Medical Requirements for Check Pilots and Others

[MidlifeFlyer]

The FAA published a Final Rule this morning removing the requirement for a medical certificate for Part 121 and 135 check pilots, check flight engineers, and instructors unless they are acting as pilot in command or as required crew. There are also some related changes in terminology. There are conforming amendments to Parts 91, 121, and 135.

You can read and attempt to digest the Final Rule here.

 

[Fly_Unity]

The FAA published a Final Rule this morning removing the requirement for a medical certificate for Part 121 and 135 check pilots, check flight engineers, and instructors unless they are acting as pilot in command or as required crew. There are also some related changes in terminology. There are conforming amendments to Parts 91, 121, and 135.

You can read and attempt to digest the Final Rule here.

Does this cover DPE's?

 

[CFI A&P]

Does this cover DPE's?

Shooting from the hip, I think so. The applicant is PIC during an exam, which means the examiner isn’t a required crew member (and free of certificate action).

With that said, I know of one DPE that had an oopsie happen on a checkride, and lost their examiner status. However, it wasn’t the Oopsie that cost them their statuses how they conducted themselves afterward.

 

[Inverted25]

Shooting from the hip, I think so. The applicant is PIC during an exam, which means the examiner isn’t a required crew member (and free of certificate action).

With that said, I know of one DPE that had an oopsie happen on a checkride, and lost their examiner status. However, it wasn’t the Oopsie that cost them their statuses how they conducted themselves afterward.

I think they still need a medical. They are controlled by 8900.95C which requires them to hold a third class medical unless they are only authorized gliders balloons etc that don’t require one. This order doesn’t list 8900.95C as being modified


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[MidlifeFlyer]

Does this cover DPE's?

No. It only applies to Part 135 and 121 personnel.

DPE medical requirements are liberalized by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024's expansion of BasicMed, which includes DPEs to rely on BasicMed when giving checkrides in qualified aircraft.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

If there were protections for abuse, I’d love ti see a system where pilots who lose their medicals long term are given priority to do line checks and instruction. Provided they have the personality, anyway.