Certificates, Medicals and Staying Current

A private pilot certificate does not expire, but the privileges attached to it are gated by two things: a valid medical basis and recency of experience. To exercise private privileges you need at least a third-class medical certificate, whose duration depends on your age at the exam — for third-class private privileges it lasts until the end of the 60th calendar month after the exam if you were under 40, and the 24th calendar month if 40 or older (roughly five years versus two). BasicMed is an alternative that lets qualifying pilots fly without a current FAA medical, but it is not a one-time exam: you must have held a valid FAA medical certificate at some point after July 14, 2006, and then meet recurring requirements — a comprehensive medical exam with a state-licensed physician using the FAA checklist every 48 months, and completion of the FAA online BasicMed medical course every 24 months — all within its aircraft and operating limits. Privileges also come with limits: a private pilot generally may not fly for compensation or hire, though you may share the operating expenses of a flight with your passengers as long as you pay at least a pro rata share. Finally, recency of experience keeps you sharp: to carry passengers you need three takeoffs and landings within the preceding 90 days in the same category, class, and type (if required) — and for night passengers (the period from 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise), those three must be to a FULL STOP in that period; a tailwheel airplane also demands full-stop landings. Add a flight review every 24 calendar months to act as pilot in command at all. When asked, present your certificate, medical, and photo ID to the FAA, NTSB, or any federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer. BasicMed limits have been amended in recent years — confirm current figures in the regulation before relying on a memorized number. Some airplanes require additional training beyond the certificate itself: a high-performance airplane — one with an engine of more than 200 horsepower — requires a one-time logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor before you act as pilot in command, and a complex airplane (retractable gear, flaps, and a controllable-pitch propeller) requires its own one-time endorsement. These are additional-training endorsements, not new ratings, and they do not expire.