Pulmonary—Pulmonary Embolism

 

For airmen recovering from pulmonary embolism, the FAA requires at least two months of uneventful recovery, along with medical clearance from your doctor, before flying privileges can be resumed.  Your aviation medical examiner (AME) can issue your medical certificate, unless you are still taking anti-coagulant medication such as Coumadin (warfarin), Xarelto (rivaroxaban), Pradaxa (dabigatran), or Eliquis (apixaban), all of which are allowed by the FAA. If on anticoagulants, your application may be deferred for review by the FAA. If you remain on warfarin, you will need to provide at least three months of reports of INRs in which 80% or more of the readings are between 2.0 - 3.0. 

At the time of reporting, you will need to provide the following:

1.  Hospital admission and discharge summary (if applicable)
2. A detailed, current status report http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/certification/introduction/status.html that includes

• Family history of thromboembolic disease
• Neoplastic workup, if clinically indicated
• PT/PTT
• Protein S & C
• Leiden Factor V
• If still anticoagulated, submit all (no less than monthly) INR from time of hospital discharge to present

 

AME-Assisted Special Issuance (AASI) for Pulmonary Embolus

 

An FAA physician provides the initial certification decision and grants the Authorization in accordance with 14 CFR §67.401. The Authorization letter is accompanied by attachments that specify the information that treating physician(s) must provide for the re-issuance determination.  If this is a first time issuance of an Authorization for the above disease/condition, and the applicant has all of the requisite medical information necessary for issuance, the aviation medical examiner (AME) defers the application to the Aerospace Medical Certification Division or the Regional Flight Surgeon for the initial determination.

After the initial issuance by the FAA, the AME may re-issue an airman medical certificate under the provisions of an Authorization, if the applicant provides the following:
• An Authorization granted by the FAA;
• A summary of the applicant’s medical condition since the last FAA medical examination, including a statement regarding any further episodes of DVT, PE or other complication of hypercoagulopathy (see below *);
• The name and dosage of medication(s) used for treatment and/or prevention with comment regarding side effects; and
• A minimum of monthly International Normalized Ratio (INR) results for the immediate prior 6 months (see below *).

* The Examiner must defer to the AMCD or Region if:
• More than 20 percent of INR values are less than 2.0 or more than 3.0; or
• The applicant develops emboli, thrombosis, bleeding, or any other cardiac or neurologic condition previously not diagnosed or reported.

How/Where to Submit to the FAA

Helps you find the contact information for submitting your medical records

Updated: August 2017