Medical Cat 1 to Cat 3 for the next year

[PilotDAR]

'Had my medical today, The examiner seemed very happy with my fitness to fly, and gave my booklet a pretty red stamp! I had not renewed my Cat 1 as such last year when it came due, as life circumstance interfered with that. Instead, for the last 11 months, I have exercised the privilege described in CAR 404.04:

(6.3) The holder of a commercial pilot licence or an airline transport pilot licence may exercise the privileges of a private pilot licence until the end of the applicable validity period for the private pilot licence specified in subsection (6).

And flew this year only as a private pilot. My examiner told me today that doing so was okay, though that rule would change. She told me that in the future if your Cat 1 period was exceeded, you would not revert to a Cat 3, just your Cat 1 would not be valid anymore, and you would not have a valid medical. If you wanted to change from Cat 1 to Cat 3, and get an extra year, you'd have to apply for the change. That was the extent of her explanation.

So that's all I know about that, but just so you're paying attention, should you choose to exercise that privilege in the future, check the regs....

[Big Pistons Forever]

CAR 404.4 (6.3)

(6.3) The holder of a commercial pilot licence or an airline transport pilot licence may exercise the privileges of a private pilot licence until the end of the applicable validity period for the private pilot licence specified in subsection (6).

Until the CAR is changed, and there AFAIK no intent to change it, your Doctor is wrong

[Scuderia]

Will be interesting to see if the regulation changes in this regard.

Call me a pedant, but, as a matter of clarity, it's important to note that your Cat 1 is always a Cat 1, it never reverts to a Cat 3.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Will be interesting to see if the regulation changes in this regard.

Call me a pedant, but, as a matter of clarity, it's important to note that your Cat 1 is always a Cat 1, it never reverts to a Cat 3.

Correct, you stil have a Cat 1 but can only exercise the privileges of Class 3 when the validity period for the Class 1 has been exceeded

[nbinont]

'My examiner told me today that doing so was okay, though that rule would change.

It would be interesting to understand the rationale for that concept. It doesn't make much sense to change it - they already issue the lower category for the longer period, so I see no logical reason to restrict someone who has met the higher medical standards to a shorter period than someone who meets the lower standards for the same type of flying. The FAA has a similar fallback to private privileges after the cat 1 period ends. I fear the examiner may be misinformed.

[PilotDAR]

I fear the examiner may be misinformed.

Perhaps, though she stated that this was presented during a recent meeting of medical examiners she attended. She offered the information, rather than providing it based upon my inquiry. More than that, I do not know. If it's a false start, sorry, but I suppose it's worth an ask when pilots go for their next medical, just to be sure.

[photofly]

Sounds like this:

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=127659