Medical Standards

Medical Certificate Pilot Type	First-Class Airline Transport Pilot	Second-Class Commercial Pilot	Third Class Private Pilot
DISTANT VISION	20/20 or better in each eye separately, with or without correction.		20/40 or better in each eye separately, with or without correction.
NEAR VISION	20/40 or better in each eye separately (Snellen equivalent), with or without correction, as measured at 16 inches.
INTERMEDIATE VISION	20/40 or better in each eye separately (Snellen equivalent), with or without correction at age 50 and over, as measured at 32 inches.		No requirement.
COLOR VISION	Ability to perceive those colors necessary for safe performance of airman duties.
HEARING	Demonstrate hearing of an average conversational voice in a quiet room, using both ears at 6 feet, with the back turned to the examiner or pass one of the audiometric tests below.
AUDIOLOGY	Audiometric speech discrimination test: Score at least 70 % discrimination in one ear. _________________________________________________________________________ Pure tone audiometric text: Unaided, with thresholds no worse than: ----------- 500 Hz 1,000 Hz 2,000 Hz 3,000 Hz Better Ear 35 Db 30 Db 30 Db 40 Db Worst Ear 35 Db 50 Db 50 Db 60 Db
ENT	No ear disease or condition manifested by, or that may reasonably be expected to be manifested by, vertigo or a disturbance of speech or equilibrium.
PULSE	Not disqualifying per se. Used to determine cardiac system status and and responsiveness.
BLOOD PRESSURE	No specified value stated in standards. Hypertension covered under general medical standard and in the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners.
ELECTRO-CARDIOGRAM (ECG)	At age 35 and annually after age 40.		Not routinely required.
MENTAL	No diagnosis of psychosis, or bipolar disorder, or severe personality disorders.
SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE	A diagnosis or medical history of "substance dependence" is disqualifying unless there is established clinical evidence, satisfactory to the Federal Air Surgeon, of recovery, including sustained total abstinence from the substance(s) for not less than the preceding 2 years. A history of "substance abuse" within the preceding 2 years is disqualifying. "Substance" includes alcohol and other drugs (i.e., PCP, sedatives and hynoptics, anxiolytics, marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, hallucinogens, and other psychoactive drugs or chemicals).
DISQUALIFYING CONDITIONS* *BOLD ITALIC print depicts new disqualifying conditions as of September 16, 1996. Substance dependence and abuse replace drug dependence and alcoholism.	Examiner must disqualify if the applicant has a history of: (1) Diabetes mellitus requiring hypoglycemic medication; (2) Angina pectoris; (3) Coronary heart disease that has been treated or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (4) Myocardial infraction; (5) Cardiac valve replacement; (6) Permanent cardiac pacemaker; (7) Heart *replacement;* (8) Psychosis; (9) Bipolar disorder; (10) Personality disorder that is severe enough to have repeatedly manifested itself by overt acts; (11) Substance dependence; (12) Substance abuse; (13) Epilepsy; (14) Disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory explanation of cause; and (15) Transient loss of control nervous system function(s) without satisfactory explanation of cause.

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