Obtaining a Medical Certificate  Most pilots must have a valid medical certificate to exercise  the privileges of their airman certificates. Glider and free  balloon pilots are not required to hold a medical certificate.  Sport pilots may hold either a medical certificate or a valid  state driver’s license. Regardless of whether a medical  certificate or drivers license is required, 14 CFR 61.53  requires every pilot not to act as a crewmember if they know,  or have reason to know, of any medical condition that would  make them unable to operate the aircraft in a safe manner.  demonstrated ability” (SODA) can be issued. This waiver,  or SODA, is valid as long as the physical impairment does  not worsen. Contact the local Flight Standards District Office  (FSDO) for more information on this subject.  The FAA medical standards, 14 CFR part 67, specify fifteen  medical conditions that are considered disqualifying by  “history or clinical diagnosis.” Regardless of when one of  these conditions was diagnosed and treated, an airman may  not be issued a medical certificate except through a process  called a “Special Issuance Authorization,” as explained  in 14 CFR part 67, section 67.401. A special issuance is a  discretionary issuance by the FAA Federal Air Surgeon and  requires satisfactory completion of special testing determined  by the FAA to demonstrate that an airman is safe to fly for  the duration of the medical certificate issued. The specific  disqualifying conditions include:  Acquisition of a medical certificate requires an examination  by an aviation medical examiner (AME), a physician  with training in aviation medicine designated by the Civil  Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI). There are three classes  of medical certificates. The class of certificate needed  depends on the type of flying the pilot plans to perform.  A third-class medical certificate is required for a private or  recreational pilot certificate. It is valid for 5 years for those  individuals who have not reached the age of 40; otherwise it  is valid for 2 years. A commercial pilot certificate requires at  least a second-class medical certificate, which is valid for 1  year. First-class medical certificates are required for airline  transport pilots and are valid for one year if the airman is 40  or younger; 40 and older it is valid for 6 months.  The standards are more rigorous for the higher classes of  certificates. A pilot with a higher class medical certificate  has met the requirements for the lower classes as well. Since  the required medical class applies only when exercising the  privileges of the pilot certificate for which it is required, a  first-class medical certificate would be valid for 1 year if  exercising the privileges of a commercial certificate and 2 or 5  years, as appropriate, for exercising the privileges of a private  or recreational certificate. The same applies for a second-class  medical certificate. The standards for medical certification  are contained in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations  (14 CFR) part 67 and the requirements for obtaining medical  certificates can be found in 14 CFR part 61.  Students who have physical limitations, such as impaired  vision, loss of a limb, or hearing impairment may be issued  a medical certificate valid for “student pilot privileges only”  while learning to fly. Pilots with disabilities may require  special equipment to be installed in the aircraft, such as  hand controls for pilots with paraplegia. Some disabilities  necessitate a limitation on the individual’s certificate; for  example, impaired hearing would require the limitation  “not valid for flight requiring the use of radio.” When all the  knowledge, experience, and proficiency requirements have  been met and a student can demonstrate the ability to operate  the aircraft with the normal level of safety, a “statement of  However, this list includes only the mandatory disqualifying  conditions. There are many other medical conditions that fall  into the General Medical Condition section of the regulations  that are considered by the FAA to be disqualifying even  though they are not stated in the regulations. Conditions  such as cancer, kidney stones, neurologic and neuromuscular  conditions including Parkinson’s disease and multiple  sclerosis, certain blood disorders, and other conditions that  17-2  • Diabetes mellitus requiring oral hypoglycemic  medication or insulin  •  Angina pectoris  • Coronary heart disease that has been treated or, if  untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically  significant  •  Myocardial infarction  •  Cardiac valve replacement  •  Permanent cardiac pacemaker  •  Heart replacement  •  Psychosis  •  Bipolar disorder  • Personality disorder that is severe enough to have  repeatedly manifested itself by overt acts  •  Substance dependence (including alcohol)  •  Substance abuse  •  Epilepsy  • Disturbance of consciousness and without satisfactory  explanation of cause  • Transient loss of control of nervous system function(s)  without satisfactory explanation of cause 