The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operate under fundamentally different mandates. The VA assigns disability ratings to compensate veterans…
For military aviators transitioning to civilian life, applying for VA disability compensation while maintaining an FAA medical certificate can feel like walking a tightrope. One wrong…
What is a FAA Medical SODA? A Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) allows pilots with static or nonprogressive medical conditions to qualify for FAA medical certification.…
For Flight Departments, Lost Pilots Mean Lost Revenue Wingman Med Corporate Service- In a Part 135 operation, aircraft must keep moving to generate revenue. Similarly, companies…
“My eyes aren’t good enough to be a pilot.” I’ve heard similar statements from would-be pilots more times than I can count over the past few…
What is HIMS AME? For aspiring pilots and those who have never faced a medical certification challenge, navigating the FAA medical certificate application process may seem…
The FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM 300) is effectively broken down into four interworking groups[1]: Headquarters in Washington, DC Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) in…
Head or Brain? FAA Medical Traumatic Brain Injury – It is essential to distinguish between an injury to the surface of your head and an injury…
The Deferral Process FAA Medical Deferral Process – Every FAA medical exam has three possible outcomes. You can be issued or denied your medical certificate, or…
CACI for Asthma – Asthma affects about 13% of the population and ranks the most common lung disease in the United States [1,2]. While many children…
VA C&P Exams Risky for Pilots – When you file a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Disability Claim, you will be given the option to pick…
“Sleep” aids and why they are bad Beware of Accidental Sedating Medications – In general, the FAA does not approve sleep aids for regular use for…
Pilots – often understandably – like to debate the wisdom of the FAA’s medical certification policies. Whether considering well-controlled chronic conditions like high blood pressure and…
FAA Medicals for Pilots with ADHD – On August 30, 2023, the FAA announced its “ADHD Fast Track” certification process for pilots with a history of…
Do You Need Wingman Med – Look around on a forum, Reddit, or Facebook group when people ask about what they should do about their medical…
The Roadmap to Quick Certification Doctor’s Note for FAA – We have previously discussed how to fill out your MedXPress to reduce the number of questions…
With some very rare exceptions, the FAA should NEVER take more than six months to a year to review your medical certificate application. That might seem…
We have answered many questions about the PACT Act and its impact on VA disability and FAA medical certification. To receive VA disability benefits for any…
Physical exam guidelines The FAA has specific guidelines on what they want an AME to evaluate. This is to establish a baseline level of standardization across…
Let me start with a word of advice: DON’T DO IT. I will follow that up with a word of warning. You can be fined up…
The whole point of the FAA medical certification process is to ensure that pilots do not become incapacitated while flying. MedXpress questions 18b about “dizziness or…
Diabetes has long been disqualifying under 14 CFR Part 67. In the past several years, the FAA has developed protocols to medically certify pilots with the…
Find an AME near you: Pilot Doctors
With the introduction of the sport pilot rule in 2004, pilot medical certification became both easier and more complex [1]. Instead of scheduling an appointment with…
If you look at the list of Disqualifying Conditions you’ll probably notice that many of them are associated with the heart, almost half of the named…
If you have high blood pressure - or hypertension - you’re in good company. With 116 million Americans sharing the diagnosis, about one in every two…
Earlier in August, we started discussing Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI). Today we will look at a specific one: Arthritis. At its core Arthritis is inflammation…
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Your FAA Medical Certificate: What Pilots Need to Know Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) affects millions of Americans annually and is especially important…
Aviation and Aerospace medicine are, by necessity, defensive medicine. When faced with the unknown and how it may affect the body in an abnormal environment, discretion…
Kidney Stones Shouldn’t Weigh You Down for Takeoff. Don’t let them be a Bump in the Road. If you’ve ever passed a large kidney stone, it’s…
Prior to 2013, an Aviation Medical Examiner was limited to one of two options when they completed a flight physical: The airman met all qualifications with…
Despite the cultural beliefs that permeate the aviation community, neither the FAA, nor the Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) are out to take your wings from you. …