AME Professional Standards & Competencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An AME discovers during a routine exam that an airman has a condition requiring special issuance. What is the AME's primary obligation?
- Issue the certificate immediately and notify FAA later
- Defer the application and advise the airman to seek FAA special issuance (Correct answer)
- Deny the certificate and take no further action
- Issue a temporary certificate valid for 30 days
Correct answer: Defer the application and advise the airman to seek FAA special issuance
When a potentially disqualifying condition is found, the AME must defer the application and advise the airman to apply for a special issuance authorization through the FAA.
Question 2: Which document defines the specific duties and limitations of an Aviation Medical Examiner's authority?
- 14 CFR Part 61
- 14 CFR Part 67 (Correct answer)
- FAA Order 8900.1
- Advisory Circular 60-22
Correct answer: 14 CFR Part 67
14 CFR Part 67 establishes medical standards and certification procedures, defining what AMEs are authorized to certify and the conditions under which they must defer.
Question 3: An AME's designation is renewed based on which primary criterion?
- Number of examinations conducted per year
- Satisfactory performance reviews and completion of required training (Correct answer)
- Years of experience as a private pilot
- Score on the initial AME written examination
Correct answer: Satisfactory performance reviews and completion of required training
AME designations are renewed based on satisfactory performance evaluations and completion of FAA-required recurrent training.
Question 4: When must an AME report an airman's medical information to the FAA without the airman's consent?
- Never — physician-patient confidentiality is absolute
- When the FAA formally requests records as part of an investigation (Correct answer)
- Whenever the AME suspects any medical condition exists
- Only after the airman has filed an appeal
Correct answer: When the FAA formally requests records as part of an investigation
AMEs may disclose airman medical records to the FAA without consent when the FAA formally requests them pursuant to its investigative and regulatory authority.
Question 5: An airman presents a foreign medical certificate. What should an AME do?
- Accept it as equivalent to an FAA medical certificate
- Conduct a standard FAA medical examination and issue an FAA certificate if appropriate (Correct answer)
- Refer the airman directly to FAA headquarters
- Issue a third-class certificate automatically based on the foreign certificate
Correct answer: Conduct a standard FAA medical examination and issue an FAA certificate if appropriate
A foreign medical certificate does not substitute for an FAA medical certificate; the AME must conduct a full examination per 14 CFR Part 67 standards.
Question 6: What is the consequence for an AME who knowingly issues a medical certificate to an applicant who does not meet the standards?
- A written warning from the AOPA
- Revocation of the AME designation and potential civil/criminal penalties (Correct answer)
- A mandatory retraining course only
- Suspension of the AME designation for 30 days
Correct answer: Revocation of the AME designation and potential civil/criminal penalties
Knowingly issuing a certificate to a non-qualifying applicant can result in revocation of the AME designation and exposure to civil or criminal penalties under federal law.
Question 7: How long must an AME retain the records of medical examinations conducted?
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 7 years (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely
Correct answer: 7 years
FAA regulations require AMEs to retain examination records for a minimum of 7 years.
AME Professional Standards & Competencies 2
An AME discovers during a routine exam that an airman has a condition requiring special issuance.
What is the AME's primary obligation?