Aviation Medicals

2025

If you aim to become a private pilot (or higher), you are required by aviation law to undergo a medical examination to ensure you are fit to fly, and to ensure the safety of the aircraft itself (and passengers, if any).

For a basic overview of aviation medicals, check them out on Basic Requirements.

This section covers aviation medical specifics, such as the tests conducted, and things that are to be kept in mind.

What tests are conducted during an aviation medical exam

Note: It is not necessary that your aviation medical examination will cover all of the following tests listed below, i.e., the tests conducted depend upon several factors, such as:

1. Your age

2. The class of aviation medical you're applying for (Class 1, 2, or 3)

3. The country whose aviation medical you're applying for (e.g. For the U.S., this will be an FAA Medical)

4. The type of aviation medical you're applying for, i.e. Initial (Applying for the first time), or Renewal (Having already done an aviation medical in the past)

A standard aviation medical exam will generally cover the following areas (or tests):

• Chest X-Ray

• Physical measurements

• Body Mass Index (This includes your weight and height)

• Vision tests

  These can include, but are not limited to:

  1. Visual Acuity Test

  2. Color Blindness Test

  3. Eye Pressure Test

  4. Basic Eye Exam (The one used for issuing prescription glasses/spectacles)

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)

• Urine Test

• Blood Tests

  These can be used to know more about your:

  1. Lipid Profile

  2. Complete Blood Count

  3. ESR

  4. Thyroid Function

• Audiometry Test (or Hearing exam)

Prior to, or upon completion of your medical examination, you will be required to answer a questionnaire containing Yes/No type questions. This will be provided to you either online or in person.

It is not uncommon for aspiring pilots, particularly those with corrective lens/spectacles/glasses, to go about enquiring online whether a certain condition would disqualify them for the medical. Please note that medical requirements (or tolerances, i.e., acceptable upper and lower limits for each test) vary between countries and on the factors mentioned earlier (Refer to Note above). As such, any medical advice received online should be taken with caution; only a qualified, registered (i.e., current or practicing) Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) appropriate to the medical you’re applying for, can issue a decision as to whether or not you are medically fit, unfit, or temporarily unfit, after having conducted your medical examination.

Next: (Methods of Training)