Common FAA medical questions, clearly answered.

Choose an FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner, schedule an appointment, complete the FAA application in MedXPress, and undergo the required examination. If you meet the standards for the class requested, the AME may issue the certificate.

MedXPress is the FAA system pilots use to complete and submit the applicant portion of FAA Form 8500-8 before a medical examination.

The FAA says you must complete the AME examination within 60 days after submitting the application. If an AME does not import it within that period, the application disappears from the system.

Your AME needs the confirmation number to import the submitted application. Save or print the application and bring the confirmation number to your appointment.

Bring government-issued identification, your MedXPress confirmation number, glasses or contact lenses if you use them, and any medical records or current detailed clinical progress notes requested for your history.

The office may collect height, weight, pulse, blood pressure, vision, hearing, and urine-test information, with an ECG when required. The AME reviews your history and performs the physical examination.

Not necessarily. The FAA explains that a patient-portal summary or After Visit Summary may omit information it needs. When requested, obtain the actual current, detailed clinical progress note from the treating clinician.

First Class is generally associated with airline transport pilot privileges, Second Class with commercial pilot privileges, and Third Class with private or recreational pilot privileges. Confirm the certificate required for the operations you intend to perform.

When a medical certificate is required, a Third Class certificate is generally sufficient for a student pilot, although a higher class can also satisfy that requirement.

Yes. The FAA does not require a particular age, pilot certificate, or level of aviation experience before an otherwise qualified applicant may receive a medical certificate.

For First Class operations, the certificate is generally valid for the remainder of the month of examination plus 12 calendar months if the applicant had not reached age 40, or 6 calendar months if age 40 or older. Different privileges may continue for longer periods.

For Second Class operations, the certificate is generally valid for the remainder of the month of examination plus 12 calendar months. It may continue to support certain Third Class operations for a longer period.

A Third Class certificate is generally valid for the remainder of the month of examination plus 60 calendar months if the applicant had not reached age 40, or 24 calendar months if age 40 or older.

FAA guidance requires an ECG at the first First Class application after reaching age 35 and annually after reaching age 40. An ECG is not routinely required for Second or Third Class examinations.

FAA vision standards may be met with or without correction. Bring the corrective lenses you use so the AME can test you appropriately and apply any required limitation.

The FAA states there is no age restriction for medical certification itself. Any applicant who meets the applicable medical standards may be issued the appropriate class.

No. FAA guidance explains that certification depends on both the medication and the underlying condition, including dosage, side effects, interactions, stability, and aviation-safety impact.

No. Some nonprescription products can impair alertness or performance. Review the FAA over-the-counter guidance and ask an AME when you are uncertain.

FAA guidance identifies sedating first-generation antihistamines as aeromedically concerning and provides no-fly guidance. Do not rely on feeling alert; verify the current waiting period and your fitness to fly.

The FAA has pathways for certain conditions and conditionally acceptable antidepressants, but eligibility is case-specific and often requires documentation. Do not start, stop, or change treatment solely for certification without your treating clinician.

Consider the medication, the condition being treated, side effects, and any FAA observation or no-fly period. Under 14 CFR 61.53, do not act as required flightcrew when a condition or treatment makes you unable to meet the applicable requirements.

A deferral means the AME did not issue a certificate at the examination and sent the application to the FAA for additional review. A deferral is not the same as a final denial.

Watch for the FAA letter, gather every requested record, and respond completely by the stated deadline. The FAA recommends actual current detailed clinical progress notes when those are requested.

Special Issuance is an FAA authorization pathway under 14 CFR 67.401 for some applicants who do not meet unrestricted standards. It commonly requires additional records, testing, follow-up, and a more limited authorization period.

CACI means Conditions AMEs Can Issue. If the applicant meets every condition-specific worksheet criterion and is otherwise qualified, the AME may be able to issue without first contacting the FAA.

When required CACI criteria are not met, the AME generally must defer the application and send the supporting information to the FAA for review.

A denial letter includes information about review or appeal rights. The FAA also notes that some denied applicants may still be eligible for certification through Special Issuance.

FAA pilot guidance says taking requested documents to your AME for electronic addition to the record is generally the fastest method. Follow the instructions in your FAA letter.

If the required documentation is present, the examination meets the standards, and no deferral is required, the AME may issue the certificate at the visit. Otherwise, FAA review may be necessary.

Copies are not valid substitutes. FAA guidance says a replacement for a lost or destroyed certificate must be issued by the FAA.

A current certificate does not override the pilot’s responsibility under 14 CFR 61.53. Do not serve as required flightcrew when you know or have reason to know a condition or treatment makes you medically unqualified.