90. How to abolish the 3rd class medical, with Brent Blue

Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's

The success of BasicMed proves the third class medical is obsolete—that’s according to senior AME Brent Blue. He covers a wide range of medical topics in this episode, including how to fill out the FAA medical application, what the latest rules are on mental health treatment, and whether new drugs like Ozempic are safe for pilots. Dr. Blue is also a leading advocate for pulse oximeters and carbon monoxide detectors, and he shares his rules of thumb for using both in the cockpit. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear why patients need to occasionally say no, a simple habit for healthy living, and what it’s like to fly a Canadian bushplane.

LINKS:

• Brent’s AOPA articles: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/articles-by-author/brent-blue
• Video on pulse oximeters: https://youtu.be/pOEBoeuyR0U
• Sporty’s 2025 Pilot Training Courses: https://www.sportys.com/learntofly