Neurologic Standards

FAR 67.209 — Neurologic Standards

FAR 67.209 sets the neurologic standards for a second-class airman medical certificate, covering epilepsy, loss of consciousness, and other disorders.

In Plain English

FAR 67.209 establishes the neurologic standards you must meet to qualify for a second-class airman medical certificate — the medical required for commercial pilot privileges.

Under this section, you cannot have an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of:

Epilepsy;
A disturbance of consciousness without a satisfactory medical explanation of the cause; or
A transient loss of control of nervous system function(s) without a satisfactory medical explanation of the cause.

Beyond those automatic disqualifiers, you also can't have any other seizure disorder, disturbance of consciousness, or neurologic condition that the Federal Air Surgeon, after reviewing your case history and applying qualified medical judgment, determines either:

Makes you unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of the certificate, or
May reasonably be expected to make you unable to do so during the certificate's maximum duration.

Operationally, this matters because a sudden neurologic event in flight — a seizure or blackout — can be catastrophic. The rule allows case-by-case review when an underlying cause is well documented.

Regulation Text

14 CFR § 67.209

§ 67.209 Neurologic. Neurologic standards for a second-class airman medical certificate are: (a) No established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following: (1) Epilepsy; (2) A disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause; or (3) A transient loss of control of nervous system function(s) without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause; (b) No other seizure disorder, disturbance of consciousness, or neurologic condition that the Federal Air Surgeon, based on the case history and appropriate, qualified medical judgment relating to the condition involved, finds— (1) Makes the person unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of the airman certificate applied for or held; or (2) May reasonably be expected, for the maximum duration of the airman medical certificate applied for or held, to make the person unable to perform those duties or exercise those privileges.

Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1What neurologic conditions automatically disqualify an applicant from a second-class medical?

Per FAR 67.209(a), an established history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy, a disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation, or a transient loss of nervous system function without satisfactory explanation are disqualifying.

Q2If you had a single unexplained fainting episode years ago, how does FAR 67.209 treat that?

FAR 67.209(a)(2) disqualifies a disturbance of consciousness without a satisfactory medical explanation, so without a documented cause it would be disqualifying for a second-class medical.

Q3Who decides whether a neurologic condition not specifically listed is disqualifying?

Under FAR 67.209(b), the Federal Air Surgeon makes that determination based on the case history and qualified medical judgment about safety and the certificate's duration.

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Private Pilot Requirements

Including medical certificates

How to Become a Pilot

Medical class explained

Related Sections in Part 67

§ 67.1

Medical Certificate Applicability

§ 67.101

First-Class Medical Eligibility