Part 67 Series โ Substance Use, Diabetes & โEstablished Medical Historyโ: What the FAA Is Really Looking For
When most private pilots think about FAA medical certification, they picture dramatic conditions:
Heart attacks.Seizures.Major psychiatric diagnoses.
But in reality, many medical deferrals donโt start with dramatic events.
They start with everyday health issues:
High blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes
A prescription for anxiety medication
A past DUI
A history of alcohol dependence
Under...
Flight Nerd Weekly Briefing โ June 30, 2026
๐๏ธ 01 โ COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER
Congress held aviation hearings this week. A JetBlue Airbus got clipped by a drone at 3,000 feet on approach to JFK. The FAA opened a runway incursion investigation in Miami. And somewhere in all of it, a Senate subcommittee asked witnesses why we mandated ADS-B Out five years ago but still haven't required pilots to actually see the traffic sharing their airspace...
Part 67 Series โ Your Heart, Brain & Mental Health: The FAAโs Medical Standards Explained
If the eye chart feels straightforward, this is where things get serious.
When you sit down with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), the vision test is usually quick. The deeper questions come next:
Have you ever had chest pain?
Any history of seizures?
Ever been treated for depression or anxiety?
Any neurologic events?
For many private pilots, this is the part of the exam that feels ...
Flight Nerd Weekly Briefing