Regulations and Government
FAA Scraps Immediate Denial Rule for Pilot Medicals
Stakeholder input prompts agency to withdraw plan; FAA commits to education and process improvements
A view of the front of The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
© Stephen Véronneau

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[stakeholder] feedback, and we took it seriously and we are not going to do that,” Rocheleau said, referring to the now-withdrawn plan.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.