The full text of the FAA's new final rule on pilot medicals was published Wednesday morning in the Federal Register, as the general aviation community continued to absorb and react to the news. The final rule, which takes effect on May 1, rewrites the FAA's rules to comply with legislation that was enacted in July 2016. Under the new rule, pilots can choose to maintain their medical under the old rules, or to fly under the new program called BasicMed, which simplifies the process. "Teams of AOPA experts are examining the Jan. 10 announcement," AOPA said on their website Wednesday morning. "As with any regulation, the details are critical, and we'll be carefully analyzing the rule and seeking clarification where needed." EAA also is taking a close look at the rule, and has posted FAQs on their website.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/faa-final-rule-on-new-medical-policy-published