FAA REQUIREMENT FOR FO FIRST-CLASS MEDICAL RESCINDED: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published its final rulemaking today regarding Pilot Certification Requirements for Air Carrier Operations. The APA Safety Committee has been working with the American Airlines Flight Department and our FAA Principal Operations Inspector to clarify the published guidance on medical requirements.
We have received confirmation from the Flight Department that contrary to previous explicit guidance from the FAA, there will not be a requirement for Domestic First Officers to maintain a First Class Medical to exercise the privileges of their ATP ratings. It is important to note that this requirement applies to operations that do not require a First Officer to meet PIC requirements (a domestic First Officer on a non-augmented crew). For Domestic First Officers that are currently authorized to fly with a Second Class Medical, they may continue to operate after August 1 with a Second Class.
The change from the previous guidance is due to the final rule containing a change to FAR 61.23. The FAA guidance prior to the rule being published had to adhere to 61.23 as written at that time, which would have made the First Class Medical requirement valid. The Flight Department will also be publishing guidance on this change.
We recognize that there has been considerable frustration with the process to this point, but in the long run retaining the current requirements for First Officer medical certification will be preferable to what had been proposed.
We have received confirmation from the Flight Department that contrary to previous explicit guidance from the FAA, there will not be a requirement for Domestic First Officers to maintain a First Class Medical to exercise the privileges of their ATP ratings. It is important to note that this requirement applies to operations that do not require a First Officer to meet PIC requirements (a domestic First Officer on a non-augmented crew). For Domestic First Officers that are currently authorized to fly with a Second Class Medical, they may continue to operate after August 1 with a Second Class.
The change from the previous guidance is due to the final rule containing a change to FAR 61.23. The FAA guidance prior to the rule being published had to adhere to 61.23 as written at that time, which would have made the First Class Medical requirement valid. The Flight Department will also be publishing guidance on this change.
We recognize that there has been considerable frustration with the process to this point, but in the long run retaining the current requirements for First Officer medical certification will be preferable to what had been proposed.
