Basic Med is an option for most of us. If at any point after July 14, 2006, you have held a medical certificate and it has not been revoked you are eligible for Basic Med. That is true even if you had a medical with a special issuance that has expired. For us older guys the best reason to fly under Basic Med is because it lasts 4 years instead of the 2 years for Third Class. If you are under 40, a Third Class lasts 5 years so it’s a better option. You do need to carry a valid US driver’s license but since most of us use that as the photo ID requirement, we already have that in our possession. You need to comply with any restrictions on your Driver’s license, e.g. corrective lenses, prosthetic aids required, daylight driving only, etc. Details are found on the FAA website.

You can take any practical test including Commercial and First Class with BasicMed. You can fly to Mexico and the Bahamas, but not Canada. Practically any GA aircraft that we fly can be flown under Basic Med as long as the aircraft is authorized to carry not more than 6 occupants, has a maximum takeoff weight of not more than 6,000 pounds, you do not fly over 18,000' MSL, and do not exceed 250 knots.

I put together lots more information if you are interested and published it on the Touring Machine blog.

You can find a current list of AMEs at the FAA website. You need to put in the county to find all of the local ones. Here are the ones as of July 22, 2022.

Roger B Steele
148 Casa St, San Luis Obispo
(805) 543-8310
First/Second/Third Class and Basic Med $180
He will do both FAA Medicals and Basic Med for the same price or just Basic Med.
He only sees pilots on Thursday afternoons.
He still tells incredibly sexist jokes, so if that offends you, see someone else.

Shields Abernathy
1050 Las Tablas Road Suite 3, Templeton
(805) 434-1000
First Class/Second Class/Third
Retired and didn’t return phone call. Message says he’s still doing medicals.

Scott Greaves
2120 Golden Hill Road, Suite 102, Paso Robles
(805) 434-2900
Second Class $218
Third Class $181

Wendy Eve Weiss
575 Price St #101, Pismo Beach
(805) 773-0707
Second Class/Third Class $175

Kenneth Starr
107 Nelson Street Arroyo Grande
(805) 242-1360
Second Class/Third Class $275
I can get Airmen in for exams usually within 1-2 days.

Paul Christensen
3070 Skyway Drive #106, Santa Maria
(805) 922-8282
You can fly into the airport and walk across the street.
First Class $200
Second and Third Class $150

Updated 2022-08-01