Understanding the medical class cascade in DaPilot

The medical card on your dashboard shows your current medical class, the date it was issued, when it expires for each privilege level, and BasicMed as a fallback if applicable. This guide explains the FAR 61.23 cascade and how DaPilot computes the durations from your date of issue.

Why this matters

Most medical-related operational surprises come from the same source: a pilot remembers when their medical was issued but forgets that the duration is different for different privileges. A first-class medical is good for first-class privileges for either 6 or 12 months depending on age, then drops down to second-class privileges for the rest of the cycle, then third-class. Tracking that cascade by hand is the easiest field-level boundary to lose track of.

The cascade in plain English (per FAR 61.23)

Your medical certificate has an issue date and a class (first, second, or third). The class you hold determines what flying you're authorized for; the duration depends on your age at the time of the medical.

First-class privileges

You need a first-class medical to exercise ATP privileges (operating under FAR 121, for example). First-class medicals expire at the end of the 6th calendar month after the date of issue if you're 40 or older, and the 12th calendar month if you're under 40.

After first-class privileges expire, your first-class medical drops to second-class for the duration of the second-class window.

Second-class privileges

You need at least a second-class medical to fly commercial (FAR 135 charter, FAR 91 single-pilot for hire, etc.). Second-class privileges last 12 calendar months from the date of issue, regardless of age.

After second-class privileges expire (a year after the original issue date), the medical drops to third-class for the rest of the third-class window.

Third-class privileges

A third-class medical authorizes private and recreational flying. Third-class privileges last 60 calendar months (5 years) from the date of issue if you were under 40 at issue, and 24 calendar months (2 years) if you were 40 or older.

A first-class or second-class medical that has expired into the third-class window keeps third-class privileges for the remainder of that window.

Calendar months matter

"End of the 6th calendar month" means the last day of the 6th calendar month after issue, not 180 days. A first-class medical issued on April 15 expires for first-class privileges on October 31, not October 15. DaPilot computes the boundary correctly.

What the card shows

The medical card on the dashboard shows three lines:

1. Current class: First, Second, or Third. If you're in the cascade (e.g., your first-class is now operating as second-class), the card shows what class you currently hold privileges in.
2. Expiry: the date when the current privilege level lapses. Days remaining is shown alongside.
3. Cascade: the full sequence of expiry dates. For a first-class medical issued at age 35, the cascade shows three boundary dates: first-class expiry at 12 months, second-class expiry at 24 months, third-class expiry at 60 months.

BasicMed as a fallback

If you no longer want to renew an FAA medical, you can fly under BasicMed (FAR 68) for many private operations. BasicMed has its own validity rules: a comprehensive medical exam every 4 years, an online course every 24 months, and a flight review every 24 months. BasicMed has aircraft and operational limits (no more than 6 occupants, no more than 6,000 lbs MTOW, day or night VFR or IFR, US-only, etc.).

DaPilot tracks BasicMed if you toggle it on in Settings → Pilot profile. The medical card then shows two paths: your FAA medical with its expiry, and BasicMed with its expiry. If your FAA medical lapses but BasicMed is still current, you can keep flying under the BasicMed rules without any operational gap.

Setting up your medical in DaPilot

Reading the cascade

Tap the medical card on the dashboard to see the full cascade. For a first-class medical issued April 15, 2026, at age 38, the cascade looks like:

• First-class privileges expire: April 30, 2027 (end of 12th calendar month)
• Second-class privileges expire: April 30, 2028 (end of 24th calendar month from issue)
• Third-class privileges expire: April 30, 2031 (end of 60th calendar month from issue, age under 40 at issue)

If the same medical had been issued at age 42, the cascade would be:

• First-class privileges expire: October 31, 2026 (end of 6th calendar month)
• Second-class privileges expire: April 30, 2027 (end of 12th calendar month from issue)
• Third-class privileges expire: April 30, 2028 (end of 24th calendar month from issue, age 40+ at issue)

DaPilot's card flips between privilege levels at each boundary. The current line always shows the level you're currently authorized for.

Special-issuance medicals

If you have a special-issuance medical (an Authorization for Special Issuance, often abbreviated SI), the validity period may be shorter than the standard 6-12-24-60 month cascade. DaPilot does not auto-detect SI status; if your AME wrote a shorter validity on the certificate, override the expiry date manually in Settings → Medical → Custom expiry.

What to do when the medical expires

You cannot fly under FAR Part 61 privileges that require the medical class you don't currently hold. The only exception is BasicMed, if you have it set up and the BasicMed criteria are met.

To renew, schedule an exam with an AME (the FAA's Find an AME tool is the simplest way to find one). Bring identifications, your most recent medical, and any history of medical events since the last exam. Most exams take an hour. The AME issues the new medical the same day in most cases.

Once you have the new medical, update the date of issue in DaPilot and the cascade recomputes from the new date.

Tips from pilots who've been there

Schedule the medical 60 days before the lapse. Most AMEs book out two to four weeks, and you don't want to find out about a deferred special issuance the week before a Part 121 line trip.

If you're flying a mix of operations (commercial day jobs and personal flying), keep the highest class you need. A first-class medical satisfies all three classes. Don't try to optimize.

If you've ever had a medication change, a hospitalization, or a new diagnosis since your last medical, document it before you walk into the AME's office. Surprises during the exam are the slowest path to a new certificate.

Last updated April 27, 2026 · 7 min read