A Certificate Eligibility Warning means you will not be able to print a medical certificate.  There are a few reasons this can occur.  If you receive a Certificate Eligibility Warning, please contact AMCSsupport@faa.gov for support.  If the warning is valid, then you should mark Item 62 as Deferred.  This ensures the case will be reviewed by the FAA.  We recommend you enter comments in Item 60 to explain if you would have issued the medical certificate if the warning had not prevented certificate printing.

The test consists of 23 questions that focus on the following topics:

• Understanding the requirements for recreational flyers;
• Identifying airspace restrictions;
• Requesting authorization for controlled airspace;
• Conducting pre-flight assessments;
• Following community based organization (CBO) safety guidelines;
• Maintaining visual line-of-sight;
• Getting to know your drone; and
• Joining the community to keep learning.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

The Recreational UAS Safety Test.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

View the full FAQ here.

The Federal drug and alcohol testing regulations under 49 CFR part 40 and 14 CFR part 120 require you to maintain the following records for the minimum retention periods noted:

• You must retain the following for a minimum of 5 years:
  • Alcohol test results of 0.02 or greater.
  • Verified positive drug test results.
  • Refusal to test determinations, including substituted or adulterated drug test results.
  • Records related to other violations of 14 CFR §§ 120.19 or 120.37, including on-duty use, pre-duty use, or use following an accident.
  • Records of notification to the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division of refusals to submit to testing by employees or applicants that hold a part 61, 63, 65 airman certificate.
  • Records of notification to the FAA’s Federal Air Surgeon of violations by employees or applicants that hold a part 67 airman medical certificates.
  • Documentation of employees' disputes of alcohol test results.
  • Referrals to the SAP.
  • Return-to-duty records, including the SAP referral, evaluation reports, follow-up testing plan, return-to-duty test result, and all follow-up test results. 
  • Annual Management Information System (MIS) reports submitted to the FAA.
  • All historical drug and alcohol records reported to the Pilot Records Database (PRD) under 14 CFR § 111.255 after reporting the records.
• You must retain records of information obtained from previous employers concerning drug and alcohol test results of employees for a minimum of 3 years.
• You must retain the following for a minimum of 2 years:
  • Documents generated in connection with decisions to administer reasonable suspicion alcohol tests.
  • Documents generated in connection with decisions on post-accident alcohol tests.
  • Documents verifying the existence of medical explanations of the inability of a covered employee to provide adequate breath for testing.
  • Materials on alcohol misuse awareness, including a copy of your policy.
  • Documentation that demonstrates the distribution of required alcohol educational materials.
  • Documentation of training provided to employees and supervisors, and the training materials.   
  • Records of inspection, maintenance, and calibration of evidential breath testing devices.
  • Documentation related to the random selection process, including but not limited to:
    • Listing of safety-sensitive employees in the random pool prior to each selection;
    • The actual random selection list each time selections are made;
    • The employer copy of the custody and control forms from the random testing; 
    • This may or may not include the verified result, which is maintained based on the result.
• You must retain records of negative and cancelled drug test results and alcohol test results of less than 0.02 for a minimum of 1 year.

You are permitted to maintain your drug and alcohol records electronically; however, they must be easily accessible, legible, formatted, and stored in an organized and reviewable manner. If your electronic records do not meet these criteria, you must convert them to printed documentation in a rapid and readily auditable manner at the request of Department of Transportation (DOT) agency personnel. The DOT’s Q&A reiterates that an employer or service agent is obligated to make the records available expeditiously to a DOT representative, regardless of how the records are maintained. 

More information about the Federal drug and alcohol record keeping requirements are explained in the DOT’s Employer Record Keeping Requirements Document.

If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.

Please visit our website to learn more about the program

Applicable Regulations:

14 CFR §120.113(d)(6)
14 CFR §120.219(a)(2)(i) and (ii)
14 CFR 111.255(e)

You must complete FAA Form 8400-3. For additional information, email our Civil Aviation Registry.

You must complete FAA Form 8400-3. For additional information, email our Civil Aviation Registry.

The UPP results are expected to provide an understanding of the level of investment required for implementation of the UTM ecosystem. Upon completion, the FAA will evaluate the results and determine the appropriate next steps.  

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

You may retake the test after 14 days.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.

We know you may get disconnected during the time of transmission, so we have designed AMCS to minimize data loss. AMCS will store the information that has been validated. In the event you are disconnected when using AMCS, you will find the exam and the data that had been previously entered when you next sign in to AMCS.

Specific help for information to be entered on the application can be found by clicking any item row marked with a "+" or the 8500-8 Instructions link (available on each page of the form and under the Help menu). Clicking either of these will bring up additional information for completing the application. You should make every attempt to complete the form to the best of your ability. If you are unsure of the information that is to be entered on the form, consult your AME at the time of your exam. Your AME will be able to make corrections to the information that you provide.

If you forget your password, you can click the "Forgot Password" link on the FAA MedXPress Login page and follow the instructions. You will be required to enter your e-mail address and answer your three security questions. A new temporary password will be sent to your e-mail account.

When importing an application from MedXPress to AMCS, your selection determines how that exam enters the FAA’s medical record system.  Does the application belong to an existing applicant or is this a first-time applicant?  This is usually straightforward; however, because of data entry errors on the application (i.e. transposed names) and/or the use of pseudo Social Security Numbers, it requires a little time for validation.

To help you make an accurate selection, AMCS compares the information from the MedXPress application to records in the FAA medical database (column heading Potential Match).  The Import Application screen displays this data in columns.  Any mismatches display in red text.  You must verify the name and date of birth match.  Due to the frequent use of system-generated pseudo SSNs, the SSN will often NOT match.  The phone number and address are displayed to provide extra data elements.  If you are not sure how to proceed or if you see an error, contact AMCSsupport@faa.gov before you import the application.  

A “roundtable” in the aviation context is generally a term for an organization designed to address community concerns over a sustained period of time regarding aircraft operations often associated with a nearby airport. Roundtables are typically made of representatives from communities around an airport that may be affected by aircraft operations, the airline industry, and other stakeholders. These representatives often serve in an advisory role or on technical committees and working groups and can offer additional perspectives and expertise.

A roundtable brings together airport, community, and airline industry representatives to collaboratively identify and discuss issues of concern and possible resolutions at the same time. Representatives may elect to make recommendations, including possible changes in operations, to address community noise or other concerns. Ideally, applicable recommendations are first coordinated through the airport, which will forward them to the appropriate entity (e.g., the FAA, airlines, or zoning authority).

To learn more, please visit Community Roundtable Information Sheet.

Under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 1, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines a medical certificate as "acceptable evidence of physical fitness on a form prescribed by the Administrator." The primary goal of the airman medical certification program is to protect not only those who would exercise the privileges of a pilot certificate but also air travelers and the general public.

A person who meets FAA airmen medical standards, based on a medical examination and an evaluation of medical history, is entitled to a medical certificate without restriction or limitation other than the prescribed limitation as to its duration. Individuals required to hold a medical certificate must have it in their personal possession at all times when exercising the privileges for which they are licensed.

A Metroplex is a geographic area that includes several airports, serving major metropolitan areas and a diversity of aviation stakeholders such as National Airspace System users, the FAA, businesses, and airport operators. Congestion, airport activity in close geographical proximity, and other limiting factors, such as environmental constraints combine to reduce efficiency at busy Metroplex sites.

The FAA and aviation experts analyze the operational challenges of Metroplexes and explore opportunities to optimize airspace and procedures. To learn more about Metroplexes, please visit the Metroplex page.

A noise abatement procedure is a procedure used by aircraft at an airport to minimize the impact of noise on the communities surrounding an airport.

Visit the Airport Noise Compatibility Planning page to learn more.

Noise models are computer models used to predict the levels of aircraft noise exposure produced over a geographic area. Noise models are used to efficiently and accurately evaluate aircraft noise including assessing the potential noise impacts resulting from changes in aircraft operations.

The Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) is the FAA's required noise and environmental modeling application for all U.S. domestic regulatory analyses requiring FAA review. AEDT replaces several legacy environmental modeling tools, including the Integrated Noise Model (INM), the Noise Integrated Routing System (NIRS) and the Emissions Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS). 

A sport pilot certificate allows pilots to operate light-sport aircraft. The medical requirements to use this certificate can be met by either a third class medical certificate or a U.S. driver's license. Restrictions may apply.

You can find more information about sport-pilot certification and light-sport aircraft on our website.

If an airman chooses not to use their true Social Security Number (SSN) on an FAA medical application, a pseudo SSN will be assigned.  This happens very frequently, so the SSN is not a reliable search method in AMCS.

ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) provides real-time precision and shared situational awareness to pilots and air traffic controllers. It's a foundational NextGen technology. U.S. aircraft must be equipped with ADB-B by January 1, 2020. ADS-B is a Part 91 regulation, and most small UAS or drones operate under Part 107. Some type of remote ID may be required in the future, but how the system would work and the requirements has not been finalized.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.