AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2019 - 106

NEWS & NOTES
LEGALLY SPEAKING

PILOT PROTECTION SERVICES

|

BasicMed and
your checkride
Yes, you can take the test
B Y C H A D M AY E R
A COMMON QUESTION POSED to AOPA's
Legal Services Plan is, "Can I take a checkride with BasicMed?" The answer in most
cases is yes: An applicant can take any FAA
practical test using BasicMed in lieu of an
FAA medical certificate when acting as pilot
in command. A person taking any FAA practical test is exercising no more than private
pilot privileges, so as long as the aircraft
and operation are within BasicMed limitations, the pilot can fly under BasicMed. This
is true even for checkrides for certificates
requiring a certain class of FAA medical certificate to utilize them. For example, at least
a second class medical certificate is required
to exercise commercial pilot privileges, but
one can take the commercial checkride with
BasicMed.
FAR 61.23(a)(3) states that a person
"Must hold at least a third-class medical
certificate-(iii) When taking a practical test
in an aircraft for a recreational pilot, private
pilot, commercial pilot, or airline transport
pilot certificate, or for a flight instructor
certificate, except when operating under

the conditions and limitations set forth in
§61.113(i);" (emphasis mine). FAR 61.113(i)
details the requirements pertaining to
BasicMed qualification.
Even if you hold a medical certificate
and never plan to use BasicMed yourself,
your CFI and examiner will expect you
to be familiar with it in case, for example,
you later fly with a safety pilot who is flying under BasicMed. Furthermore, "Part
68 BasicMed privileges and limitations" is
a required knowledge task item under Pilot
Qualifications in the Airman Certification
Standards (ACS) for the private pilot
checkride. There are similar items in the
instrument and commercial ACS. When this
article went to press, the draft ACS for the
airline transport pilot certificate was out for
public comment and did not include such a
knowledge task.
Although applicants can take practical
tests with BasicMed, the same is not true for
the examiners who administer those tests.
At least a third class medical certificate is
required "when performing the duties as an
examiner in an aircraft when administering
a practical test or proficiency check for an
airman certificate, rating, or authorization,"
per FAR 61.23(a)(3)(iv).
CHAD MAYER is an in-house attorney for

the legal services division of AOPA Pilot
Protection Services.

HOW CAN AOPA'S PILOT
PROTECTION SERVICES
HELP YOU WITH BASICMED
CERTIFICATION?
As a participant in AOPA's Pilot
Protection Services, you'll have
access to our Legal Services Plan
attorneys and medical certification
professionals who can evaluate the
facts of your individual circumstances
to help determine if:
* You are eligible to fly under
BasicMed.
* Your aircraft is a covered aircraft
under BasicMed.
* Your intended operations will
comply with the flight condition
limitations under BasicMed.
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106 | AOPA PILOT January 2019

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2019