Aviation Medical Exams FAQs

Be sure to complete the MedXpress application before coming for your appointment.

PRINT your application when you’ve completed it and bring it along for your appointment. This is important because then Dr. Todd can review your information before actually importing your application to the FAA. Once the info is imported during your exam, there’s no going back to correct anything or revise information so it’s important to be able to review your printed application BEFORE it is imported. Applications in MedXpress are not seen by the FAA proper until they are actually imported by a medical examiner.

If you take medications or have any type of chronic medical condition or even a resolved medical issue, it’s possible that there will be some additional information required by the FAA. Leverage your google skills and curiosity to look up any medical conditions or medications to see if they might be an issue. If you need to talk with an AME about questions, consider first scheduling a CONSULTATION to go over your history and learn what you need to collect, and then later set up the actual medical exam once you have the required information in hand. This will save you literally MONTHS of time in the approval process should you have a condition currently (or historically) that requires an FAA decision.

A CONSULTATION is a sit-down, off-the-record conversation with Dr. Todd to discuss your questions, medical history, etc. There is no information sent to the FAA from a consultation. This is only for questions and answers and advice on what to do if you are seeking an FAA medical certificate.

A MEDICAL EXAM is a visit where you provide your MedXpress confirmation number and Dr. Todd imports that information into the FAA’s system and performs a medical exam and other testing (if required, like an EKG or color vision testing).

Once a MedXpress application is imported to the FAA’s system, your AME is required by FAA guidelines to submit that exam within 14 days. When more medical information is required for certain medical conditions, it typically takes longer than 14 days to acquire the information. Typically, a current doctor visit will be necessary (“current” means within 90 days of your medical exam) with additional documentation/notes needed from your regular doctor and this almost always takes longer than 14 days. It is better to have the information in hand BEFORE your medical to cut back on delays, or getting an outright denial from the FAA because of not getting information to them in a timely fashion.

If you are not sure that a medication you are on is allowed by the FAA, or you have a medical issue that might require a special issuance, it is ALWAYS advisable to do a consultation before doing your MedXpress application because if that MedXpress isn’t imported within 60 days, it gets automatically deleted and you will lose your application and have to redo it. It’s better to consult, learn what information you will need to collect, then do the MedXpress and set up your medical exam.

As of January 1st, 2025, the FAA changed their protocol for testing color vision for all pilots. For those pilots who have passed color vision in the past, they do NOT need to test again, for those pilots who are seeking their FIRST EVER medical certificate after January 1, the FAA requires a new computerized color vision test. This test can be administered in our office at the time of your exam, and is performed on an ipad. Because it is a one-time test and more involved than the prior FAA color vision tests, it is an additional charge of $50 but once you’ve passed, you never have to take it again as long as there are no changes in your vision that affect color differentiation.

If you are unable to pass the color vision test. You can still be issues a medical certificate if you are otherwise qualified but it will be limited to a 3rd class certificate with a restriction of no night-time flying. An application for a first or second class medical cannot be issues if color vision isn’t passed.

An EKG is only required for FIRST CLASS medicals, and even then, only if you are 35 years old.

The FAA requires an EKG at age 35 for first class pilots, and then annually at age 40.

Expiration dates are dependent on the CLASS of your certificate, and your AGE.

Here is the FAA’s summary of expiration dates:

https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/app_process/general/validity

You do not have to notify the FAA if you want your 1st or 2nd class certificate to drop down to a 2nd or 3rd class – it will happen automatically.

Note that the expiration period is dependent on the date of your MEDICAL EXAM. So, for example, if you are 39 and get a 3rd class certificate, it will not expire for five years, even though you will have turned 40 since your last exam.

No.

Unfortunately there isn’t any tried and true method to speed the process up. It is well-known that the FAA has a significant backlog of medical applications and it is what it is. The best thing you can do is be sure to be thorough in providing ALL information they have requested as quickly as possible to avoid any back-and-forth communication which can extend processing time by weeks to months.

If an AME calls the FAA for an update, they will get the same answer as you will if you call the FAA so it’s not beneficial for your AME to call them.

If you have trouble getting through to the FAA in Oklahoma City, you can try calling the REGIONAL flight surgeon’s office and sometimes you may be able to get through there. https://www.faa.gov/pilots/medical_certification/rfs

If the FAA has requested information and you cannot provide it (for example: it’s old medical records that have been destroyed/discarded by a provider), it’s critical to let the FAA know that the information is NOT available AND to get a documentation verifying that is the case. If you just don’t provide any info, the FAA assumes you chose not to provide something. If you tell them it’s not available, they will ask that you prove that it’s not available by getting a note from that provider (or legal entity) verifying that the record is not available.

No. Because there is no medical treatment or medical advice given during an FAA exam, parental consent is not required.

You will need to be prepared though to provide detailed medical history information if questions come up during your exam. It’s advisable that you at least notify a parent/guardian of your plan so that if they need to be called for information, they are available.

Payment is expected at the time of exam so be prepared to have the appropriate cash or valid credit/debit card with you.

Usually, using a web search engine and searching “FAA” and whatever issue you are wondering about will bring up good results. If a link refers to the “AME GUIDE” which is fully and freely available on line, that is your best resource because that is the FAA’s “manual” for all AMEs that we have to follow.

The AOPA (Aircraft Owner’s and Pilot’s Association) also has some extensive resources available, including some medical advice as well as legal advice for members.

Forums on line, such as Reddit can also be helpful but use great caution in taking those discussions as 100% accurate or the final say.

The letter you receive from the FAA that outlines what information they want you to provide will show a mailing address to use.

If it is only a few documents, your AME may be able to upload your records (as a pdf file) to the FAA. Ask them if that is available and they’ll give you details.

If there are multiple documents or long documents (and in particular, images), then it’s better to mail them all as one mailing. Be sure to follow the FAA’s directions about putting your name on each page as well as your PI number (listed at the top of the letter you received from the FAA). Be ABSOLUTELY sure, that you divide the paperwork into separate, clearly understandable groups. If it’s all sent as a big bundle of papers, it will slow your application down considerably because they will have to set it aside for someone to go through and figure out everything that you are sending and label them. Don’t expect the FAA to do that work for you. It will only slow things down.

SI: A Special Issuance is provided by the FAA to pilots who have a medical condition that is not immediately qualifying, but after submitting additional paperwork and records, may be granted a medical certificate. After a medical application is deferred to the FAA by an AME, the FAA will review the additional paperwork provided by the airman and if they determine the airman is qualified, they’ll provide a Special Issuance certificate. This certificate is just like a regular certificate except that it will have a “hard expiration date” after (typically) one year. This is indicated on the actual medical certificate by the statement “not valid after [XYZ date]”. After that date, the certificate expires (and will not drop down to a 2nd or 3rd class, even, in the case of a 1st or 2nd class certificate). In order to maintain that certificate, the airman will be advised in the letter from the FAA specifically what information must be submitted before that expiration date (and should wisely be submitted about 60 days before that date to allow processing time). The airman may or may not need to have a medical exam, depending on the regular exam intervals defined by the FAA for any other regular medical. If that medical information is incomplete or not submitted, your medical certificate will expire at the specified “not valid after” date. If you supply the information, the FAA will send you a revised certificate with a new expiration date for the next cycle.

AASI: An AME Assisted Special Issuance is a subtype of SI that allows the AME to review the required information requested by the FAA, to be supplied before the and of the “not valid after” date, and issue a new certificate without that information having to first be reviewed by the FAA. You will provide the AME the information required by the FAA as outlined in your AASI letter, and the AME will give you a new certificate with a new “not valid after” date if the information is in order (and the AME will send that information to the FAA). The difference between an SI and an AASI is that your AME can issue your certificate if you have an AASI, but only the FAA can issue your certificate if you have an SI. In our clinic, if you are not required to have a medical exam yet but only must submit information for your AASI to get a new certificate, we don’t charge you for a medical exam ($150) but rather, just charge for a consultation ($50) to review and submit the information, AND issue your certificate. If you want to save that $50, you can submit that info directly to the FAA for free, and wait on them to review and mail your certificate.

CACI: A Conditions AME Can Issue is reserved for a subset of medical conditions (currently, 26 different diagnoses) that don’t require a Special Issuance, but DO require some specific medical documentation to be collected. If the airman can supply the required documentation for a CACI-able condition, their AME can issue a medical certificate at the time of their exam, if they are otherwise medically qualified, after reviewing the required information. The guidelines for what CACIs are available and what information is required is listed here in the AME guide: https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/certification_ws As with other medical issues, if you are not sure what might need to be provided after reviewing this, it would be recommended to set up a consultation. If you cannot provide the CACI information within 14 days of your examination, your application will have to be deferred which adds weeks to months to your certification process. Many CACI conditions require a note from your treating physician based on an office visit within 2-3 months of your FAA medical, and most doctor’s cannot get patients in for appointments within 14 days so keep this in mind.

YES, you can still potentially get a certificate. However, the process is usually a long one and very involved. It will require extensive documentation from your treating physicians and likely additional evaluations by neuropsychiatrists and other specialists. The FAA has very clear guidance on what is required in the AME guide online. The MOST IMPORTANT thing to understand early on is that if you are currently taking medication for this, you MUST see a HIMS AME, which is a specialist AME, in order to apply for a medical certificate. Dr. Todd is NOT a HIMS AME but there are a few in northern Indiana. While we are glad to do a consultation with you to discuss the complexities of this scenario, it would be more efficient for you to simply set up a consultation with a HIMS AME to start your journey. Here is a list of HIMS AME examiners with contact information.

If you are currently NOT taking medications and have not for some time, you do NOT necessarily have to see a HIMS AME but it might still be wise to do so in order to have the most trouble-free experience.

YES, you can still potentially get a certificate but there are very specific reporting requirements by the FAA and you will have to supply court records, driving records, and extensive documentations regarding your incident(s). Whether or not a special issuance will be required depends on several factors, including how long ago the offense was, whether there were more than one offenses, and what your blood alcohol levels were, in cases of DUI. For more information, consult the FAA’s summary/disposition table here.

It’s recommended you set up a CONSULTATION first to go over paperwork requirement before seeking your FAA medical certificate.