What determines if a pilot is “legal” to fly medically on any given day? A pilot’s responsibility to “self-assess” is an ongoing and never-ending process. Remember, the AME’s decisions in regard to a pilot’s airworthiness are binding (hence, in essence, “regulatory”) only on the day that an actual FAA exam is done. Most of the responsibility falls to the pilot at all times between FAA exams.
Where is this self-assessment responsibility defined? Please refer to FAR 61.53. This is a regulation so important to the FAA that reference to it is printed on every medical certificate. While the “Conditions of Issue” used to be printed on the back side of the old typed FAA medical certificate, these days it is printed on the same side of the page when the certificate is printed electronically. Pilots often complain that keeping the Conditions of Issue page attached to the medical certificate adds undesired bulk to their wallets. Understood, but it’s a relatively minor inconvenience. The FAA and ICAO policy is to keep the Conditions of Issue page physically attached to the actual medical certificate. In other words, cutting that side of the page off and keeping it in the flight kit just doesn’t appease an FAA inspector. Technically the pilot has adversely altered the certificate. Word to the wise: just keep it attached. Why get into an argument at the very beginning of a ramp or line check?
Dr. Robert Sancetta is a former DC-10 captain with 11,000 flight hours. He has worked as a Senior AME since 1993 and is appointed as AME Consultant to the FAA Federal Air Surgeon.
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