Flying Private Pilot w/o Medical

[jiott]

A few of us have been having a discussion, but don't know any real answers. Here's the question: If you have a Private ticket but have voluntarily dropped the 3rd class medical and are flying with a driver's license medical, have you thereby forced yourself to fly totally by Sport Pilot rules, i.e. day only vfr, only light sport qualified aircraft, no vfr flight over cloud layers, etc.

I'm sure some of you CFI's and other knowledgable people out there know the answers. My take is yes, you have turned yourself into a Sport Pilot even though your ticket still says Private on it. Otherwise why wouldn't everybody forget the medical and keep flying Private with no loss of priveleges.

[rv9ralph]

You are correct. You would be limited to flying aircraft that fit into the Light Sport Category and operating under those rules.
However, if you pass a 3rd class medical you can again exercise your privileges under your Private Pilot certificate.
Another however, if you subsequently fail to pass a 3rd class physical, you are grounded until you can pass.

Ralph

[Paul Z]

Good Question, I fly only VFR, a daytime only, I have no landing lights, but I don't like night flying.

[SkyPirate]

Flying PPL without a 3rd class if you have transitioned D airspace and its logged you don't need a endorsement, if your SPL , you need an endorsement to land at a towered D airspace , not sure on the C airspace .. I stay out of that traffic

[TahoeTim]

You can get a b,c,d endorsement for sport pilot.

The bad thing about failing the third class medical is that it grounds you from all flying. I wish Congress would move on the PP drivers license medical bill.

[896tr]

I know several people that are flying without medical certificates. One of them even lands at a class B airport. So my question is, with current staffing and budget what are the chances of getting caught? And what kind of "penalties", if any, would likely be imposed? Inquiring minds want to know.
Steve

[Av8r3400]

I know several people that are flying without medical certificates. One of them even lands at a class B airport. So my question is, with current staffing and budget what are the chances of getting caught? And what kind of "penalties", if any, would likely be imposed? Inquiring minds want to know.
Steve

If these people are private pilots, flying without a third class medical under light sport rules, nothing will happen to them. They are perfectly legal.

If they are only LS pilots, flying without the control tower endorsement, yet working the system right, most likely nothing will happen to them.