Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
Special Issuances
AME Assisted - All Classes
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
AME Assisted Special Issuance (AASI) is a process that provides Examiners the ability to re-issue an airman medical
certificate under the provisions of an Authorization for Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate (Authorization) to
an applicant who has a medical condition that is disqualifying under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations(14 CFR) part 67.
An FAA physician provides the initial certification decision and grants the Authorization in accordance with 14 CFR ยง 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 a determination, the Examiner must defer and submit all of the documentation to the AMCD or RFS for the initial determination.
Examiners 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 statement regarding symptomatology of the condition;
- A statement addressing any associated illnesses, such as heart failure;
- The name and dosage of medication(s) used for treatment and/or prevention with comment regarding side effects; and
- A pulmonary specialist evaluation that includes the results of a current pulmonary function test, performed within last 90 days.
- The FEV1 or FEV1/FVC is less than 70%;
- The applicant has been placed on a steroid dose equivalent to greater than 20mg of Prednisone per day; or
- The applicant has developed an associated cardiac condition.
