NBAA Commends FAA’s Withdrawal of Onerous Proposed Airman Medical Denial Policy
/The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) announcement that the agency will withdraw proposed changes to the airman medical certification process, which the association and other stakeholder groups said could have long-term, negative implications on pilots’ careers.
Under the now-retracted policy, a pilot who submitted a medical certificate application without full exam results or other information required for the FAA’s review of a given condition would have been issued an initial denial, rather than the deferral and 60-day letter issued under the current policy, until the needed information was provided.
Although the process change was meant to help reduce the FAA’s backlog of medical certificate applications, NBAA and others noted that the move could significantly increase unneeded confusion for applicants and introduce unintended consequences for those under initial denial, including employment ramifications.
The change had been scheduled for implementation in January, but in response to the concerns from NBAA and other organizations, it was later postponed until March, before being withdrawn entirely.
“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 senior vice president, 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.”
During an April 23 session to discuss the FAA’s decision with stakeholders, Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup noted the challenges the agency faces in evaluating medical certificate applications and initiatives it’s pursuing to speed up the process.
The steps she outlined include improvements to the online MedXPress portal, and a redoubled focus by FAA-industry working groups tasked with modernizing the medical process, building upon the work of an earlier mental health rulemaking committee.
Stakeholders offered additional ideas, including:
Creating a plain-language version of the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, so pilots can better understand requirements.
Encouraging pilots to report medical conditions by providing information about the amount of time required for resolving common issues.
Identifying the top five diagnoses by age group and providing information on how to address them, using flow charts or checklists.
Recruiting pilots to produce video testimonials about how their conditions were resolved.
NBAA and other industry and pilot groups have developed a checklist of considerations when applying for an FAA medical.
According to the resource, “It is critical to have as much required documentation as possible completed and submitted at the time of your medical exam. The FAA prescribes medical certification standards for pilots in the interest of aviation safety.”
The checklist highlights the need for aviators to include the following in preparation for an FAA medical:
Compile a detailed medical history and list of all prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking.
Review your medical history and medication list against the FAA’s medical history questions and the FAA Do Not Fly/Do Not Issue List.
If you have any questions, concerns, or discrepancies, consult your Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) or pilot advocacy group prior to submitting your medical application.
Bring all documentation to your medical appointment.
“We appreciate the significant FAA efforts to update the pilot medical process and look forward to our continued collaboration,” Carr concluded. “Additionally, it’s important that pilots recognize the need to arrive as prepared for their medical exams as they do for their checkrides and other evaluations.”