AOPA Applauds FAA Withdrawal of Proposed Airman Medical Denial Policy
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association applauds the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to withdraw its proposed changes to the airman medical certification process – changes that would have replaced the longstanding practice of deferring incomplete medical applications with the issuance of immediate denials.
The policy, initially scheduled to be implemented in January, would have significantly increased complexity for many pilots. The FAA delayed implementation twice after AOPA, in partnership with other aviation industry organizations, voiced strong concerns about the policy’s unintended consequences.
In response, the FAA held a listening session on April 23, during which Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the proposal would not be implemented. Instead, the FAA agreed to work with AOPA and other organizations on a pilot medical education campaign to help applicants prepare for medical exams and reduce delays.
As a result, the organizations have released a comprehensive medical checklist with guidance on what is needed when submitting a medical application.
In addition, during the same meeting, Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup and Deputy Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Brett Wyrick announced a series of forthcoming reforms aimed at making the medical certification process more timely, consistent and transparent, while also reducing delays for applicants.
First, updates to the FAA MedXPress system, the platform used to submit medical information, are in development and will provide clearer instructions for pilots before entering medical information. Additional future improvements will allow pilots and aviation medical examiners to upload and track cases more efficiently.
Second, as part of the pilot medical education campaign, the FAA is also working to develop simple instructions and FAQs for various medical conditions to help pilots better understand what documentation the FAA will need before they apply for a medical certificate. Northrup also mentioned, in response to a participant’s question, that the FAA may consider exploring the expansion of the Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI) protocols, which enable AMEs to issue medical certificates for applicants with certain medical conditions.
Lastly, Northrup committed to reducing the wait times for pilots with deferred special issuance cases from an average of 155 days to 90 days over the next three years.
“We wholeheartedly support the FAA’s decision to move away from the medical denial letter policy and instead work with AOPA and others to help educate and provide much needed medical exam guidance to new and existing pilots,” AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance said in a news release. “Dr. Northrup and her team are working to reduce delays in the FAA’s medical system and improve clarity and transparency in the application process – changes which are long overdue and which we very much support. Clear and detailed guidance on what medical documentation is required up front will help in reducing that burden.”
In addition to these changes, AOPA is participating in an aerospace medical working group, which Congress mandated as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, focused on broader improvements to the medical certification process and addressing mental health issues among pilots.
Currently, the FAA receives more than 450,000 airman medical applications annually, 50,000 of which fall under special issuance categories. The FAA also said that half of all applications – 225,000 – experience delays, often because they lack the necessary documentation, which can add up to eight weeks to the process.
Textron Aviation Opens Career and Learning Center
In late April, Textron Aviation announced its new $40 million Career & Learning Center is complete and fully operational serving prospective, current and future Textron Aviation employees. The state-of-the-art facility on the company’s East Wichita Campus expands the training footprint to more than 75,000 square feet.
“The Textron Aviation Career & Learning Center is an important investment in building the next generation of aviation manufacturing, support and professional talent,” Ron Draper, president and CEO, said in a news release. “Recruiting, hiring and training a world-class workforce is vital to our ability to provide the best aviation experience for our customers.”
The Career & Learning Center is divided into four areas: Career Zone, Pre-Employment Zone, Learning Zone and Design. Build. Fly. Zone.
Within the Learning Zone, there are professional and technical training rooms as well as a simulated manufacturing floor in the west bay hangar. With eight weeks of training and support, this industry-leading model is designed to mechanics new to aviation manufacturing with the technical knowledge needed to move seamlessly into permanent roles with increased confidence and productivity.
The Design. Build. Fly. Zone is dedicated to developing early interest in aviation as a career. The space accommodates age-appropriate, hands-on activities – including a Cessna Skyhawk 172 simulator – to engage K-12 students and educators.
“We are passionate about creating environments where future and current employees can be inspired and thrive,” Maggie Topping, senior vice president, Human Resources & Communications, said in a news release. “The Career & Learning Center is equipped with the latest technology to provide realistic environments for training scenarios that mimic the reality of our manufacturing operations, setting our employees up for success from day one.”
Textron Aviation also recently announced its sponsorship of the Heroes MAKE America Airframe & Powerplant certification training program in conjunction with The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers.
The initiative is designed to bridge the skills gap between the military and manufacturing industries by equipping active duty, transitioning service members and veterans with in-demand qualifications and industry-specific certifications needed to excel in manufacturing careers. The six-week accelerated program, facilitated at Textron Aviation’s Career & Learning Center, includes two weeks of training prep and career readiness, followed by four weeks of A&P certification training and testing.
Learn more about the center and the Heroes MAKE America A&P Certification Training program at txtav.com/careers.