Student Pilot & FAA Medical Certificates

All student pilots are required to have a Student Pilot Certificate before your solo flight. A FAA Medical Certificate is also needed depending on your training goals.

For your Student Pilot Certificate, you must complete an application through the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website. You’ll obtain a unique FAA tracking number or FTN. Your flight instructor needs to verify your identity before your application can be completed and submitted. The student pilot certificate will be mailed to the address provided by you on the application within a few weeks and will be available to download from IACRA within a few days.

A FAA Medical Certificate is needed prior to flying solo. FAA Medical Certificate’s are issued by an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). These physicians have experience in aviation safety and aviation medicine. Should you have any issues that may medically disqualify you or slow your medical approval, speak with your flight instructor prior to scheduling with an AME. You can also check out Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 67 for more information.

When you are ready to acquire your FAA Medical Certificate, schedule an appointment with an AME and complete your application on (https://medexpress.faa.gov). Always be truthful on your application, especially with any alcohol related driving offenses. The FAA will check the National Driver Register database to verify your answers. Any false statements can lead to your certificate being revoke, and or fines.

The following are the types of Medical Certificates:

A 1st Class medical is required when flight operations require an Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. An ATP certificate is required to act as the Pilot in Command (PIC) or Captain of a scheduled airliner.

A 2nd Class medical is required when flight operations require a Commercial Pilot certificate. A Commercial certificate is required essentially to get paid to be a pilot.

A 3rd Class medical is required for all other flight operations that require an FAA Medical Certificate. This includes Student Pilots pursuing a Recreational or Private certificate, Recreational and Private pilots, and most Flight Instructors.

For a Student, Recreational, or Private Pilot, all classes of medical certificates are valid for 60 months if obtained prior to your 40th birthday. If you obtained the medical on or after your 40th birthday, the certificate is valid for only 24 months. More detailed information about FAA Medical Certificate expirations can be found in FAA 14 CFR Part 61.

If you have any questions regarding your Pilot Certificate or your Medical Certificate, please reach out to our Training Development Specialist, Justin Townsend who is always available to assist you.