Topic 6. Medical Certificate

在FAA的系統下, Airman Medical Certificate分有三個等級,各有不同的有效期限
如果pilot想要取得Medical Certificate,則需要前往FAA指定的診所做檢查,
也就是所謂的Aviation Medical Examiners (AME).

接著我們就來看哪些人需要怎要的certificate而有效期又是多久.

1. First Class Medical Certificate
(a)Airline Transportation Pilot (ATPL)持有人需要取得
(b)有效期為 6 calendar months

2. Second Class Medical Certificate
(a)Commercial Pilot Certificate持有人需要取得
(b)有效期為 12 calendar months

3. Third Class Medical Certificate
(a)Private Pilot Certificate, Student Pilot和CFI需要取得
(b)有效期未滿40歲為 36 calendar months, 40歲以上為 24 calendar month.
(c)Third Class Medical Certificate即為Student Pilot Certificate.

而根據FAR的規定,
Pilot是可以取得較高等級Medical Certificate的,且有效期是根據你所對應的certificate而定.
怎麼說呢?
就拿我自己當例子來說,雖然目前我只有Private Pilot Certificate,
但是我當初所拿的是Second class medical
(因為這樣當我要拿commercial時就不用再花錢檢查一次)

而也因為我的second class medical是用在我的private pilot上
因此它的有效期為36 calendar months.

這大致上就是FAA關於medical certificate的規定啦

Topic 5. Private Pilot Certificate

Since my friends knew that I got the license, some questions were repeatledly asked.
Such as...
"So, what kind of airplane can you fly?"
"How many passengers can you take?"
"How far can you fly, where can you fly to?"
...etc.

Therefore, let's talk about the privileges and requirements
of the FAA Private Pilot Certificate.

首先,第一部份先來談obtain private pilot certificate的requirements.

(1)需年滿17歲 (別懷疑,很多老外在我們還在學騎腳踏車的年紀就坐在cockpit了)
(2)需具備英文聽說讀寫的能力
(3)至少取得 Third class medical certificate
(4)通過aeronautical knowledge test電腦測驗
(5)通過FAA-designated examiner的aeronautical knowledge oral test
和practical flight test.

而至於在飛行時數上的要求則會因Part 61或是141 training而有差別,
在這我們討論Part 61的規定:
(1)總飛行時數至少40小時,需包括...
a.20小時with instructor
b.10小時solo flight
c.3小時instrument flight

(2)10小時的solo裡,至少需包括...
a.5小時x-country solo
b.一次超過150 NM total distance和包括三個機場的long x-country
c.三次在controlled airport做full stop takeoffs and landings

(3)夜航飛時要求包括了...
a.3小時夜航訓練
b.一次night x-country
c.1o次的takeoffs and landings

以上是requirements的部份,補充一提的是根據AOPA的報告,
student pilot平均取得private pilot的飛行時數為70~75小時.

接著,第二部份來聊privileges,
首先要提到的是,FAA Private Pilot Certificate是永遠有效,不會過期的.
但是,你必須要有合規定的flight review和有效的medical certificate.

關於flight review,
pilot必須每24 calendar months和FAA-designated examiner或是CFI進行測驗.
而如果你想要載passenger的話,則需在90天內有same category和class的飛機
三次以上的takeoffs and landings經驗(白天),或是
三次以上的full stop takeoffs and landings經驗(夜晚).

其實,當你取得Private Pilot Certificate之後,
你就擁有了相當多的權利,你基本上可以架駛各型的飛機,
就算是Boeing 747都可以,只要你有適當的rating.
你也可以帶passenger,能帶多少人則看你飛的機型而定.

基本上,對於Private Pilot Certificate只有這麼一條:
"Can not carry passenger and/or cargo for compensatiom or hire".
但是你可以跟passenger share flight costs (eg. rental fee, fuel...)
而如果你是為了慈善機構而飛行的話,則可接受pay.

So, the bottom line is...
你唯一不能做的就是靠飛行賺錢維生啦.

I did it!!

南加州二月的天氣真的很不穩定, 應該是一年中氣候最差的時候
鋒面一堆~溫度,風向都很不穩定
所以要剛好找到天氣好, examiner又有空的時間,真的要靠運氣
經過了一堆波折~~
今天終於完成和pass了我的Private Pilot check ride!!!
So, I'm the FAA certificated Private Pilot now!! yeah finally.......

今天預定的測驗時間是中午12:30
測驗分成兩個部份~第一部份包括了aerodynamics, airplane system, aeromedical, x-country flight planning, weather info.等等的knowledge項目口試
第二部份就是maneuvers, navigation, emergency procedures等等的practical operation.

一開始的口試大概花了40多分鐘的時間
examiner問了一些基本的問題,其實很多我背了很久和念的很detail的問題都沒有問到
不過有這些知識在腦袋裡,隊於一個要對flight付全責的Pilot in Command來說,絕對是好的.
一些基本的問題像是...
解釋left-turning tendencies, adverse yaw, P-factor, vacuum system, gyroscopic instruments, and pitot-static system...etc.
另外還有就是解釋Hypoxia, hyperventilation, carbon monoxdie posioning等的定義,
影響,症狀和solutions.
至於weather的部份則像是解讀Weather Depiction Chart, RADAR Summary Chart, 和Area Forecasts等等的氣象資料.

第二部份的practical operation就有趣多了.
首先examiner會要求你先依照你的x-country flight plane來飛,
然後在某個way point的時候他會叫你divert到某個附近的機場.這個部分也同時測驗pilotage的能力.
首先要在flight chart裡面找到目標機場,暸解附近的airspace以及計畫該如何inbound.
Maneuvers則包括了很多項目,基本上學過的都做了,像是steep turn, slow flight, power on/off stall, turning stall, s-turn, turns around a point and simulate engine failure等.
另外在traffic pattern時則會測驗short field take-off/landing and soft field take-off/landing等的項目.

其實今天在Long Beach區域的風勢不算太小,大概都有10 kts以上,有些機場還有report gust.
But thank god, I did everything right.

在最後一次full-stop landing後準備taxi回去的時候,
examiner跟我說:
"Congratulations, you're now FAA certificated private pilot.
This also means form now on, as you are the pilot in command,
the flight safety it's your most important responsibility. Good job."

Wow....finally....