The FAA medical is just another check ride and pilots should prepare for it the same way. That's according to Dr. Keith Roxo, an aviation medical examiner and former Top Gun adversary pilot. He shares plenty of practical tips in this episode, including: what to do if you’re unsure of an answer on the application, why some pilots are stuck in medical limbo for over a year, what SODA and CACI mean, and how the FAA is handling mental health issues these days. Keith also talks about flying the F/A-18 and F-16, and how Top Gun taught him the difference between a standard and a technique. In the Ready to Copy segment, you'll hear why color-blindness isn’t a disqualifying condition, whether BasicMed has been successful, and what Keith's favorite aviation movie is.
Quotes:
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How to prepare for a medical: “everybody should approach the FAA medical exam like a check ride.”
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Finding a good AME: “not every pilot you know is a great pilot; not every AME is a great AME.”
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The power of a 3rd class medical: “John Travolta has shown that, if you have enough money, you can fly almost any size airplane with a third class medical.”
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On flying at Top Gun: “The goal really is to not just make you the best pilot, but to make you the best at teaching to the next generation.”
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