FAA Medicals

[Les Habitants]

I am currently trying to Convert My TC Commercial and IFR to FAA licenses. I have a cat 1 medical that lapsed back in August. Will I need to renew it in order to apply for the license? And Also, I understand I need to hold a Second-Class medical in order to do the conversion. I am assuming a cat 1 medical meets the FAA second-class medical requirements, or will I have to travel south and get another examination done? Any insight would be helpful and appreciated.

Thanks

[Nark]

Travel south and get an FAA medical.

Head to faa.gov and search for an AME (doc) in whatever area you want.
Make a vacation out of it.

[Walker]

Just ran through this little jig...
You need to get your class one renewed, THEN send your from down to Oklahoma.
While your waiting for it to get back get a class 2 Yanky medical.
Once you get the letter saying your invited to apply, book and write the two exams Gleim has a quick online course that makes the exams a total joke I averaged ~10 min each AFTER doing their little show you the answers thing.

THEN after the exams are finished you need to book an appointment at the FSDO;
now heres the rub, EVERYTHING that was valid and up to date in your Canadian book must show the same data as the form you sent down.

I sent my form down when I only had a month left on my class 1. I renewed my medical wrote the exams, went down the the FSDO and was told so GTFO because my Canadian CPL was now invalid (even though my book had been stamped)
So if anything is going to expire soon (even if your going to renew it) make sure you either get down to the FSDO before it expires OR renew it BEFORE sending your form down...



Edit:
So for clarification, on the conversion procedure you need BOTH a FULL Canadian AND a FULL FAA medical...
in my city there was a doc who could do both, so for the same cost he would fill both the Canadian and American form. If you cant find such a person you will need to see 2 doctors and do two exams (and pay for each of course, plus $300 in exam fees)

PS most inspectors down there don't know a thing about this conversion nonsese, so make sure you bring printouts of all the relevant circulars to show them in case they get confused.

[Louis]

Your nickname leads me to think you're in the Montreal area...

If so, you're in luck, it's one of the cities where I feel it's easier to do the FAA conversion.

Once you get the verification sorted out, you can write the exam at Air Richelieu in St-Hubert. (They weren't listed on the FAA website back when I did it because you can only write the conversion exams there and not exams for other certificates like you could at a LaserGrade or CATS location. Doing the math, it came to about the same price, if not cheaper to do it in YHU than to take the time and fuel to drive to the US.)

There are two doctors able to do both TC and FAA medicals: Dr. Anne Thériault and Dr. Robert Perlman.

Afterwards a scenic four hour drive through the Adirondacks down to the Albany FSDO, or a short hop in a GA airplane of your choice.

I too second the Gleim online course.

Have a look at my avatar, and if it has anything to do with your licence conversion, PM me...

À la prochaine,

Louis

[chipmunk]

One thing about Dr. Perlman is he's REALLY expensive. I paid around $400 for an initial FAA Class 1 medical, including the EKG. I renewed this year when I happened to be in YYZ. Dr. Knipping's price is a mere $150 (plus you save on the Canadian one if you do it at the same time as the FAA.)

I'll echo Louis' advice on Air Richelieu & the Gleim online.

[Panama Jack]

When I was living in the Montreal area I had to get a FAA medical in 2003. The Montreal area medical FAA AME's are extremely expensive!

Drove down to Plattsburgh to do my First Class there. . . I think it cost me around $45 USD and the examiner was very nice person. With the savings, had a nice dinner at the restaurant with my wife and tankered cheap US gas in my little Tercel back into Canada crossing the border (with cash to spare). Made for a nice day-outing.

Some good info here:

http://flightphysical.com/

[xsbank]

Today, Perlman will charge you $450 for an FAA and TC medical with an ECG. The Plattsburg thing is a good idea, even if you're not paying.

[F-16]

If you are out west, Ultima medical on the southside of YVR only charged @ $50 for the FAA paperwork on top of the CDN medical.

As stated above, you need a valid licence for the conversion, and for that, you need a current medical to validate the licence.

However, to speed up the process, once you get your letter from the FAA Airmen certification branch in Oklahoma, you can book your appointment at the FSDO office that you specified in your application process.

You don't have to wait until the exams are done. This may help to reduce any lag time and you could set it up so that you write the exams in the morning, and have your FSDO appt. in the afternoon.

Just remember, without an appointment, you won't have the slightest chance to get in.

[snoopy]

'Scuse my Klingon but $450 for a medical is complete bullshit! Try here: http://www.faa.gov/pilots/amelocator/ and do a little comparison shopping. There used to be a Dr. Apple something in YYZ that was good, but I see he is off the list, and the list is much smaller than it was a couple of years ago. Dr. Helleur in YYC is very good as is Dr. Rempel in YVR. Usually if you do both your medicals at the same time it will be around $150 or so.
Cheers,
Kirsten B.