Regardless of your experience, training or occupation, if you fly airplanes, you need to show the FAA that you are medically safe to fly. For sport pilots, that is your driver’s license. Basic Med is an option for many. However, new pilots, professionals, and those who want more than BasicMed can offer, will need an FAA medical certificate. The FAA medical exam process can be easy for some, intimidating for others, or even downright frightful for those with significant medical issues.
Overall, the process can seem fairly simple: fill out the online application (MedXPress), schedule your exam with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), and get your certificate. But like in so many other areas, simple does not mean easy. Rather than thinking of the FAA medical as “going to the doctor,” realize it is a physical examination. There isn’t much you can do about your past medical history. There may not be much you can do about what the AME finds during the exam. So beyond filling out MedXPress, choosing an AME and sitting for the exam, what can one do? You can prepare and have a plan.
