FAA Ground School Practice Test

How long is a third-class medical certificate valid for a 36-year-old pilot who received it on August 10?

1. Until August 31 of the next year

2. Until midnight on August 31, five years later

3. Until August 10, five years later

4. Indefinitely

The correct answer is: Until midnight on August 31, five years later

A third-class medical certificate is valid for 60 months, or five years, for a pilot under the age of 40. Since the pilot in question is 36 years old and received the certificate on August 10, it will expire at midnight on the same date five years later, which would be August 10 of the fifth year after issuance. However, it is important to note that medical certificates are generally considered valid until the end of the month in which they expire, leading to the understanding that the certificate remains valid until midnight on August 31 of that expiration year. Thus, the correct answer indicates that the certificate will remain valid until midnight on August 31, five years later, reflecting standard regulations regarding the expiration of third-class medical certificates for pilots under 40 years of age.