Basic Med-Part Deux

Not quite four years ago, I became one of the early adopters of Basic Med. Dr. Randle Corfman, whom some of you may have heard of, performed the subject exam on May 1, 2007. That was the first day that Basic Med was legal.

This week, I completed my second Basic Med exam, performed by my Primary Care physician here in Bozeman. He is neither an AME or a pilot. Before and during the exam, we had a lengthy discussion about the requirement for a medical exam, the history of Basic Med, and the subsequent limitations of Basic Med.

This Doctor was very thorough...throughout the exam, he repeatedly referred to the BM recommendations for the examining physician. At the conclusion, I noted that this was arguably the most thorough “aeromedical exam” I’ve ever had in over fifty years of them. He laughed and said that, when he reads a statement that says “under punishment of law”, he tends to the most thorough, but he also said he was interested in seeing and trying to understand the requirements, since this was his first.

He also laughed and said this was a great reminder of what he learned in medical school: “We need to LOOK at the patient.” His comment was that nowadays with sophisticated imaging, ultrasound, etc, etc, sometimes physicians may not look as closely at their patients as they might.

At the end, I asked if he’d do another. His response was, “Absolutely.”

So far, BM has provided everything I need in my flying. Hopefully, I’ll be back for another exam with this young doctor in four years.

MTV

MTV,
Mine is due in a few months, thanks for the report. I've been seriously thinking of just getting the 3rd class and also the BM. Only reason would be to be able to fly through Canada. Maybe we'll get lucky and Canada will eventually allow BM.

My BM exam is due next month.
I did my first one 4 years ago with the same AME who did my last few 3rd class medicals.
I was planning on scheduling with him again, but last year at my annual visit my regular doc said he'd be up for it.
One of my flying buddies is going in to see this doc in a week or two,
I plan on debriefing him & if I don't like the way it went for him,
I might go back to the AME again.
This same buddy did his BM 4 years ago with a different local doc--
he got the signoff but didn't care for the doc's attitude about the whole thing,
and so wasn't gonna go back to him this time around.

I do the BasicMed every year, with my family doctor (required by one of my insurance policies). I strongly recommend BasicMed to my students. There are so many advantages - the only down-sides are international flying and the inability to ferry airplanes for friends who buy the hotel rooms.

The big deal - if your doctor doesn't like your looks, he/she cannot flunk you. Go see another.

My big deal - if you have an incapacitation in a Cub you probably only hurt yourself. If you have one in an SUV on the freeway, you could take out several innocent families.

WWhunter said:

MTV,
Mine is due in a few months, thanks for the report. I've been seriously thinking of just getting the 3rd class and also the BM. Only reason would be to be able to fly through Canada. Maybe we'll get lucky and Canada will eventually allow BM.

Click to expand...

I doubt that much is being done on either side of the border about this issue. As I understand it, it's a "reciprocal" thing: you allow us and we'll allow you. Unfortunately, that has led to a stalemate and the whole thing is now on the back burner.

It's a shame. I have a "Class 4" medical (similar to your Basic Med) and I'd like to fly into the US (Alaska) one day.

Mine is due in October. I had my GP do it. It was a first for her and she read all the stuff and agreed it’s what she does for me at least once a year anyway. Hoping the next one goes as easily.

Rich