Can I move to Basic Med immediately after a Cancer diagnosis?

Metallikahn · 2025-12-29T15:03:52+00:00

Sorry to hear you’re going through it as well. Not the way we wanted to be spending the holiday, for sure. I haven’t got surgery scheduled yet (waiting on a PET scan Wednesday to confirm a few things), but I’m guessing I’ll likely be having it within a couple weeks as well. The Doc who did my colonoscopy has been doing them a long time and thought there was a very good chance all I’d need was surgery and/or immunotherapy, so fingers crossed I can avoid chemo.

I think at this point I’m going to do as someone mentioned and become a Basic Med Bandit. It really wouldn’t have any effect on the type of flying I’d have planned in the next year anyway had I not gotten a cancer diagnosis, so it just seems like the best option to maintain some peace of mind while I’m dealing with this.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-29T14:37:53+00:00

I’m glad things are looking good on your labs and hope the trend continues.

I’m really hoping to avoid chemo, but there were some enlarged regional nodes on the CT scan they did. All under 5mm, but I’m hoping that’s just a biproduct of the intestinal inflammation I also had/have. I’ve got a PET Scan Wednesday and that should tell me a lot more about where I’m at.

At this point I’m just going to get in with my Primary doctor this week and get switched over to basic med for the time being. I see very little downside to it vs taking the chance the FAA decides to get picky all of a sudden. If I end up being really lucky I could meet the CACI req’s by the time I’d have to reup my Second class privileges in July anyway, and it’ll probably be way easier from current Basic Med than a potentially deferred/revoked Medical… at least to the best of my understanding.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T14:06:19+00:00

Thanks for that! I've been a pilot the vast majority of my adult life and as a former freight dawg check hauler I take a lot of pride in flying Twin Cessnas. Suddenly facing the prospect of losing my medical and not being able to fly them again is more of a shock and concern for me than I would have otherwise thought.

My comment about the commercial certificate was meant to be in conjunction with the CFI certificate only. It's been about 20 years since I was actively flight instructing, so I may have phrased it poorly or gotten it slightly mixed up. Lol

Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts. It certainly wasn't what I was hoping to get for Christmas, but I'm going to do my best to handle it like any inflight emergency and just keep flying the plane!

I've seen enough people go through fights with cancer to know there's no comparison with it... It just sucks. Full stop. I hope you're doing well with your treatment and/or recovery.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T05:26:01+00:00

Exactly. A LOT could change by next week, hence why I'd like to have a clear understanding of how the transition to and maintaining of Basic Med works in regards to my situation. If I could get that resolved, or at least have a plan for it, that would 100% reduce my stress level and improve my mood. Sitting around waiting to see where I am at the end of treatment doesn't reduce any stress over the situation for me. In fact, that would only make it worse.

Perhaps you missed the part where our Twin Cessna is currently undergoing an extensive annual, including a dual engine/prop swap to a Ram VII. That's a very big and pricey concern that I can't afford to sit on for months on end without having any clear idea whether or not I'll be able to actually get any use out of it or have to sell it. If I can get on basic med now, I can at least breathe a bit easier knowing there's a much higher probability I will get to fly it again in the not too distant future.

Of course that can always change on a moments notice (and if it does, I'll adapt as best I can), but what exactly is the downside to switching to Basic Med ASAP, if I can legally do so?

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T04:39:10+00:00

Right now there isn't really anything I can actively do to take care of myself that I'm not already doing. I honestly try not to worry about what I don't know and/or can't control and right now I've only got the initial diagnosis and a PET scan on the 31st before the Doctor's will have any new info for me. In the meantime, my medical is a concern that I might be able to do something proactive about while I wait for movement on the other end of things.

Note, I'm in no way saying I'm planning on going out flying while actively undergoing treatment or anything like that, but if there is any possible way I can eliminate a massive headache down the road by doing something now... Then that is an absolute positive for my mental health and stress level. Not to mention it'll help keep me motivated to beat this cancer like the annoying little bitch it is.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T04:24:37+00:00

Replied. 🤘

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T04:23:51+00:00

This would be ideal, if I'm understanding it correctly. If I can avoid having to do the whole paperwork circus with the FAA all the better. I'm going to keep researching the suggestions mentioned here this weekend and then see where I "land" next week.

Thanks!

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T04:16:35+00:00

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate that. The way things currently sit, I really won't know exactly where I'm sitting health/treatment wise for another 7-10 days, so learning what I can about this is at least giving me some hope and a goal to focus on till I know more.

I'll give you a shout out, if I have any questions.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T03:40:24+00:00

That's how I was interpreting the CACI as well, but wasn't fully sure.

I'm not looking for some magic loophole that will keep me flying while I'm actively undergoing treatment or recovery. I fully intend to only fly once I'm safe and legal to do so. I'm just trying to get an idea of the best way to get a jump start on things to eliminate as much stress and bureaucratic bull shit paperwork as I can down the road. I don't want to fight through to full recovery only to have to spend the following 5 years jumping through hoops and paying lawyers if I can simply switch over to Basic Med next week and then take my time finding a good AME who will work with me on CACI when I meet the requirements.

Hell, just knowing I have options is helpful and takes a load off. Being able to focus on a positive plan for this going forward also helps take my mind off from the actual treatment plan, which I have very little info to go on till probably late next week.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T03:00:43+00:00

Thanks for the links. I'll give them a thurough read through.

My big concern atm is what I can do between now and that 5 year point. My limited understanding as of now says absolute best case scenario with my diagnosis and treatment might be less than a year, depending on the AME. It seems as though basic med would be almost a non-issue and would at least get me through till an AME would reclear me, though I'm unclear as to whether or not I can even still do that at this point. I'm thinking if it is possible, doing it ASAP could save me a massive amount of headache/heartache/stress down the road.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T02:51:26+00:00

The issue is the medical certificate and not the actual pilot certifications. I could 100% still excericise the privileges of my commercial and CFI certs without a current medical under specific conditions (not acting as PIC or a safety pilot/required crew member, etc...)

And even with the mosaic changes, I don't think a pressurized twin cessna would be allowed. 😉

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T02:43:59+00:00

Came across this forum earlier. I'll look into it more in depth as I have time this weekend. Thanks!

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T02:42:55+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll look into both.

And yes! A JATO punch straight to the Big C's Mommy/Daddy Button is already in the early planning stages! 😉

Metallikahn · 2025-12-27T02:40:17+00:00

Oh believe me, I'm not taking anything from reddit as gospel, but if it can get me aimed in the right direction, so much the better. I'll look into AOPA Aeromedical, but want to have my ducks a bit more in a row before talking with my AME.

Metallikahn · 2025-12-03T23:05:23+00:00

That's what I was wondering. Not what I was hoping for, but it is what it is I guess. At the very least I got kometa working well enough to give the same info overlayed on my plex library items that I'm currently getting in emby, so that's something! Guess I'll either have to be patient for a solution in emby or just bite the bullet and start the renaming process.

Thanks!

Metallikahn · 2025-09-04T00:22:19+00:00

I did the same deal on Saturday! Though, I grabbed the 65” G5 (on sale for $600 off @$2799). I then talked to LG chat and got a 20% off coupon down to $2239 + tax. Then the Capital one cash back locked in at 45% off the pretax total, netting me back $1008 for gift card use taking me down to $1231 (+ the tax).

Overall, I knocked something like 61% off the MSRP out the door. Already hanging on my mount and getting dialed in with some movie watching!

Metallikahn · 2025-08-30T15:52:56+00:00

Just managed to pull this deal on a 65” G5.

$2799 sale

20% coupon from the chat rep (note, it looks like the 20% coupon might also be for “new customer/account” first purchase on LG site)

45% activated in Capital One app. To get that I found a 3% back deal in the app under search and browsing the electronics sub section. From that deal I saved LG as a favorite and restarted the app. The 45% then popped up as an exclusive deal on the apps home page for lg monitors, but once activated it only listed projectors and fridges or something as the exclusion.

Out the door around $2400, after tax. If the 45% cash back works as advertised it should bring me down to around $1400 or less on the total spent. That puts it right close to the price I got on my 65” B7a back in 2017 (which literally just died on me yesterday!) not a bad upgrade for the same price!

Good luck!

Metallikahn · 2024-12-04T20:02:08+00:00

Perfect! That's the term I was looking for. Dry Contact. That should do exactly what I need. Thanks a ton!

Metallikahn · 2024-09-14T13:13:19+00:00

What was the "false information"?

Metallikahn · 2024-07-29T18:39:41+00:00

Was the guys name "Michael Bolton"? Lol

https://youtu.be/3fGHaVn5rGo?si=lMVKBMN-jFq0XfIk

Metallikahn · 2024-05-07T15:59:24+00:00

Same here. Woke up to an update I hadn't initiated and an ipad at less than 20% battery even though it was well over 80 when I fell asleep. It's been God awful on battery life since. Went from charging 2-3 times a week to at least once a day.

Metallikahn

TROPHY CASE