New BasicMed Expansion Takes Effect | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.14.25

Airborne-NextGen-04.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-04.16.25

Airborne-AffordableFliers-04.17.25

SunnFun-DayFour-04.03.25

Fri, Nov 15, 2024

New BasicMed Expansion Takes Effect

Loosens Restrictions on Passenger and Payload for Covered Aircraft

As of November 12, 2024, expansions to BasicMed operations have officially gone into effect. These are included in Section 828 of the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (H.R. 3935), which was signed into law in May.

Under these new regulations, pilots flying under BasicMed privileges can operate aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of up to 12,500 pounds. This is over double the original limit of 6,000 pounds, giving pilots the option to fly heavier aircraft like the Cessna 402 or Piper Navajo The other primary bump is the ability to carry 6 passengers in an aircraft certified for seven seats. The previous regulation was one person less.

These changes increase flexibility for recreational and personal flying while still keeping safety limits in place.

Several original BasicMed rules were unchanged in the expansion. Pilots flying under these privileges are still restricted to flying at 250 knots or below, staying at or under 18,000 feet MSL, and not flying for hire.

Pilots who have held a valid FAA medical certificate at any point after July 14, 2006, are eligible to use BasicMed as long as they complete a medical exam with a physician every four years and an online aeromedical course every two years. This system eliminates the need for regular FAA medical exams, offering greater convenience for many private pilots.

Additionally, BasicMed will now be extended to Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs). This allows them to conduct practical tests and proficiency checks using BasicMed in spite of FAR 61.23. While the FAA is still working to come up with guidelines, this change supports broader accessibility to pilot certification resources.

For many pilots, BasicMed offers financial and regulatory relief, particularly for those with special issuance medicals. If a pilot previously held a special issuance medical and does not have certain specified cardiac, neurological, or mental health conditions, they may avoid the special issuance process entirely under BasicMed.

The recent expansion to weight and passenger limits approved under BasicMed enhances pilots’ flexibility in choosing aircraft and makes this certification a more appealing alternative for the general aviation community.

FMI: www.faa.gov

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.15.25): On-Course Indication

On-Course Indication An indication on an instrument, which provides the pilot a visual means of determining that the aircraft is located on the centerline of a given navigational t>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.15.25)

“The remaining infrastructure and staffing for this outdated method costs taxpayers millions of dollars annually to support the small number of pilots that have not converted>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Wild Sky LLC Goat

Weather Conditions Were “Very Gusty” At The Time Of The Accident On March 14, 2025, about 1515 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Wild Sky Goat light->[...]

Airborne 04.16.25: NYC Heli-Tour Shutdown, FAA Closing RCOs, A-26 Restoration

Also: Penguins Are Bad Pilots, DA42 Fleet Delivery, Coulson Expands, CAF SoCal Celebrates Spitfire 80th The FAA issued an emergency order shutting down New York Helicopter Charter,>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.16.25)

"The FAA is taking this action in part because after the company’s director of operations voluntarily shut down flights, he was fired.... The review, known as a Certificate H>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC