Expert Opinion
AINsight: The Screening Electrocardiogram for Pilots
ECGs are required for pilots over 35 with an FAA first-class aeromedical
MedAire Digital Assessment Kit
While the ECG can give reasonable information to assess if the pilot has had an MI in the past, it is unfortunately not that great for future heart attack risk assessment.

All pilots maintaining a first-class FAA medical certificate must periodically obtain a screening electrocardiogram (ECG). The initial screening ECG is done at age 35, then annually after 40. While most ECGs are done at the AME’s office at the time of exam, there are certain circumstances when an ECG done elsewhere may be acceptable to the AME and FAA if it can be verified that the ECG does represent the pilot in question.

For those who are unsure of what I mean by ECG, they will quickly recognize the colloquially used, but outdated, EKG acronym. They are one and the same.

Robert Sancetta, M.D.
AIN Contributor
About the author

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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