Student Pilot and FAA Medical Certificates
As a student pilot, you will need a Student Pilot Certificate at some point during flight training program. When you will need it and how you can obtain it will vary based upon the type of training that you are doing.
You may also need an FAA Medical Certificate. The type of certificate you should obtain, if you should obtain one at all, depends on your flight training goals.
Your Student Pilot Certificate
You will need a Student Pilot Certificate before your first solo.
You will need a Student Pilot Certificate before your first solo; that momentous occasion when your instructor has enough confidence in your ability to depart the airplane and send you off by yourself. When training under the general rules for flight training, you can obtain the certificate at any time prior to the solo.
To obtain your Student Pilot Certificate, you must complete an application through the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website. As part of the registration process, you’ll obtain a unique FAA tracking number or FTN. A flight instructor, or other authorized individual, will verify your identify before your application can be completed and submitted. Once the application is submitted, he student pilot certificate will be mailed to the address provided by you on the application within a few weeks, but will be available to download from IACRA within a few days.
Your FAA Medical Certificate and Alternatives
The pursuit of most pilot certificates will require you to obtain and hold an FAA Medical Certificate prior to flying solo.
The pursuit of most pilot certificates will require you to obtain and hold an FAA Medical Certificate prior to flying solo.
If you are pursuing a Sport Pilot Certificate and will only be flying solo in a Light Sport Airplane, you may be able to use your valid driver’s license as a testament to your acceptable health. To exercise the option of using your driver’s license in place an FAA Medical Certificate, you must not have failed your most recent attempt at an FAA Medical Certificate or be under a medical suspension. If you have never attempted to obtain an FAA Medical Certificate or you allowed your most recent medical to expire, the valid driver’s license may be an option for you.
If you are learning to fly in a glider, motorglider, or balloon, you will not need a medical. You will simply need to be able to attest to the fact that you do not have any medical conditions that would preclude your safe operation of the aircraft in solo flight.
FAA Medical Certificate’s are issued by an FAA Designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). AME’s are physicians with a special interest in aviation safety and have training in aviation medicine.
If you have any condition that may be medically disqualifying or could slow your medical approval, do not visit your AME before meeting with and discussing your options with a knowledgeable instructor. Alternatively, you can contact a resource like the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to discuss your situation. They have experts available to help find your best route for success in the medical certification process.
Some conditions that can be disqualifying or could slow your medical approval include but are not limited to:
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If you would like further information on potentially disqualifying conditions, the standards for medical certification are contained in Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 67. If 14 CFR Part 67 indicates that a condition will not allow you to obtain a medical certificate, all hope is not lost. There may be an option to obtain a special issuance medical certificate or obtain a medical with certain operating limitations. Discuss this with one of the previously mentioned sources before pushing forward with your examination.
If you are in good health and ready to obtain your FAA Medical Certificate, find an AME, schedule an appointment, and fill out your application on MedXPress before going to see the doctor. Be truthful on this application, especially in the area of alcohol related driving offenses. The FAA can and will check your answers against the National Driver Register database. Falsification of facts can lead to fines and revocation of certificates.
You can find an AME using the FAA’s database found at https://www.faa.gov/pilots/amelocator/.
At some point in the process, you will be asked about the “Class” of medical you would like to apply for. We will review the classes in a moment but you should plan to obtain the class of medical certificate required, for the certificate level you ultimately want. This will tell you if you are medically qualified for that certificate. Finding this out now is better than waiting until you have already spent thousands of dollars on training for a certificate that you ultimately may not be able to use.
A 1st Class medical is required when flight operations require an Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. An ATP is required to act as the Pilot in Command (PIC) or Captain of a scheduled airliner.
A 2nd Class medical is required when flight operations require a Commercial Pilot certificate. A Commercial certificate is required essentially to get paid to be a pilot.
A 3rd Class medical is required for all other flight operations that require an FAA Medical Certificate. This includes Student Pilots pursuing a Recreational or Private certificate, Recreational and Private pilots, and most Flight Instructors.
For operations as a Student, Recreational, or Private Pilot, all classes of medical certificates are valid for 60 calendar months if you obtained the certificate prior to your 40th birthday. If you obtained the medical on or after your 40th birthday, the certificate is valid for only 24 calendar months.
More detailed information about FAA Medical Certificate expirations can be found in the table below from the FAA via 14 CFR Part 61:
| If you hold | And on the date of examination for your most recent medical certificate you were | And you are conducting an operation requiring | Then your medical certificate expires, for that operation, at the end of the last day of the |
| (1) A first-class medical certificate | (i) Under age 40 | an airline transport pilot certificate for pilot-in-command privileges, or for second-in-command privileges in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 requiring three or more pilots | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
| (ii) Age 40 or older | an airline transport pilot certificate for pilot-in-command privileges, for second-in-command privileges in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 requiring three or more pilots, or for a pilot flightcrew member in part 121 operations who has reached his or her 60th birthday. | 6th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (iii) Any age | a commercial pilot certificate (other than a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon rating when conducting flight training), a flight engineer certificate, or an air traffic control tower operator certificate | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (iv) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (v) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (2) A second-class medical certificate | (i) Any age | an airline transport pilot certificate for second-in-command privileges (other than the operations specified in paragraph (d)(1) of this section), a commercial pilot certificate (other than a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon rating when conducting flight training), a flight engineer certificate, or an air traffic control tower operator certificate | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
| (ii) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (iii) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (3) A third-class medical certificate | (i) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
| (ii) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
I have a pacemaker and a replaced heart valve (2005). Does that disqualify me from a medical certificate. I am 70. I took up flying in the 60’s and got to my soloing but then ran out of money so I did not complete my lin. requirements. I would like to take up flying again for me to just solo around the area in single engine type aircraft. What are my options?
John,
I would suggest contacting the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (www.AOPA.org) to discuss your situation and options. They may have some idea where the FAA stands on getting a medical after these issues.
Alternatively, provided that you have not been denied a medical, Sport Pilot with a drivers license may be an option if you are in good health now, but I would still talk to AOPA prior to pursuing this as well.
As far I can see the best way is to fly a airplane on wich you simply will need no doctor to stick his nose into a pilot’s buisness, glider, baloon, parachute, weight controled, FAR 103, sports licence are some of the options. Happy Flights, John
I am 54, and want to just get a private pilot’s licence
, but I have had cancer twice, the second time though, it left a tumor in my spinal cord that is inoperable, but was sucesdfully radiated 13 years ago. I am on disability now and walk eith a cane, but my primary vehicle is a 750lb cruiser motorcycle I ride year ’round. I have flown many times with a friend of mine and have absolutely no problems handling a multi-engine aircraft. So the question is of course if you think I can pass the exam for a basic license. I want to build my own helocopter, that’s my dream anyway.
John,
Check with the experts at the AOPA (www.AOPA.org). They may have an idea for someone in your situation.
If they can’t help, you might see if you can speak to an Aviation Medical Examiner “off the record” prior to attempting an official medical exam. Determine what advice the examiner can provide about your likely success (or how long of a process you might be facing).
Best of luck!
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As a caution to others, daily use of Zyrtec is disqualifying! I had to swear on a stack of bibles (not really) that I would renounce Zyrtec and all its works and deeds and take only Claritin henceforth in order to get my 3rd class / student tag.
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Through the learning of fly a plane will obtain you to operate a plane.this is not only for commercial pilot but also private pilot can get a license to fly a plane .
how far back to medicals info go? 2 yrs ago i had a triple hrt bypass..4-5 yrs b 4 that I had my 5th stent put in.. my heart n BP r doin grt now..will i need lotsa info paperwork tests etc or NO..anybody tell me please..thx
Rex,
The medical application asks for your medical history, including heart related issues, under the question of, “HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH, HAD, OR DO YOU PRESENTLY HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?” In terms of history, it goes back for your whole life.
Another question asks, “Have you visited any health professionals within the last 3 years?” It will then request specifics of those visits.
I suspect that there will be quite a bit of paperwork to get a medical.
As I have mentioned to some others, check with the experts at the AOPA (www.AOPA.org). They may have an idea how the FAA’s medical branch has looked at others with similar medical history.
If they can’t help, you might see if you can speak to an Aviation Medical Examiner “off the record” prior to attempting an official medical exam. Determine what advice the examiner can provide about your likely success (or how long of a process you might be facing).
Alternatively, provided that you have not been denied a medical, Sport Pilot with a drivers license may be an option if you are in good health now, but I would still talk to the experts prior to pursuing this as well.
Best of luck!