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, including initial denials for incomplete medical exams, starting January 1, 2025.
Strong pushback from pilots and various aviation industry groups prompted the FAA to reconsider these impending policy changes.
The FAA has officially postponed the implementation of these medical deferral process changes, specifically the issuance of initial denials, until March 1, 2025.
This delay will allow the FAA to educate the pilot community further and conduct a listening session with aviation associations in early January.

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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.