A second-class medical certificate issued to a commercial pilot permits which privileges?

A second-class medical certificate is specifically designed for pilots who wish to exercise commercial pilot privileges. According to FAA regulations, this type of medical certificate allows a pilot to engage in commercial operations as long as the certificate is valid and they meet all other requirements.

The validity of a second-class medical certificate is tied to the date of issuance, and it is generally valid for 12 months for commercial operations if the pilot is under the age of 40. For those 40 and over, the medical certificate is valid for 6 months for commercial privileges.

Thus, if a commercial pilot holds a second-class medical certificate issued on or before the last day of the month, the privileges are valid until the last day of the month 12 months later. This might lead to the interpretation that the privileges extend until a specific date in the following year, such as April 30, thus aligning with the option provided.

This highlights the importance of understanding the temporal limitations set on medical certificates and how they tie into the operational privileges of pilots, thereby emphasizing how the second-class medical certificate enables a pilot to perform commercial aviation duties up until that specific cutoff time.