the judgment of your own doctor, rather than a 

FAA-prescribed medical standard. This gives you and 

your doctor latitude in how they resolve any issues, 

and it also reinforces the same responsibility you 

have when flying using a medical certificate.

You must make a risk determination on your fitness for flight every single time you get in the cockpit, 

no matter when your most recent BasicMed physical or FAA medical certificate exam occurred. You 

need to remember to be realistic about any potential 

challenges in your medical fitness. By being realistic 

and honest about medical conditions, you can work 

toward finding a sensible solution with your doctor, 

including the possibility that you will need to do 

more work to address any troubling medical conditions before flying under BasicMed. It’s a good idea to 

have some suggestions ready as to how you might be 

able to mitigate those concerns when you go to your 

doctor for your BasicMed physical exam.

While we’ve always advocated a strong partnership to help with medical certification, BasicMed 

exists to provide another alternative to pilots. 

Whether you opt to operate under BasicMed, or 

continue to maintain a medical certificate, your 

objective should be the same — ensuring that you 

are healthy, and fit to fly. 

James Williams is FAA Safety Briefing’s associate editor and photo editor. 

He is also a pilot and ground instructor.
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 25

How to Defeat

Dehydration

The Forgotten Risk to Flight Safety

TREY MCCLURE

With the summer months now upon us, it’s the 

perfect time to take advantage of outdoor 

activities — whether it’s going to local fly-ins, 

getting some tee time in, or simply enjoying a little 

back porch sitting with a glass of sweet tea. As we 

increase our physical activities and the temperature 

starts to rise, it’s important to be reminded of the 

effects of dehydration, especially if flying is part of 

your plan for summer fun.

Dehydration is commonly associated with an 

increase in outside air temperature, but other factors 

— such as operating in a low humidity environment, 

and consuming hydration-zapping liquids such as 

alcohol, coffee, and soda, among others can contribute greatly to dehydration. Even performing common, 

everyday tasks at the airport such as moving an aircraft out of the hangar, going through the typical fueling process, or preflighting on a hot ramp can quickly 

starve the body of precious liquid resources.

The body is made up of 70-percent water, and 

the brain is the first organ that senses a need to 

replace lost fluids. When you are dehydrated, you 

will start to experience symptoms like headaches, 

lightheadedness, and fatigue. Since water is vital for 

blood and oxygen enrichment of the cells, symptoms 

can further progress to poor decision-making, dizziness, muscle fatigue, and pain in joints and muscles 

as a condition called hypoxia sets in. The bottom line 

is that dehydration can significantly decrease physical and cognitive performance, and that’s the last 

thing you want to experience mid-flight.

The key to preventing dehydration is to stay 

hydrated, and the key to staying hydrated is to 

plan ahead. Once you experience the sensation of 

thirst, you are more than likely already dehydrated. 

Depending on the environment, regaining hydration 

by simply drinking water can be difficult in a timely 

manner, since your body is continuously losing fluids.

Drinking plenty of water daily helps our body 

function properly, but just how much water do we 

need? That depends on the individual, but it’s recommended we drink at least five, 8-ounce glasses 

of cool water a day. As our physical activity level 

increases, so does our need to intake more water. To 

maintain the optimum level of hydration, increase 

your water intake to match.

If plain water is “hard to swallow,” consider 

sports drinks or other flavoring to make plain water 

more palatable. Be cautious to limit your intake of 

sugary and caffeinated drinks, as these are diuretics 

and can work against your hydration plan.

Quick tip: add a bottle of water or a small sports 

drink to your flight bag. It’s always a good idea to carry 

a bottle of water along on your flight to help maintain 

hydration. That handy bottle of water can serve as a 

helpful reminder to drink up, and will be a measure of 

how much water you have already consumed. There 

are also apps available for your phone or tablet that 

can help track water intake, and you can set reminders to let you know when it’s time to drink up.

Another tip: plan your preflight or fueling activities during cooler times of the day, if you can, to 

avoid or minimize sun exposure, as our bodies can 

more easily maintain a sufficient hydration level 

in cooler temperatures. In addition, you can add a 

baseball cap, and lightweight, light colored clothing 

to your flight bag.

Last, but not least, be mindful of personal 

situations, such as a recent illness. Fluid loss can 

be common during a period of illness, leading to 

dehydration even without exposure to the outside 

elements.

In light of this review, as I jet off to the horizon 

this summer, I will plan to enjoy a little more time in 

the shade and factor in some glasses of cool water 

with my sweet tea! 

Trey McClure is a General Aviation Operations Frontline Manager in the 

Jackson, Mississippi Flight Standards District Office.

Learn More

Dehydration and the Pilot, FAA Airmen Education 

Programs

go.usa.gov/xNEUe

“Defeating Dehydration,” FAA Safety Briefing, Jul/Aug 

2010

go.usa.gov/xNEUh
26 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

The 2017 National GA Award Honorees

E

very year for more than 50 years, the General Aviation Awards program and the FAA have 

recognized aviation professionals for their contributions to GA in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance/avionics, and safety.

The FAA will present the recipients of this year’s awards with individual plaques in July, 

during EAA AirVenture 2017 in Oshkosh, Wisc., and their names will be added to the large permanent plaque located in the lobby of the EAA AirVenture Museum. Also included in the prize 

package for each national honoree is an all-expenses-paid trip to Oshkosh to attend the awards 

presentation and other special GA Awards activities.

Nominations and applications for the 2018 General Aviation Awards will be accepted starting July 1, 2017. If 

you are acquainted with a CFI, AMT, Avionics Tech, or FAASTeam Rep whom you think might be deserving of an 

award at the local, regional, or national level, we encourage you to nominate him or her. If you are an aviation 

professional with a distinguished career in one of these categories, we encourage you to apply. For more information about nominating or applying, please go to: GeneralAviationAwards.com/nominations.

2017 National Flight Instructor of the Year

Charles Orville Gensler of Parker, Colo., has had a lifelong 

interest in aviation. His father, 

who served as an Air Force pilot 

during three wars, took him to 

countless airshows where he 

watched the Thunderbirds and 

Blue Angels perform. This led 

Gensler to enroll in Air Force 

ROTC at The Citadel where he 

earned a bachelor’s degree in 

civil engineering. Upon graduation in 1974, he entered Air Force flight training and graduated near the top of his class.

Gensler was selected as an Air Force instructor pilot, 

and he quickly discovered his true passion as a teacher. He 

accepted a position as a career trainer in the Air Force, and 

spent the next 24 years in various roles educating and training military pilots.

After military retirement, Gensler turned his attention 

to general aviation, embarking on a quest to bring GA pilot 

training closer to the level of proficiency offered by the military and airlines. For the next seven years, he served as chief 

flight instructor of the Aspen Flying Club. Then in 2007, he 

co-founded Independence Aviation in Denver and served 

as its chief flight instructor for the next six years. At Independence, he helped grow the business from three CFIs and 

two airplanes to more than 18 instructors and 13 aircraft. He 

continues to instruct at Independence Aviation as chief flight 

instructor emeritus.

Gensler was one of the first CFIs in the Denver area to 

begin teaching in technically advanced aircraft. In 2004 he 

became one of the first Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilots 

(CSIPs) in the area, and in 2011 qualified as a Platinum CSIP 

(one of only 81 worldwide). Gensler was also an early adopter 

of tablets in the GA cockpit, and has conducted numerous 

safety seminars on the effective use of this technology. He 

is also a strong proponent of the use of flight simulators and 

flight training devices to help maintain pilot proficiency, and 

was instrumental in incorporating the Redbird Xwind training device into the curriculum at Independence Aviation. In 

2016, he led a team that developed a novel, continuous proficiency training program at Independence, called the Complete Proficiency Approach, for GA pilots to receive recurrent 

proficiency training every 60 days throughout the year.

Gensler has logged more than 9,400 hours of flight 

time — 8,000 of them instructing. He has been an active 

FAASTeam representative for more than 15 years. Chuck volunteered to be the co-general manager of the EAA Pilot Proficiency Center at AirVenture 2016, supervising 20 instructors 

conducting more than 25 training scenarios in a variety of 

Redbird flight simulators. Based on his strong performance, 

he was asked to fill this role again at AirVenture 2017.

26 FAA SafetyBriefing
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 27

2017 National Aviation Technician of the Year

Brian John Carpenter of Corning, Calif., has become the 

go-to guy when it comes to the 

construction and maintenance 

of light-sport aircraft. Anytime 

he’s not teaching a light-sport 

repairman workshop, you’ll 

probably find Carpenter in his 

hangar at the Corning Municipal 

Airport working on his electric 

motor glider or creating an educational aviation YouTube video.

Carpenter has had a passion for aviation since he was a 

child building and flying remote control aircraft. In 1979 he 

earned his pilot certificate while in the Navy. After graduating from Helena Vocational Training Institute in Montana 

with an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic certificate, 

he worked as a lead mechanic for the former large aircraft 

operation and maintenance company, Aero Union. By 1985, 

he was the chief inspector and was later promoted to director 

of maintenance in 1990.

In 1991 Carpenter opened his own aviation company, 

Rainbow Aviation Services, which is a full-service fixedbase operator (FBO) in Corning, Calif. Rainbow’s lightsport repairman courses have been taught throughout the 

United States and Australia. The company is a source of 

light-sport expertise for aviation enthusiasts, flight instructors, mechanics, and even FAA inspectors. Carpenter has 

mentored more than 3,000 repairmen since the light-sport 

rule was implemented in 2004 and is the only active provider of FAA-approved training for the light-sport repairman rating.

Carpenter has built 36 aircraft and is an innovative aircraft designer. His current project is the EMG-6 electric motor 

glider. He is developing a low cost, electric aircraft to meet 

the needs of the average person, making the aircraft affordable, and creating complete video instruction for the build. 

Carpenter has also designed more than 100, 3D-printed parts 

for use on the EMG-6.

2017 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year

Mark Alan Ducorsky of Lakeland, Fla., started flying in 

1973 taking flying lessons at 

Camp Solo, which was a youth 

summer camp in Bangor, 

Maine. He soloed on his 16th 

birthday, and passed his 

private pilot checkride on his 

17th birthday. After graduating from high school in Hyde 

Park, N.Y., Ducorsky enrolled 

in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical 

University in Daytona Beach with the intention of becoming an airline pilot. However, there he discovered his true 

passion was to teach flying.

Ducorsky worked as a freelance CFI in Dutchess 

County, N.Y., and at several part 61 and 141 flight schools. 

He taught countless people to fly, including his future wife, 

who is now a CFI herself.

Ducorsky later became a sales manager for, and later an 

executive and an owner, of a food manufacturer. Over the next 

16 years, the company enjoyed dramatic growth due to the 

company’s use of business aviation that he developed during 

the course of his tenure there. The company had its manufacturing plant in Mexico and headquarters in El Paso, Texas, 

so Ducorsky traveled there and throughout North America 

on a regular basis. While south of the border, he provided 

advanced and recurrent multi-engine training to expatriate 

American pilots residing in northern Mexico.

Over the years, Ducorsky has provided a lot of his flight 

instruction on a pro bono basis. Between 1992 and 2002, he 

underwrote a free flight scholarship for an underprivileged 

young adult from the Bronx, N.Y., every other year. His philosophy about flight training was straightforward: He never wanted 

money to be his motivator as it related to training people to fly. 

He always felt strongly that this was how he could provide the 

best, most comprehensive flight training to his students, which 

was motivated by his love of and passion for aviation, and he 

had faith that his monetary needs would come organically.

Ducorsky is a high-activity, FAA designated pilot examiner out of the Orlando Flight Standards District Office where 

he performs more than 200 certifications and practical tests 

per year in airplanes and gliders. He is a Gold Seal and Master 

CFI with more than 7,000 hours of instruction given, a former 

part 141 chief pilot, and a current part 141 check airman. He is 

also chairman of the Lakeland Aero Club, a part 141 instructor, and check airman in the Polk State College professional 

pilot program, and the chief instructor and director of scholarships and youth programming for Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, Inc.

Since 2013, Ducorsky has served as the lead representative for the FAASTeam in Orlando. He has participated in 

more than 100 WINGS-qualified safety seminars, events, and 

other activities.

FAA SafetyBriefing 27
28 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons SUSAN PARSON

Update: Airman Certification Standards for AMTs

This issue focuses on ensuring healthy pilots but, 

since healthy airplanes are a key component in the 

safety equation, the health and well-being of those 

who keep our airplanes airworthy and in a condition 

for safe flight is just as important. Broadly speaking, 

part of our well-being, whether we fly airplanes or 

maintain them, includes having the right knowledge, 

risk management ability, and skill to perform our 

respective duties.

As those in the pilot training world probably know 

by now, the FAA and three separate groups of aviation 

training industry experts have spent the last six years 

working to improve certification testing and training 

for pilots. A year ago, this 

team — formally known as 

the Airman Certification 

Standards Working Group 

(ACS WG) — responded to 

the maintenance training 

community’s plea to DO 

SOMETHING, NOW, to 

make similar updates and 

improvements to certification testing for aviation maintenance technicians 

(AMTs). The suite of exams includes three types of 

tests for each certificate (airframe and/or powerplant), along with a general section that covers both 

categories. The tests are a specific written examination, an oral exam, and a practical test.

With significant help from our industry partners 

on the ACS WG, the FAA is making substantial progress toward the first Airman Certification Standards 

(ACS) document for AMTs. By adding knowledge and 

risk management elements to each skill subject in 

today’s Practical Test Standards (PTS), the FAA and 

the ACS WG are defining what an applicant needs to 

know (knowledge), consider (risk management), and 

do (skill) to pass both the knowledge test (written 

and oral) and the certification (practical) test for an 

airman certificate or rating. The resulting ACS thus 

becomes the single source set of standards for both 

the knowledge and practical tests that an AMT applicant must pass in order to earn a certificate.

Full Speed Ahead

Since we first reported on this development last 

summer, the FAA and the industry members of the 

ACS WG have made substantial progress in defining 

and incorporating knowledge and risk management 

elements into the skill subjects now provided in the 

PTS for general, airframe, and powerplant. The first 

AMT ACS will not only be the single source set of 

standards for the knowledge and practical tests; it 

will also bring the knowledge, risk management, and 

skill standards for general, airframe, and powerplant 

into a single document.

Standards drive the development and/or revision of guidance (e.g., FAA H-series handbooks) and, 

ultimately, knowledge test questions that align with 

both standards and guidance. While the FAA does 

not — indeed, cannot — share the development or 

revision of knowledge test questions with industry, 

the agency does rely on the ACS WG members’ 

expertise to develop the standards (i.e., the ACS for 

each certificate/rating) and to revise the supporting 

handbooks and other guidance materials used for 

teaching and training. So, in addition to transforming the standards, the ACS team has dedicated many 

hours to developing recommendations to update the 

FAA H-series handbooks for mechanics and using 

public data (e.g., sample knowledge tests), to identify 

topics and types of test questions that need to be 

changed — revised or, in some cases, deleted entirely.

As any training or practicing AMT knows, aircraft maintenance is a fast moving, rapidly changing 

field that demands constant work to keep up with 

developments like “glass cockpit” avionics and composite materials. Given how critical aircraft maintenance is to safety, the airman certification system 

that trains, tests, and certificates AMTs has to do 

the same. The ACS format will help the FAA and its 

industry partners achieve this goal by ensuring that 

future AMTs benefit from its integrated presentation 

of knowledge, risk management, and skill standards 

which, by being up-to-date and fully aligned with 

guidance materials and knowledge test questions, 

will greatly enhance the foundational health of the 

aviation maintenance industry.

Susan Parson (susan.parson@faa.gov, or @avi8rix for Twitter fans) is editor of 

FAA Safety Briefing. She is an active general aviation pilot and flight instructor.

The integrated ACS presentation of 

knowledge, risk management, and skill 

standards that are up-to-date and fully 

aligned with guidance materials and 

knowledge test questions, will greatly 

enhance the foundational health of the 

aviation maintenance industry.

Learn More

FAA Airman Testing web page 

faa.gov/training_testing/testing
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 29

Angle of Attack TOM HOFFMANN

Fighting Fatigue

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word fatigue 

as “physical or mental exhaustion; weariness.” Some 

further digging reveals that it has Latin origins in 

the mid-17th century with the term ad fatim, meaning to be at satiety or at a bursting point. I have to 

chuckle and wonder if those word originators were 

new parents; “bursting point” seems like an all-toofitting description of my exhaustion level soon after 

my second daughter’s arrival. I have always heard 

people talk about sleeping while standing up, but I 

can now say I have personally confirmed this phenomenon! To fight off fatigue, you just learn to rest 

wherever and whenever you can. I think many new 

parents can relate to this, but it almost gets to the 

point where you can vividly remember the time and 

place of any good rest periods — and you talk about 

them with the same fervor a fisherman would use to 

describe his prize catch.

My personal favorite was a snooze I snuck in 

after a drive to the pediatrician. Both the newborn 

and my 18-month-old were snug in their car seats, 

and mommy had passed out between them. With 

the car still parked in the driveway, I contorted 

myself over and around two bucket seats and the 

gear shift, closed my eyes, and was dreaming before 

my head hit the perforated leather. I can only imagine what the neighbors were thinking! All I know is 

that the whole family got an hour power nap, and 

we were all better for it.

When it comes to aviation however, managing 

fatigue is a far more serious subject with often deadly 

repercussions. Search for the term pilot fatigue in 

the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) 

probable cause reports and you’ll see exactly what 

I mean. As further evidence of its importance, the 

NTSB also elevated the topic of reducing fatiguerelated accidents to its 2017 Most Wanted List of 

Transportation Safety Improvements (ntsb.gov/

safety/mwl). The bottom line is that airplanes are 

complex machines that demand our complete attention; there’s simply no room for the performancerobbing attributes of fatigue when flying.

For most general aviation pilots, managing 

fatigue often boils down to one basic concept: 

individual responsibility. You might hear that term 

echoed elsewhere in this issue, as it is one of the key 

tenets of the FAA’s new BasicMed regulation that 

enables pilots to fly without holding a medical certificate, providing they meet certain requirements. 

Medical self-certification is a big part of that responsibility, and it entails an honest assessment of your 

fitness to fly before each and every flight — including 

a check of your fatigue-meter.

As I wrote in the article “Say Ahh: A Pilot’s Guide 

to Self-Assessing Risk,” in the January/February 

2017 issue of FAA Safety Briefing, managing fatigue 

requires you to listen to what your body is telling 

you. If you’re feeling sluggish and find yourself 

uncontrollably yawning, take heed. Keep in mind 

also that fatigue isn’t limited to just these more obvious signs. It’s often a more insidious problem fueled 

by a creeping accumulation of inadequate rest (e.g., 

long nights at the office, a new baby in the house, 

etc.). The effects of fatigue on a task like flying can 

be equally subtle — a pilot may not recognize loss of 

attention, slowed reaction times, or poor judgment 

until it’s too late.

The simple solution to addressing fatigue is to 

get more rest. I know, you’ve heard it a thousand 

times, but strive for eight hours of uninterrupted 

rest per night. A wristwatch activity tracker might 

be helpful in monitoring your daily rest cycles. I get 

a daily reminder from mine of how woefully sleepdeprived I am these days. Thankfully, flying is not on 

my immediate radar.

Although fatigue is certainly a prevalent factor 

in many aviation accidents, it is also one of the most 

preventable. Improving your self-discipline along 

with having a greater awareness of your personal 

limitations (both physical and mental) can often 

make all the difference in having an enjoyable, productive, and most importantly, safe flight.

Now get some rest and feel free to brag about it. 

I won’t mind!

Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing. He is a commercial pilot and holds an A&P certificate.

Learn More

FAA Brochure — Fatigue in Aviation

go.usa.gov/xkMwc

NTSB Most Wanted List — Reduce Fatigue-Related 

Accidents

go.usa.gov/x5zdT
30 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Vertically Speaking GENE TRAINOR

Improving Safety for Air Ambulance Operations

In 2014, the FAA announced a final rule governing helicopter air ambulances and other commercial 

rotorcraft. Then-Transportation Secretary Anthony 

Foxx called it a “landmark rule for helicopter safety.” 

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta added that the 

rule “will help reduce risk and help pilots make good 

safety decisions through the use of better training, 

procedures, and equipment.”

The sweeping rule covered everything from 

flight rules and procedures, to communications, 

training, and on-board safety equipment for part 135 

(commercial, on-demand air carriers) helicopters. 

Due to the rule’s significant scope, its requirements 

have been implemented in phases. The final phase 

— installing flight data monitoring systems — is due 

to be completed by April 2018, says FAA Aviation 

Safety Inspector Andrew Pierce, who supports FAA 

inspectors and industry stakeholders through the 

rule’s implementation.

Before the 2014 rules, the part 135 accident rate 

fluctuated greatly, reaching a high of 22 accidents (6 

fatal accidents) in 2007.

Helicopter accidents, especially those involving air ambulance operations, have become highprofile, news-making events because of the often 

dramatic and sometimes doubly tragic nature of 

these accidents. These factors led the FAA to make 

helicopter operations safer.

Safety steps under the new rules include a 

requirement for helicopters to be equipped by 

April of this year with radio altimeters, which tell 

pilots their aircraft’s height above ground. Previous requirements included requiring that pilots be 

regularly tested to handle flat-light, whiteout, and 

brownout conditions, as well as on their ability to 

recover from inadvertent encounters with instrument meteorological (IMC) conditions. Since part 

135 helicopters are typically used for tour, air taxi, 

and air ambulance flights, these two requirements 

are meant to ensure that a pilot flying passengers can 

safely handle an unexpected and potentially dangerous weather or environmental situation.

By the time you read this article, air ambulance 

companies should have equipped their helicopters 

with terrain awareness and warning systems, and 

ensured that pilots in command have an instrument 

rating. Other recently implemented regulatory requirements include pre-flight, risk-assessment programs 

that require helicopter air ambulance pilots to consider the likelihood of, and mitigation for, encountering fog, high winds, visibility, or cloud ceilings below 

set standards, or any combination of these and other 

factors that could put the flight at an unacceptably 

high risk. Another new rule requires large helicopter 

air ambulance operators to implement operations 

control centers staffed with specialists who can provide pilots with information about changes in weather 

conditions and who review pilots’ risk assessments.

Next up for helicopter air ambulances is flight 

data monitoring systems. These systems can report 

a helicopter’s GPS position, altitude, and airspeed 

at least once a second, and some provide a video 

camera and audio recording of radio and intercom 

conversations during a helicopter flight. “Having 

these systems provides a flight history so that investigators can better determine what happened should 

an accident occur,” says Pierce. “Also, operators can 

use the systems to review pilot operating methods 

and decision making, which should help develop 

better training programs.” According to Pierce, these 

systems can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to more than $15,000 and $20,000, depending on 

the systems’ sophistication.

These requirements may seem extensive, 

but as of March 25, 2017, part 135 Helicopter Air 

Ambulances had not suffered a fatal accident for 

more than a year — a significant improvement in 

helicopter safety. This attention to safety has given 

the United States the world’s safest and most sophisticated aerospace system. Sources: National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Agency Rotorcraft Directorate
July/August 2017 FAA SafetyBriefing 31

Flight Forum

The 5-Mile Airport Rule for Drones

If you are flying a drone within 5 miles of an 

airport, are you allowed to fly if you notify ATC? I 

have looked online, but seems to be some debate on 

what’s the truth.

—Justin

Hi Justin — If you are flying a model aircraft 

under 14 CFR part 101 rules, section 101.41(e) 

states that for a model aircraft flown within 5 miles 

of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides 

the airport operator and the airport air traffic 

control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at 

the airport) with prior notice of the operation. In other 

words, you are allowed to fly under all model aircraft 

rules if you did your due diligence to notify the airport 

and Air Traffic Control (ATC), if ATC is available, 

then you can fly, as long as ATC approved your flight. 

Notification doesn’t mean asking for permission, but if 

a model aircraft is operated when advised not to, and 

it endangers the safety of the National Airspace System 

(NAS), the operator is subject to enforcement action.

... But if for commercial use in flying a drone, 

DJI phantom 4, or Inspire 1 then you can’t? Even if 

you notify ATC?

If you’re flying a non-hobby drone under 14 CFR 

part 107, then the 5 mile airport rule does not apply. 

As a certificated remote pilot operating under part 

107, you may fly in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace 

regardless of the distance to the nearest airport 

without contacting ATC, or the airport operator, 

provided you follow all of the other provisions of 

part 107 to avoid conflict with other aircraft. For 

controlled airspace (classes B, C, D, and E) you 

must first obtain an airspace authorization before 

conducting your flight. For airspace authorizations, 

see faa.gov/uas/request_waiver.

More Ins and Outs of ADS-B

I have been reading the latest FAA Safety Briefing on ADS-B.  Currently, if I am flying VFR without 

ADS-B, ATC may or may not see me depending upon 

my altitude.  If they do see me, they do not know that 

I am “N12345” unless I were to contact them and ask 

for VFR flight following, etc. Under ADS-B, will ATC 

always see me as “N12345” even if I am not under 

VFR flight following, or an IFR flight plan?

—John

Thanks for your question, John. An aircraft target 

will be identified to ATC by the transmitted flight 

identification code (e.g., “N12345”) when operating 

within ADS-B coverage. However, ATC has display 

options where they can suppress the N-number for VFR 

aircraft that are not receiving flight following services, 

and some controllers will set these options to “declutter” 

their display. Additionally, GA operators that employ 

UAT transceivers have the option in VFR operations, 

when they are squawking 1200 and flying below 

FL180, to select “anonymous mode,” which enables the 

transceiver to broadcast a randomized ICAO address. 

The transceiver reverts back automatically to the 

assigned ICAO address, and default flight ID, when the 

beacon code is changed from 1200.

FAA Safety Briefing welcomes comments. 

We may edit letters for style and/or length. 

If we have more than one letter on a topic, 

we select a representative letter to publish. 

Because of publishing schedule, responses 

may not appear for several issues. While 

we do not print anonymous letters, we will 

withhold names or send personal replies upon 

request. If you have a concern with an immediate FAA operational issue, 

contact your local Flight Standards District Office or air traffic facility. Send 

letters to: Editor, FAA Safety Briefing, AFS-850, 55 M Street, SE, Washington, 

DC 20003-3522, or e-mail SafetyBriefing@faa.gov.

Let us hear from you — comments, suggestions, and 

questions: email SafetyBriefing@faa.gov or use a 

smartphone QR reader to go “VFR-direct” to our mailbox. 

You can also reach us on Twitter @FAASafetyBrief or on 

Facebook facebook.com/FAA.
32 FAA SafetyBriefing July/August 2017

Postflight SUSAN PARSON

Find, Fix, Fly!

Pilots have a unique perspective. Flying lets us 

see the world in a different way, but our passion for 

aviation also gives many of us a different take on 

medical issues. For a non-pilot, a serious medical 

condition might first bring up fears of dying. For 

many pilots, though, diagnosis of the same medical condition might first arouse fears of not flying. 

There are aviators among us who may even perceive 

not flying as a fate worse than dying. That may be 

extreme, but most pilots can certainly empathize 

with the visceral “what-happens-to-my-medical” 

fear that has shadowed reporting any visit to a medical professional on the Application for Airman Medical Certificate (otherwise known as Form 8500-8).

Thanks to a lot of dedicated work by a lot of 

people, both inside and outside the federal government, pilots who fly for recreation or personal transportation have a new and, for many, less stressful 

aviation medical option in the form of the BasicMed 

rule. As Flight Standards Service Director John 

Duncan writes in this issue’s Jumpseat department, 

BasicMed is a very welcome development that, like 

so many things in life, carries responsibilities along 

with the privileges it offers.

Focusing on the Fix

We have written a lot about the FAA’s Compliance Philosophy (see January/February 2016 issue 

at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/archive for 

detailed information). To recap, the Compliance 

Philosophy is the enabling guidance for the FAA’s riskbased oversight approach to compliance. It stresses a 

problem-solving approach where enhancement of the 

individual or organization’s safety performance is the 

goal. It promotes communication, collaboration, and 

proactive risk management to find safety problems 

before they cause an accident, and use of the most 

effective tools to ensure a positive, permanent fix.

This approach certainly applies to managing your 

health. It has always been the case that the FAA expects 

compliance on medical requirements, and it has 

always been the case that compliance includes honest 

communication about issues that affect your health, 

and thus your ability to safely operate an aircraft.

Many pilots, though, have perhaps been hesitant 

to fully communicate with their doctors for fear of 

complicating issuance of the all-important medical 

certificate. I get it, because I certainly experienced 

some trepidation when multiple sclerosis forced me 

to take the special issuance route several years ago. 

Like others, though, I found that I benefited from the 

hard work the FAA’s medical certification staff has 

done over the past few years, not only to speed consideration of special issuance, but also to expand both 

the range of certifiable conditions and the avenues 

available (e.g., CACI — Conditions AMEs Can Issue).

BasicMed provides yet another option, one that 

truly leaves no excuse for anything but full and frank 

discussion with your state-licensed physician about 

your health. Expressed in terms of the Compliance 

Philosophy, BasicMed (as well as the traditional 

avenues to medical certification) is about using 

open communication with your provider to find any 

health problems that could adversely affect your 

ability to safely operate an aircraft, to use the most 

appropriate treatments to fix those problems, and 

to monitor results to ensure that any health/safety 

issues are fully resolved.

Tips

Regardless of the route you take to meet one of 

the paths to aviation medical qualification, here are 

some tips to remember if your health is an issue.

Get the facts. Use the many resources available 

these days to learn as much as you can about the 

certification implications of your particular medical condition. A good place to start is the medical 

certification home page on the FAA’s website 

(faa.gov/pilots/medical), or the FAA’s BasicMed 

portal (faa.gov/go/basicmed).

Use all resources. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots 

Association (AOPA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and other aviation organizations provide BasicMed and traditional medical certification 

information, advice, and advocacy for their members.

Resolve the problem. Work with your physician 

to resolve any issues — remember that your health is 

the most important consideration, always.

Document. If your condition requires special 

issuance or (in the case of BasicMed) a one-time FAA 

approval, be sure to have your physician document 

the specifics, your treatment, and your prognosis in 

the format and level of detail that the FAA requires.

Doing your part will speed the FAA’s evaluation 

and get you back into the cockpit as quickly as possible — which is what all pilots want.
FAA Faces

Brad Zeigler Aviation Safety Analyst

“I’m probably one of the few people whose 

interest in aviation safety as a career started before I 

ever set foot in an aircraft,” says FAA Aviation Safety 

Analyst Brad Zeigler. His interest first arose from the 

tragic loss of his uncle in a plane crash near Martha’s 

Vineyard, and the teenage Zeigler sought answers as 

to what went wrong that fateful day.

Zeigler describes his namesake uncle as a 

larger-than-life figure who flew bush planes in Alaska, 

ferried single-engine airplanes over the Atlantic, and 

was a fish spotter up and down the east coast. “He 

checked off pretty much all of the cool uncle boxes,” 

Zeigler recalls. In his quest for closure on his uncle’s 

accident, Zeigler soon discovered his own passion for 

flying when he took his first ride in an airplane — a 

1931 Stinson SM-8A used for sightseeing around Cape 

Cod — on his sixteenth birthday. “I was hooked.”

Four years later, Zeigler began taking flying lessons and earned his private pilot certificate in 1994 

in college. While a career stint in IT steered him away 

from aviation for nearly a decade, he later returned to 

his aviation goals starting with an instrument rating, 

commercial single and multi-engine, and finally, a 

flight instructor certificate. Zeigler eventually left his 

IT job, pursued an MBA program, and convinced the 

Virginia Department of Aviation to bring him on as 

an unpaid graduate intern. He later was employed as 

a contractor supporting the FAA’s Wide Area Augmentation System program, while he continued to 

build his flight experience by flight instructing and 

conducting airborne traffic reporting.

From there, Zeigler was hired as a federal 

employee in the FAA’s Office of Airports, working 

with the Airport Improvement Program, and then the 

Airport Compliance Program, before moving to his 

current position in the Flight Standards Service’s General Aviation and Commercial Division. There Zeigler 

deals mainly with airman certification policy. He was 

heavily involved in the formulation and implementation of the part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft rule, and 

is currently focused on BasicMed implementation.

“Our division seems to get involved in everything, 

says Zeigler. “We’re best known for being the keepers 

and experts for all things part 61, but we also deal with 

part 141 (flight schools), remote pilot certification for 

107, and we frequently dip our toes into various other 

sections of the regulations. As anyone who has ever 

read a regulation knows, they are quite intertwined.”

Zeigler cites outreach as one of the challenges for 

his branch. That is especially evident with his work 

on the BasicMed rule which, as Zeigler observes, has 

many nuances that may not always be clear at first 

glance. “Most folks don’t spend a lot of time reading 

the Federal Register, the United States Code, or even 

the regulations for that matter, so it is important to 

me that our guidance and outreach materials do an 

effective job of informing the pilot community.”

Zeigler and his Flight Standards colleagues also 

field questions about what standards physicians 

should be using under BasicMed. “I try to make it 

clear that BasicMed is an airman eligibility rule, not 

a medical certification rule. Congress empowered 

state-licensed physicians to apply their own clinical 

judgment when examining someone for a BasicMed. 

The FAA publishes standards in part 67 for FAA medical certificates and provides guidance to Aviation 

Medical Examiners. The standards and guidance can 

be accessed by anyone, but a physician conducting a 

BasicMed exam is under no obligation to use them.”

As a proud aircraft owner and an active member 

of the GA flying community, Zeigler recognizes the 

importance of BasicMed to many airmen. However, 

he points out that no matter what medical qualification you use, your objective should always be the 

same: flying the aircraft in a safe manner. “It doesn’t 

matter if you have a chronic health condition or 

you’re battling seasonal allergies, flying with a medical deficiency that affects your ability to safely fly the 

airplane is hazardous to you, your passengers, and 

anyone who shares the airspace with you. My hope 

is that BasicMed will allow every airman to keep an 

open dialog with the physicians who treat them on 

their health and their fitness to fly, without fearing 

the loss of a medical certificate.”
U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Aviation 

Administration

800 Independence Ave., S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20591

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