Q. What is the difference among 1st, 2nd &
3rd class exams?
It is the same exam; it is only the standards to
which you are held. Additionally, a 1st class exam requires an electrocardiogram every 12
months. Link to the summary of the FAA Standards
Q. What is a student pilot medical certificate?
This certificate is a regular FAA Medical
Certificate on one side and a temporary pilot certificate on the reverse side. Your flight
instructor will sign you off on this form qualified for solo as you progress. This
certificate must be carried with you when flying. After you finish your training and
obtain your regular pilot’s license, the Medical certificate side is still valid until
it’s normal expiration date. You cannot obtain the student certificate until your 16th
birthday – you can of course start your training before this time, and will need to
obtain the student medical before solo flight, which is also not permitted until your 16th
birthday. The student medical certificate can be issued as a 1st, 2nd or 3rd class. If
your goal is to solo on your 16th birthday, call me so we can make special arrangement to
be available for your exam that day.
Q. What is the duration of the FAA Medical Certificate?
1st Class*
6 months for use as 1st class
2nd Class*
12 months for use as 2nd class
3rd Class:
Under 40 years old - 3 years
At and over 40 years old – 2 years
* 1st & 2nd class certificates incrementally degrade to the next lower class. E.g. 1st
class becomes a 2nd class after 6 months and then becomes a 3rd class after total of 12
months since issue.
All certificates are valid until the last day of the month in which they were issued. E.g.
Certificate issued 3 August is valid until 31 August in two or three years as dictated by
the age 40 rule.
Some Special Issuance certificates are valid only for a specified time, such as six months
or one year due to desire to have closer follow-up on the medical condition requiring
special issuance. These certificates will be labeled with a restriction such as “Not
valid for any class after 31 August 2008”
Q. What is involved in the exam?
It is a simple physical exam that includes visual
acuity testing; the only lab is a urine test for sugar or protein.
Q. How long does the exam take?
Most exams take about 30 minutes or less from the
time you walk into the office. If you have a history of stroke, heart attack, cancer or
major medical problems we often must solicit additional studies and records of past
medical care that add very little time to our initial office visit but can result in delay
issuing your ticket due to a need for specialty board review process at the Regional or
National level and some continuing correspondence with the Aeromedical Certification
Division. (A process called Special Issuance)
Q. What is Special Issuance?
This is a process required for clearance of
certain medical conditions such as Heart disease, stroke and several other conditions. It
requires we gather hospital records, current evaluations by appropriate specialists such
as a cardiologists, surgeons, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, neurologists, etc. and may
require certain labs and studies / procedures such as CT scans, Cardiac stress tests, etc.
This database is then forwarded to the appropriate Medical Specialty Board within the FAA
for review and decision. Your FAA Medical Certificate is then issued by the Regional
Flight Surgeon for West Pacific Region or the FAA Aeromedical Certification Division at
the FAA’s main medical center in Oklahoma City. The FAA has been streamlining this
process and waiting times for decisions are now greatly reduced; some decisions and the
ability to issue at my level, from my office, are now allowed for many conditions. A
helpful link to answer your questions about various medical conditions, and the FAA
position on certification:
http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/certification/
Q. How much does an exam cost at my office?
Flight Physicals
1st, 2nd & 3rd class
125.00
Special Issuance
250.00
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
25.00
Other Services
Diving Medicals
125.00
(Spirometry and chest x-rays done at local hospital at your expense if required)
DMV Physicals
60.00
Travel medical advise
60.00
(Includes written materials specific to your travel location and
Necessary prescriptions. Cost of required immunizations is extra but
will be provided at cost)
Camp or School physicals
30.00
(Required immunizations will be extra but provided at cost)
Routine office visit for minor illness
30.00
Obtain forms, advise, referrals or just sit
and talk about aviation medical concerns,
flying, swapping war stories and politics Free
[Office accepts checks, cash or IOUs, no credit cards]
Q. What about medications
Unauthorized: Generally, any medication that has a significant mind
altering potential to include sedation, euphoria, interference with balance or ability to
make one more vulnerable to vertigo. This would include, categorically, all narcotic pain
medicines, antidepressants, antianxiety, antipsychotic, most antihistamine medications and
some medications for gastrointestinal disease.
Authorized: Most medications for hypertension, diabetes, asthma, heart disease,
dermatologic conditions, eye problems, arthritis, pulmonary disease, anticoagulants, most
antibiotics and hormone therapeutics.
Considerations: The underlying disease or acute illness for which the medications are
taken may be more the limiting issue than the medication. “Nothing amazes men more than
common sense and plain dealing!”
Helpful links: for questions on use of medications in aviation:
http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/faameds/policy.html
http://www.aopa.org/members/databases/medical/search_faa_meds.cfm
Recommend: Since the above are just broad, nonspecific guidelines,
please check with an FAA Medical examiner to ensure a medicine you are prescribed or
entertain buying over the counter is approved. Some will be absolutely unauthorized others
may only require a time interval between ingestion and flight. Some may pose an adverse
interaction with an approved medication you are already taking. Do not hesitate to call me
with specific questions about medications. Office 805 987-0516 / Cell 805 377-3816.
Q. Where can I find assistance in preparing for my FAA Medical Exam?
There are two excellent programs now available
and are addressed in the next two FAQs.
First, A great start is on the Aircraft Owners and Pilot’s Assoc web
site.
Link: http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/
This site has a comprehensive set of links to answer questions on where to find an
examiner, medications and the application form.
Second, You should definitely use the next site I will direct you to
for filling out your application before visiting your Aviation Medical Examiner – this
will speed the process. I am referring to the FAA’s new MedXpress program.
Link: https://medxpress.faa.gov/
Q. How can the AOPA “Turbo Medical” help my application process?
This is an excellent program that gives you a
practice run in filling out the application, complete with prompts and helpful guidance.
Link to this form: http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/turbomedical/
If you are concerned about filling out a form that goes directly to the FAA, you can use
this form to get organized, then print it out and use it to help fill out the FAA’s
MedXpress on line form. I highly recommend you use the FAA site’s MedXpress before going
to your Aviation Medical Examiner – it will speed up the process and this will become,
in time, the SOP for your exam.
Q. What is the new FAA MedExpress process for filling out your exam
paperwork?
You can now visit an online site to fill out your
FAA Medical certificate application. This will reduce the amount of time you must spend in
the examiner’s office and speed the application process. Visit the site that provides
the necessary application form with prompts and help item by item. After you complete this
on line form you will be given a confirmation number – just take this number to your FAA
Medical Examiner’s office and he can download the completed form. You will then only
have to sign a form in the examiner’s office or take the opportunity to change items
previously entered as you wish. Link to this site: https://medxpress.faa.gov/
Q. What medical certification issues exist for the sport pilot
category?
This category does not require an FAA medical
certificate. You must only possess a valid driver’s license and self certify you are not
impaired for flight activity.
There is one caveat. If you have applied for a regular FAA Medical
Certificate and failed or are disqualified temporarily over some matter, you cannot self
certify for flight in sport category aircraft with your driver’s license! –until the
disqualifying issues are favorably resolved with the FAA AeroMedical Certification
Division in Oklahoma City.
Q. What if I have only one eye, am color blind, have had amputations
of arms/legs or have impaired hearing etc…?
If otherwise healthy and you pass other elements
of the exam, you may well be certified. You must demonstrate, in a practical test given by
a flight examiner, that you can perform the necessary procedures in the flight/airport
environment. You will then be given a “Statement of Demonstrated Ability” known as a
“SODA”, authorizing you to act as pilot in command.
Q. What if I incurred a DUI or was in a motor vehicle accident
associated with a DUI. How do I report this and stay in good grace with the FAA?
There is a protocol for reporting the offense and
it must be reported on your next FAA physical or within 60 days, which ever comes first.
See this link for the full protocol. http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/investigations/airmen_duidwi/
Q. What if I have one of the 15 listed disqualifying conditions?
Keep the baby faith. You may be certified for
most of these conditions through the process of “Special Issuance” as long as the
requested report cards are approved by the FAA’s Medical Specialty Board.
Link to list of disqualifying conditions: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/standards/
Link to discussion of various medical conditions: http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/certification/
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