When does a Second-Class Medical Certificate issued to a 42-year-old private pilot expire?

A Second-Class Medical Certificate for a private pilot who is 42 years old is valid for a period of two years. The expiration of the certificate typically aligns with the date of the examination. In this case, if the pilot received the medical certificate on July 31, any medical certificate issued will expire exactly two years later on July 31 of the following year. This reflects the standard practice for medical certificates, where the expiration date depends on the date of issuance.

Choosing the correct expiration date requires an understanding of how violations or conditions like age affect the lifespan of the certificate. For a pilot over 40, the two-year rule applies uniformly without any adjustments or shifts in date from the point of issue. Thus, if a pilot is issued their Second-Class Medical Certificate on July 31, the correct expiration date will be July 31, two years later.