FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine 
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute 

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-22/04

Title and Subtitle: 2020 Aerospace Medical Certification Statistical Handbook

Report Date: April 2022

Authors: Valerie J. Skaggs, Ann I. Norris 

Abstract: 

Introduction. The biennial Aerospace Medical Certification Statistical Handbook reports descriptive characteristics of all active U.S. civil aviation airmen. The 2020 handbook documents the most recent and most widely relevant data on active civil aviation airmen. 

Methods. Medical certification records from 2015–2020 were selected from the Document Imaging Workflow System, which is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) medical certification database. All medical data were abstracted from the most recent medical examinations, except for medical conditions that were historical and current. Only those with a non-expired medical certificate remained in the dataset. Airman variables include age, issued and effective medical classes, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), sex, select medical conditions, special issuances (SIs), and FAA region of residence. 

Results. As of December 31, 2020, 546,503 medically certified airmen were age 16 and older, and 46.6%, 17.9%, and 35.4% were issued a first-, second-, and third-class medical certificate, respectively. Across all medical classes, the average age was 40.6 years, 92% were male, and 8% were female. The mean BMI for female and male airmen was 24.2 kg/m2 and 27.1 kg/m2, respectively. Nearly 5.8% of issued certificates required an SI. The most-reported medical condition was hypertension treated with medication, reported among 7.2% of the population. 
Summary. This report contains widely requested data on the active U.S. civil airman population. This report is updated biennially and is used by the aerospace community, including FAA leadership, aerospace researchers, advocacy groups, legislative staff, and the general public. 

Key Words: Pilot Medical Certification, Pilot Demographics, Pilot Medical Conditions, Pilot Statistics, Aviation Medical Examiners

No. of Pages: 41