FAR 67.105 — First-Class Medical ENT Standards
FAR 67.105 sets ear, nose, throat, and equilibrium standards for a first-class airman medical certificate, including hearing tests and disqualifying conditions.
In Plain English
FAR 67.105 lists the ear, nose, throat, and equilibrium standards an applicant must meet for a first-class airman medical certificate (the certificate required for ATP privileges).
Hearing. You must pass at least one of these tests:
- Conversational voice test: hear an average conversational voice in a quiet room, using both ears, at 6 feet, with your back to the examiner.
- Speech discrimination test: score at least 70% in one ear or in a sound field environment.
- Pure tone audiometry: unaided hearing must meet the worst acceptable thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz, using ANSI 1969 calibration standards.
ENT conditions. You cannot have any disease or condition of the middle or internal ear, nose, oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx that:
- Interferes with — or is aggravated by — flying, or could reasonably be expected to; or
- Interferes with clear and effective speech communication.
Equilibrium. No disease or condition that causes (or may cause) vertigo or a disturbance of equilibrium is allowed.
This matters because reliable hearing, clear radio communication, and stable balance are essential for safe airline-level flying.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 67.105§ 67.105 Ear, nose, throat, and equilibrium.
Ear, nose, throat, and equilibrium standards for a first-class airman medical certificate are:
(a) The person shall demonstrate acceptable hearing by at least one of the following tests:
(1) Demonstrate an ability to hear an average conversational voice in a quiet room, using both ears, at a distance of 6 feet from the examiner, with the back turned to the examiner.
(2) Demonstrate an acceptable understanding of speech as determined by audiometric speech discrimination testing to a score of at least 70 percent obtained in one ear or in a sound field environment.
(3) Provide acceptable results of pure tone audiometric testing of unaided hearing acuity according to the following table of worst acceptable thresholds, using the calibration standards of the American National Standards Institute, 1969 (11 West 42d Street, New York, NY 10036):
(b) No disease or condition of the middle or internal ear, nose, oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx that—
(1) Interferes with, or is aggravated by, flying or may reasonably be expected to do so; or
(2) Interferes with, or may reasonably be expected to interfere with, clear and effective speech communication.
(c) No disease or condition manifested by, or that may reasonably be expected to be manifested by, vertigo or a disturbance of equilibrium.
Poorer ear (Db)
Better ear (Db)
3000 Hz
2000 Hz
1000 Hz
500 Hz
Frequency (Hz)
Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1What hearing tests can you use to meet the first-class medical standards?
Per FAR 67.105, you can pass any one of three tests: a conversational voice test at 6 feet with the examiner's back turned, audiometric speech discrimination at 70% or better, or pure tone audiometry meeting the ANSI 1969 thresholds.
Q2Under FAR 67.105, what kinds of ENT conditions are disqualifying for a first-class medical?
FAR 67.105(b) disqualifies any disease or condition of the middle or internal ear, nose, oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx that interferes with or is aggravated by flying, or that interferes with clear and effective speech communication.
Q3Why does the first-class medical standard address equilibrium, and what's the rule?
FAR 67.105(c) prohibits any disease or condition that causes, or may be expected to cause, vertigo or a disturbance of equilibrium, because balance issues directly threaten safe aircraft control.
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Related Sections in Part 67
§ 67.1
Medical Certificate Applicability
§ 67.101
First-Class Medical Eligibility
§ 67.103
First-Class Medical Eye Standards
§ 67.107
First-Class Medical Mental Standards
§ 67.109
First-Class Medical Neurologic Standards
§ 67.111
First-Class Medical Cardiovascular
§ 67.113
First-Class Medical Standards
§ 67.115
Discretionary Medical Issuance