Narrative:

I had approximately 400 hours total flight time, was a commercial pilot in multi engine, and wanted to add single engine privileges to my commercial ticket. My medical expired in may/97. I read a number of magazines and knew that less than 40 yrs of age would qualify me for a 3 yr medical. However, there was lots of confusion in my mind as to what rules were proposed, what had gone into effect, and what was scheduled to go into effect. I called up AOPA who has always been helpful with these questions and they stated that yes, that less than 40 yrs of age equals a 3 yr rule had become effective last sep/96 and that yes, my medical would be good for 3 yrs. I was happy to know I could avoid the extra expense and hassle of renewing my medical for another yr. I rented and took dual instruction from several FBO's/clubs and people photocopied my medical without question as being valid. I submitted for my single engine add-on to my commercial ticket only to find the FAA examiner saying my medical had expired. I disagreed and stated that it was good for 3 yrs. After a few phone calls later to the FSDO, we verified that only for those medicals done after 9/97 did the 3 yr rule apply. I was shocked. I have tried to keep up on all the changes and was very surprised I was not legal to fly -- especially since I had rented an airplane and flown it to the examiner in another town to take my chkride. I also pay for good aircraft renter's insurance and would have been devastated if there had been a problem. I was able to rent a car for 1 day and find an AME to get me a medical so I could fly the plane back. I passed my chkride the next day. This problem could continue to occur for others for 2 more yrs! My examiner stated I knew just enough to be dangerous! Always see the far yourself! Keep a current copy. The FAA could help by not making changes without adequate notice. Eg, releasing corrections 1 week before the date!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT FLEW AN SMA SEL ACFT TO A LOCATION TO TAKE AN FAA SEL COMMERCIAL RATING CHKRIDE. HE DISCOVERED THAT HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS NOT VALID DESPITE PREVIOUS INFO TO THE CONTRARY. HE WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A VALID MEDICAL AND PASSED THE CHKRIDE THE NEXT DAY.

Narrative: I HAD APPROX 400 HRS TOTAL FLT TIME, WAS A COMMERCIAL PLT IN MULTI ENG, AND WANTED TO ADD SINGLE ENG PRIVILEGES TO MY COMMERCIAL TICKET. MY MEDICAL EXPIRED IN MAY/97. I READ A NUMBER OF MAGAZINES AND KNEW THAT LESS THAN 40 YRS OF AGE WOULD QUALIFY ME FOR A 3 YR MEDICAL. HOWEVER, THERE WAS LOTS OF CONFUSION IN MY MIND AS TO WHAT RULES WERE PROPOSED, WHAT HAD GONE INTO EFFECT, AND WHAT WAS SCHEDULED TO GO INTO EFFECT. I CALLED UP AOPA WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN HELPFUL WITH THESE QUESTIONS AND THEY STATED THAT YES, THAT LESS THAN 40 YRS OF AGE EQUALS A 3 YR RULE HAD BECOME EFFECTIVE LAST SEP/96 AND THAT YES, MY MEDICAL WOULD BE GOOD FOR 3 YRS. I WAS HAPPY TO KNOW I COULD AVOID THE EXTRA EXPENSE AND HASSLE OF RENEWING MY MEDICAL FOR ANOTHER YR. I RENTED AND TOOK DUAL INSTRUCTION FROM SEVERAL FBO'S/CLUBS AND PEOPLE PHOTOCOPIED MY MEDICAL WITHOUT QUESTION AS BEING VALID. I SUBMITTED FOR MY SINGLE ENG ADD-ON TO MY COMMERCIAL TICKET ONLY TO FIND THE FAA EXAMINER SAYING MY MEDICAL HAD EXPIRED. I DISAGREED AND STATED THAT IT WAS GOOD FOR 3 YRS. AFTER A FEW PHONE CALLS LATER TO THE FSDO, WE VERIFIED THAT ONLY FOR THOSE MEDICALS DONE AFTER 9/97 DID THE 3 YR RULE APPLY. I WAS SHOCKED. I HAVE TRIED TO KEEP UP ON ALL THE CHANGES AND WAS VERY SURPRISED I WAS NOT LEGAL TO FLY -- ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAD RENTED AN AIRPLANE AND FLOWN IT TO THE EXAMINER IN ANOTHER TOWN TO TAKE MY CHKRIDE. I ALSO PAY FOR GOOD ACFT RENTER'S INSURANCE AND WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED IF THERE HAD BEEN A PROB. I WAS ABLE TO RENT A CAR FOR 1 DAY AND FIND AN AME TO GET ME A MEDICAL SO I COULD FLY THE PLANE BACK. I PASSED MY CHKRIDE THE NEXT DAY. THIS PROB COULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR FOR OTHERS FOR 2 MORE YRS! MY EXAMINER STATED I KNEW JUST ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS! ALWAYS SEE THE FAR YOURSELF! KEEP A CURRENT COPY. THE FAA COULD HELP BY NOT MAKING CHANGES WITHOUT ADEQUATE NOTICE. EG, RELEASING CORRECTIONS 1 WK BEFORE THE DATE!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.