Dr Lampert is a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner and a private pilot with an instrument rating. He currently flies a Mooney M20J
See below for "Tips for a successful FAA medical exam"
To schedule a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd class FAA medical exam
call 623-773-2828 option 1
For a map and directions click here
Tips for a successful FAA medical exam.
Steven Lampert, MD
Senior Aviation Medical Examiner
After several years of assisting applicants through the FAA medical exam process, I decided there needs to be a “tips” article. Believe it or not, your Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) wants to see you succeed. Most of us are pilots ourselves and we understand the desire and joy of flying. I hope these tips will make your next trip to the AME a breeze.
1) Select an AME who is a pilot. Pilots know pilots best and an AME with a pilot certificate will know what you need to do in the cockpit. Furthermore, they will have sat on the exam table for their own FAA exam and know what you are going through.
2) Try not to be nervous. I have seen grown men and women so nervous they looked like they would spontaneously combust. A little apprehension is normal and understandable if you have a new AME, especially if you fly for a living. However, you need to remember that your AME is on your side and not only are most of us pilots, most of us are human too.
3) If you make an appointment with an AME for your FAA exam keep it or give the AME’s office at least 24 hours cancellation notice. This allows the AME to offer that time to another applicant.
4) If you are a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), take advantage of their Turbo Medical program. This allows you to take a dry run though the FAA form 8500-8 that you will fill out at the AME office or online. Although you must fill out the real form at the AME’s office or online through the new Medxpress program (more on this in a minute), you may use the sample 8500-8 you print out from the internet as a guide.
5) On the day of your medical, avoid caffeine since it can elevate your blood pressure. Keep in mind that blood pressure above 155/95 is disqualifying until the blood pressure is treated. Furthermore, if you know you have a blood pressure problem, don’t try to “wing it”. See your regular physician first and get the blood pressure under control. Most blood pressure medications are allowed by the FAA and you will find a nice list on the AOPA web site. One last note on blood pressure. The first time you report hypertension to the FAA you will need to come prepared with some simple documentation-click here for the details. A summary of what is needed is listed on a hypertension worksheet available on the AOPA web site, courtesy of Dr Gordon Ritter.
6) If you wear glasses or you think you may need them, see your optometrist or ophthalmologist first. Especially if you need a 1st or 2nd class medical, see your eye doctor first. The AME medical exam is not the place to find out that your vision is 20/25 when it needed to be 20/20 to qualify for a 1st or 2nd class medical. If you recently had eye surgery or eye problems, come prepared with the report of eye evaluation filled out by your ophthalmologist 8500-7 and ask him or her to comment on the presence or absence of healing, halos, blurred vision, or complications after Lasik.
7) Try to arrive 15 minutes early and come with a photo id and payment.
8) If you fill out the 8500-8 in the AME’s office, use a simple BLACK ballpoint pen and press hard enough to get to the back page since that will be your copy to take home. If the AME notices any blanks on the form, you may need to add more information. You don’t want to try to find that one blue pen that was in the AME’s lobby.
9) To speed up the process of getting your information to the FAA correctly, the FAA introduced the MedXpress program. Information is available by clicking here FAA Medxpress.The FAA MedXPress system allows anyone requiring an FAA Medical Certificate or Student Pilot Medical Certificate to electronically complete the FAA Form 8500-8. Information entered into MedXPress will be transmitted to the FAA and will be available for your AME to review at the time of your medical examination. IMPORTANT: print out the completed form AFTER hitting submit. Bring this to the AME’s office on the day of the exam. The correct form to print out has a gray box in the upper left corner with the letters "FF", a title in small type on the bottom left "FAA form 8500-8", and the confirmation number at the bottom. There may be more than one page if you needed to explain any "yes" item in the history section. 10) The FAA exam is not the time to ask your AME for health care advice or a prescription. Try to take care of preventive health, wellness checks, lab work, health concerns and issues with your primary physician (not your AME) before going in for you FAA exam. The FAA medical exam is not designed to address these types of scenarios. It is a focused exam designed to make sure you are eligible for medical certification based on 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 67 Medical Standartds and Certification. If you need a copy of your FAA medical exam, the FAA requires that you contact them in The Information provided on this website is for informative purposes only. If you need specific medical advise, pease contact your primary care physician.
To schedule an FAA medical exam call 623-773-2828 option 1
For a map and directions click here
October 2007, Rev August 2008
