The FAA will not move forward with a proposed change to its airman medical certification policy that would have replaced deferrals with immediate denials for incomplete medical applications. The announcement was made during an April 23 stakeholder listening session, where acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau confirmed that the agency would instead collaborate with industry groups on education and reform.
“There was a lot of [stakeholder] feedback, and we took it seriously and we are not going to do that,” Rocheleau said, referring to the now-withdrawn plan. The proposed policy, originally scheduled for implementation in January 2025 and later postponed to March, had drawn criticism from aviation groups over potential negative impacts on pilots’ careers.
Under the proposal, pilots who submitted incomplete exams or supporting documents would have received a general denial rather than a deferral and a request for additional materials. Industry groups warned the change could create unnecessary confusion, raise reporting burdens, and disqualify some pilots from programs like BasicMed.
During the April 23 session, FAA federal air surgeon Susan Northrup acknowledged that rising application volumes and an increase in special issuance cases had strained the certification process. According to the FAA, it handled about 450,000 medical applications in 2024, with 50,000 falling under the special issuance category. Northrup committed to reducing wait times for such cases, from an average of 155 days to 90 days over the next three years.
To help streamline the process, the FAA is developing improvements to its MedXPress online portal. Also highlighted in the announcement was a new public education tool released by aviation organizations. This new checklist for medical application readiness offers pilots a streamlined guide to the process.
During the listening session, the FAA received a variety of suggestions, including publishing a plain-language version of the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, offering timelines for resolving common conditions, and creating digital tools like QR-code-accessible resources and testimonial videos.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomed the FAA’s decision and issued statements reiterating their support for collaborative reform. “We wholeheartedly support the FAA’s decision to move away from the medical denial letter policy,” said AOPA president and CEO Darren Pleasance.
NBAA senior v-p Doug Carr similarly commended the agency for “considering input…regarding the potential negative impact on pilots.”
Both groups cited their ongoing involvement in FAA-industry working groups and a broader aerospace medical reform effort authorized by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. These initiatives aim to modernize the airman medical system while maintaining safety and reducing administrative delays.
Participants in the April 23 session included representatives from AOPA, NBAA, ALPA, EAA, NAFI, and several major pilot unions and training organizations.