FAA clarifies when medical flight tests are required and how AMEs should document them
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Summary
FAA medical officers used case examples to explain when a medical flight test (MFT) or statement of demonstrated ability (SODA) is appropriate, clarified that airline CMOs (FAA inspectors) usually conduct MFTs for airline pilots, and stressed that applications are denied first and MFTs authorized for reconsideration.
At the FAA Grand Rounds on Jan. 7, medical officers described how the agency decides whether to require an in‑flight medical assessment (medical flight test, or MFT), explained the role of Certificate Management Offices (CMOs), and offered case examples AMEs can use when advising airmen.
Dr. Richard Carter, a medical officer in the certification division, said MFTs are used to observe an airman’s operational capability in flight rather than to conduct an exhaustive check ride. "A medical flight test is not a check ride," he said, adding that the FAA issues specific instructions to the CMO or inspector about what operational tasks to observe.
Carter illustrated the policy with several cases: an airline pilot who recovered function after complex arm reconstruction and required coordination with the airline’s CMO and FAA inspector for a special issuance plus an MFT; a young low‑hour applicant with mild amblyopia for whom the division may grant a SODA based on physiologic evidence rather than require an MFT; and airmen with intermittent tremor or other neurologic findings where the neurology consultant may request an MFT by a CMO to validate operational control.
Dr. Murphy, the session’s neurology consultant, explained MFTs are most useful for fixed or stable physical conditions (prosthetic limbs, stable strength deficits) and are not designed to evaluate cognitive impairments. For suspected cognitive issues (for example, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive change) the FAA typically orders a neuropsychology evaluation before any MFT.
Dr. Carter emphasized AME documentation: indicate in block 60 where you want the MFT to occur and who the responsible FAA inspector is (FSDO or the airline CMO) so the FAA can send the authorization to the correct inspector and avoid delays. For zero‑hour applicants, the FAA sometimes accepts a detailed flight instructor report in lieu of an MFT when the likely safety yield of an MFT would be low.
Deputy Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Brett Wyrick reiterated procedural requirements: when an MFT is being considered, the FAA first issues a denial and simultaneously authorizes the MFT for reconsideration; no medical certificate may be issued before successful completion of the MFT. He referenced an internal memo from July 1, 2020 documenting aspects of the procedure and corrected the record about its author during the session.
The guidance is intended to shorten certification delays while ensuring examiners provide the FAA the specific operational and location details needed to arrange the appropriate inspector or CMO for an MFT.
