Recent Guidance Clarifies Medical Compliance

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 expanded Basic Med, and to fulfill those provisions the FAA recently issued guidance that allows Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) to provide services without holding a current FAA Medical Certificate but who do medically qualify under Basic Med that is now compliant with the FAA medical requirement.

There are some specific conditions pilots – and DPEs – must meet to be in compliance with Basic Med:

The main one is that to operate under Basic Med, the DPE must have held a valid FAA medical certificate at any point after July 14, 2006. And the most recently-held medical certificate may be expired but cannot have been denied, revoked, or suspended.

A DPE must complete a medical exam by a state-licensed physician within the preceding 48 calendar months, and also must complete an online medical education course. The DPE must also hold a valid U.S. driver’s license and be in compliance with any limitations on it.

The expanded Basic Med for pilots includes the medical conditions just mentioned. In addition, pilots cannot fly for hire or compensation and are restricted to flying at or below 18,000 feet MSL and no faster than 250 KIAS.

On the positive side, expanded Basic Med allows pilots to carry six passengers, up from five. Except for transport category helicopters, pilots may now fly aircraft with maximum takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds, an increase from 6,000 pounds.

And finally expanded Basic Med permits DPEs to conduct flight exams using Basic Med in aircraft covered by the expanded Basic Med rule, with the conditions described above.

FMI:  www.faa.gov/