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A sign marks the entrance to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) headquarters building in Washington, D.C.
A proposed change to the FAA’s airman medical certification process was withdrawn, avoiding “long-term, negative implications,” according to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
The policy, had it gone into effect, would issue denials to pilots who submitted a medical certificate application without full exam results or other pertinent information concerning certain conditions, instead of the typical deferral and 60-day letter giving applicants time to supplement their applications.
According to the FAA, the proposed change was designed to help reduce processing times for applications but was met with industry-wide pushback.
“I like to talk about safety being a team sport and certainly this is part of that process to make things better,” said Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau. “Clearly there are things that are not working for everyone. There was a lot of [stakeholder] feedback, and we took it seriously and we are not going to do that.”
In 2024, the FAA received nearly 450,000 applications—a record high compared to the recent annual average of approximately 385,000. According to the FAA, the increase represents a doubling of Special Issuance medical certificates since 2019.
The FAA’s efforts to expedite application processing also include updates to its online MedXPress portal and the ongoing work of its Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which formed in late 2023.
Among the dissenting voices, the NBAA voiced its discontent with the proposed policy and have since supported the FAA’s move to rescind the change.
“We commend the FAA for its decision to withdraw the proposal after considering input from NBAA and others regarding the potential negative impact on pilots,” said Doug Carr, NBAA SVP for safety, security, sustainability and international affairs. “We believe there are more effective approaches to assist the agency in addressing the backlog of medical certificate applications, and we are eager to collaborate with the FAA and other stakeholders on alternative solutions.”
According to NBAA, stakeholders offered several suggestions to the FAA on how to improve the process, including the creation of “plain-language” versions of the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners to help pilots better understand requirements. Additionally, NBAA suggests “identifying the top five diagnoses by age group and providing information on how to address them, using flow charts or checklists.”
“We appreciate the significant FAA efforts to update the pilot medical process and look forward to our continued collaboration,” Carr said. “Additionally, it’s important that pilots recognize the need to arrive as prepared for their medical exams as they do for their check rides and other evaluations.”
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