FAA Backtracks on Medical Deferral Changes

Agency delays medical deferral changes after pilot and industry pushback, postponing implementation to March 1.

Marc Cook

Monday, December 23, 2024 at 10:21 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

[Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA had planned to implement new medical deferral process changes starting January 1, 2025, which would have impacted various types of pilots.
Following significant pushback from pilots and industry groups, the FAA has decided to postpone these changes.
The implementation of issuing initial denials for incomplete medical exams is now deferred until March 1, 2025, instead of January 1, 2025.
The postponement allows the FAA more time to educate the pilot community and host a listening session with aviation associations.

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Give the FAA credit for reacting quickly to pilot and industry pushback on changes to medical deferrals that were set to begin after the first of the year.

As previously reported, a change to FAA policy on medical deferrals would have set in motion knock-on effects that could impact pilots flying under conventional medicals as well as those hoping to one day use BasicMed or fly as sport pilots.