Aviation Medical Examinations

Aviation Medical Examinations

Pilot Medical Standards

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Frequently Asked Question (FAQ's) 12/03

“But Dr. Kearney, what do I do now?

General

Class One Requirements

Class Two Requirements

Class Three Requirements

Certification Procedures

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Faq's

AOPA Medical Link
(Requires membership and password)

Aviation Medical Examiner
Service Award 2007

Examination Services Offered

FAA Class I (with EKG)
FAA Class II
FAA Class III
Consults for Special Issuance
Maritime Color Vision Testing
Federal Physicals (call for details)

For aviation questions, fees, comments and appointments
Contact us at (978) 667 3593 or email parood@comcast.net

Gary P. Kearney MD FACS Senior AME

Certification by FAA

Gary P. Kearney CAPT MC USNR ( Ret) is a Senior Medical Examiner for the FAA certified to perform Class I-III examinations (see certificate above). He was initially trained as a Naval Flight Surgeon, and completed his primary flight training at NAS Pensacola, FL. He has logged over 3000 hours as pilot-in command and holds Airline Transport Rating in Single and Multiengine Land. He served as an Accident Prevention Counselor for the FAA and was the keynote speaker for the New England Helicopter Association lecturing on "Medical Risk Factors in Flying". He is active in the aviation community through the Aero Club of New England (ACONE), the oldest aero club in North America and second oldest in the world. His activities with the organization include: Director (1989-present). President of ACONE 1991-1993. Chairman, Cabot Award Selection Committee (1996-present), Co-Chm Nominating- & Finance Committee, Program and Long-Range Planning Committees. Initiated the Aero Club’s annual “Crash Course” safety seminars in 1990. In 1998, he created and continues to maintain the ACONE web site www.acone.org . He is a owner of a Beechcraft (A36) Bonanza.

Paul Rood HMC USNR Senior Aviation Technician

Paul is a Naval Aerospace Medicine Technician (AVT/HM-8406), having graduated from the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. A designated Naval Air Crewman, he has flown with both the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps as a Search and Rescue In-flight Medical Technician (HM8401), totaling over 2,500 fixed wing and rotary wing hours. HMC Rood is also certified to assist both military Flight Surgeons and FAA Aviation Medical Examiners in conducting First, Second and Third class Airman Medical Certificates. He participates annually in the Navy’s Aero medical “Fly In” at NAS Pensacola, returning to train and receive the latest information in both the military and civilian aviation medicine worlds. Paul estimates that in his 20 years in the Navy, he has assisted Flight Surgeons and AME’s in over 25,000 Aviation Medical Examinations

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
REGARDING PILOT MEDICAL CERTIFICATION

1. What is a medical certificate? Flying is a fascinating and enjoyable experience, whether done for business or pleasure. Flying has the potential, however, for serious consequences if not done properly and carefully. Just as it would be foolish to fly in an aircraft that is not airworthy, it would be foolish to fly as, or with, a pilot who is medically compromised. Annual inspections are performed on all aircraft to assure that they meet minimum safety standards. Routine medical exams accomplish the same goal for pilots. When an aircraft successfully completes an annual inspection, the inspector endorses in the logbooks that the aircraft is airworthy. Similarly, when a pilot successfully passes the flight physical, the physician endorses the medical certificate which the pilot then carries with him/her each time he/she flies. This is then evidence that the pilot has met the medical standards for aircraft operation.

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I had eye surgery, what should I do? The FAA approves radial keratotomy, photo refractive keratectomy, LASIK, (laser in situ keratomileusis) and photo refractive keratoplasty (Excimer Laser) for all classes of certification. Following satisfactory recovery from any refractive procedure, the FAA requests that a brief status report from your ophthalmologist be submitted to the Aeromedical Certification Division indicating complete healing without adverse side effects. At the time of your next scheduled FAA medical examination, a report of Eye Evaluation (FAA Form 8500-7) should be completed by your eye specialist and presented to the Aviation Medical Examiner. This report must verify complete healing, stabilization of visual acuity, and lack of significant residual effects that often accompany these types of surgical procedures, including night glare, vision haziness, or eye pain. Complete healing following RK surgery is usually accomplished in four to six weeks, but up to twelve months may be necessary in some cases. When your ophthalmologist releases you to resume normal activities, and your visual acuity meets the standard for the class of medical you hold, you may resume exercising privileges on the current medical certificate, in accordance with FAR 61.53. At the time of your next scheduled medical application, your aviation medical examiner may issue the certificate if you are found to be otherwise qualified.

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2. Who is required to hold a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Medical Certificate? Any person acting as pilot-in-command or other required crewmember of an aircraft (except for free balloons, gliders, and ultralights) must hold a current and appropriate medical certificate. This includes student pilots in solo flight as well as private, commercial, and airline pilots.

3. How does one get a medical certificate? The FAA has designated over 5000 private physicians (called Aviation Medical Examiners or AMEs) around the United States (and the world) to take applications for, give exams for, and issue FAA medical certificates. A directory of FAA designated medical examiners is available. The applicant simply contacts the physician's office for an appointment and after arrival, completes an application form and undergoes the physical examination. If the applicant meets the appropriate medical standards, the AME will issue the medical certificate.

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4. What types of medical certificates are available and how long are they good for? There are three classes of medical certificates: Class 3 medical certificates are for private pilot duties only. They have the least restrictive medical requirements and the certificates are generally good for 3 years for applicants under age 40 and 2 years for those 40 and over. Class 2 medical certificates are for commercial, non-airline duties as well as private pilot duties. This certificate would be required of crop dusters, charter pilots, corporate pilots, and anyone else who flies commercially. The certificate is good for 1 year for commercial activities and 2 or 3 years for private pilot use. Class 1 medical certificates are required for pilots of scheduled airliners. They have the most stringent medical requirements and the certificate is good for 6 months for airliner duties. Like the Class 2 certificate, however, it is good for 1 year for other commercial activities and 2 or 3 years for private pilot duties.

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6. What are the minimum and maximum ages for obtaining a medical certificate? There is no minimum or maximum age, per se, for obtaining a medical certificate. Any applicant who is able to pass the exam may be issued a certificate. However, applicants under the age of 16 (the minimum age for a student pilot certificate) will not be able to obtain an airman certificate (pilot's license) and would therefore have no practical use for the medical certificate.

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7. Can I get my student pilot certificate at the same time I take my initial flight physical? Yes. AME's are authorized to issue combination Airman Medical and Student Pilot certificates to appropriate applicants. To obtain this combination certificate, the applicant must not only meet the medical standards but also must be at least 16 years old and be able to read, speak, and understand the English language. If these requirements are met, the AME will issue the combined certificate. PLEASE NOTE: The combined medical / student pilot certificate will not be good for flight duties until properly endorsed by the student's instructor.

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I have some minor medical problems and would like to find out whether or not they will create difficulties when I go to get my medical certificate. Who could I contact in order to get further information about my situation? There are several sources for information regarding the various medical conditions that might afflict applicants for medical certification. One source is your local AME. This physician may be willing to discuss your medical problems and the impact they are likely to have on certification. Frequently, AMEs will do this over the phone without charge. An alternative is to contact the FAA directly, either through your office or through the Aeromedical Certification Division of the FAA in Oklahoma City. Their office is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central Time during regular weekdays. The phone number is (405) 954-4821. (Be patient. They get a lot of calls.) A confidential alternative is Virtual Flight Surgeons, Inc. This private company has a longstanding working relationship with the FAA and has experience advising pilots on strategies for obtaining waivers and special issuances. They offer confidential assistance to pilots and AMEs to facilitate waiver requests. Virtual Flight Surgeons, Inc can be a non-threatening educational and/or a consultative starting point prior to contacting your AME. A final source of information is through the various pilot organizations such as the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) at 1-800-564-6332 or the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) at 1-800-872-2672.

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I had lens implants, what should I do?
After your ophthalmologist has released you to resume normal activities, and when you can meet the appropriate visual acuity standards for the class of medical you hold, a “Report of Eye Evaluation” (FAA Form 8500-7) should be completed by your eye care specialist. The evaluation must be presented to the Aviation Medical Examiner at the time of your next FAA medical examination. Provided there has been a full recovery without complications, and you can meet the visual acuity standards for the class of medical applied for, the medical examiner may issue a medical certificate at the time of examination.
8. What does it cost to get a medical certificate? The FAA does not set fees for the performance of the medical exam and issuance of the medical certificate. The AME is allowed to charge the applicant appropriately, as long as it is not more than his/her usual fee for similar examinations for other purposes. If you are concerned about the cost of the exam, please discuss this with the doctor you are thinking about seeing. The FAA has no additional fees above what the physician charges.

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10. Is a pilot required to report to the FAA that he or she has undergone LASIK or other laser eye surgery to correct vision? LASIK and other forms of vision corrective surgery have potential adverse effects that could be incompatible with flying duties. These include:

corneal scarring or opacities
worsening or variability of vision
night-glare
haziness of vision

The FAA expects that a pilot will not resume piloting aircraft until his or her own treating health care professional determines:

the post operative condition has stabilized,
there have been no significant adverse effects or complications, and,
the person meets the appropriate FAA vision standards.

If these determinations are favorable and he or she is otherwise qualified, the pilot may immediately resume piloting but must ensure that:

the treating health care professional documents his or her determinations in the pilot's health care treatment record,
a copy of that record is immediately forwarded to the Aeromedical Certification Division in Oklahoma City, and
a personal copy is retained.

When resumed, the airman may continue flight duties unless informed otherwise by the FAA or another disqualifying condition occurs.

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11. If my application for medical certification is turned down, what recourse do I have? Part 67 of the Federal Aviation Regulations outlines the appeal process for applicants who are denied medical certification. In a nutshell, the initial appeal would be to the Federal Air Surgeon (through our Oklahoma City office) to request an authorization for the special issuance of a medical certificate. This might result in a medical certificate that is time-limited, contingent upon the successful completion of addition medical testing, or otherwise restricted. If this request is not successful, then an appeal to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) could be made. If the NTSB concurs with the FAA's denial action, you could then request a hearing in Federal District Court and ultimately the Supreme Court.

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12. What happens if I get my medical certificate and then I have some sort of medical problem that develops before the certificate expires? Do I have to report it and do I have to ground myself? Can I keep on flying until the certificate expires? The regulations are quite clear that, despite the presence of an unexpired medical certificate, it is still your responsibility as a pilot to maintain your health. If you develop a new medical condition or experience the worsening of an existing medical condition such that you may no longer meet the medical requirements, then you must not fly until the problem is resolved. A simple problem such as a cold, a broken arm, or an abscessed tooth may require nothing more than the appropriate treatment and a little time before you can safely return to the skies. A more complicated problem or the development or change of a chronic illness may necessitate consultation with an AME or the FAA before flying resumes. As long as you choose not to fly, the medical condition does not need to be reported to the FAA until you wish to return to flying.

13. “But Dr. Kearney, what do I do now?

This has to be one of the most frustrating responses when I have to inform a pilot applicant that I am unable to issue the Medical Certificate for any one of the many FAA aeromedical reasons for denial.

From here, the pilot applicant will frequently assume that my staff will “just fix everything”, that this process should be included in the basic FAA Medical Certificate fee. The applicant might be thinking that my staff will guide them through the appeals process. However, per federal guidelines, this is the responsibility of the applicant, not the Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).

As a Senior AME, my staff and I have over 50 years of civilian and military training dealing with issues regarding aeromedical qualifications. We understand the FAA rules and have been effective in obtaining Medical Certificates in most cases involving a denial or a special issuance, either dealing with the Regional Flight Surgeon or directly with Oklahoma City. My staff works with these offices on a routine basis, usually beginning the issuance process with the first contact. We provide a full service solution to the pilot’s aeromedical problem. We charge a flat fee, so, unlike an airplane, there is no “bottomless pit” that the pilot must keep paying into. We welcome your call with questions of any kind. The pilot will receive a no charge initial consultation with my staff to ensure that your situation will be personally and professionally addressed

We are in a position to help pilots keep flying, even when we are initially unable to issue the Medical Certificate. We stand by ready to provide that help!

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Pilot Medical Standards

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING PILOT MEDICAL CERTIFICATION

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
REGARDING PILOT MEDICAL CERTIFICATION