Aviation medical exams are stressful enough without any additional complications. But the FAA has just upped the ante, as a result of 2024’s reauthorization act. These complications could impact pilots with conventional medicals, those flying under BasicMed, as well as sport pilots.
As it stands now, when an AME defers a medical to the FAA for further review, the FAA will send a request for additional information back to the applicant. The applicant then has 30-90 days to submit the required medical reports and evaluations. Throughout this time, the airman’s pre-existing medical is still valid until the date of expiration.
