On June 25, 2026, the FAA published a Federal Register notice inviting public comment on renewing its information collection authority for BasicMed — the alternative medical pathway used by tens of thousands of active general aviation pilots. It's a procedural renewal covering FAA Form 8700-2 (the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist), not a policy change. But it's a good prompt to review which pathway actually fits you.
Three pathways, plainly
| Pathway | Who examines you | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| Third class medical | FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) | Students planning a career track, or anyone who wants the cleanest documentation |
| BasicMed | Any state-licensed physician, using the FAA checklist, plus an online medical course | Pilots who have held a valid medical since July 2006 and fly light GA aircraft |
| Sport pilot (no FAA medical) | Self-certification with a valid U.S. driver's license | New pilots starting out, or pilots who want to keep flying without the medical process |
The practical advice we give members
- If you have any complicated medical history, talk to an AME before you apply for anything. A conversation is cheap; a deferred application is expensive in time.
- If you already hold a medical and just want to keep flying club aircraft, BasicMed is usually the least friction.
- If you're brand new and want to be flying in weeks rather than months, sport pilot privileges under MOSAIC now open up more airframes than they used to.
- Whatever you choose, keep expiration dates in one place. The A4 member portal tracks medical and certificate currency and warns you before something lapses — including before it blocks a reservation.
BasicMedMedicalFAA
