Medical Requirements for Aviation Medical Examinations
What the aviation medical examiner checks for Class 2, LAPL and cabin crew medical assessments – and how medical conditions can affect your medical certificate.
The medical requirements for pilots and cabin crew are set out in the EU's common regulations, Part-MED, and apply throughout the EASA area. The requirements are not the same for everyone: Class 2, LAPL and cabin crew each have their own rules, and the examinations required depend on the certificate class, examination type and age. Most medical conditions do not lead to disqualification. More often, they require additional documentation or result in a medical certificate being issued with a limitation. At Charlottenlund Private Hospital, medical assessments are carried out by aviation medical examiners Eva Lykke and Jacob Fisker, both ENT specialists approved by the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority. The examinations take place at the hospital's main location in Charlottenlund.
Does Having a Medical Condition Mean You Cannot Obtain a Medical Certificate?
No, not in many cases. Most medical conditions do not result in disqualification. More commonly, additional documentation is required, the AME consults the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority, or a medical certificate is issued with a limitation.
This also applies to conditions that many people assume are disqualifying. Well-controlled high blood pressure, stable asthma, hearing loss with good functional hearing, and reduced vision in one eye may all be compatible with medical certification, provided the relevant requirements are met.
However, the rules are strict for certain conditions. For Class 2, insulin-treated diabetes generally leads to disqualification. The same applies to epilepsy and psychosis, for which only limited exceptions exist.
Special rules apply to insulin-treated type 2 diabetes under LAPL.
The requirements for each certificate class are specified in the EU's Part-MED regulations.
Which Examinations Are Required for Class 2, LAPL and Cabin Crew?
The table below shows the standard examinations required for each certificate class and examination type.
The requirements differ between pilots and cabin crew, and the scope of revalidation examinations also depends on age.
The validity periods and differences between initial examinations, revalidation and renewal are explained on the Aviation Medicine page.
When Are ECG and Hearing Tests Required?
For Class 2 medical certificates, an ECG is required at the initial examination, at the first examination after turning 40, at the first examination after turning 50, and every two years thereafter.
An audiometric hearing test is only required if you hold or are applying for an instrument rating (IR or BIR).
It is required at the initial examination, every five years until age 40, every two years until age 60, and annually thereafter.
Without an instrument rating, hearing is assessed using a speech test.
If you have hearing loss or tinnitus, a more detailed hearing assessment by an ENT specialist may be necessary.
When Is a Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Required?
For Class 2 medical certificates, the AME assesses cardiovascular disease risk according to age: every five years between ages 40 and 59, and every two years from age 60. Assessments may be required more frequently if risk factors are present.
The assessment is based on factors including blood pressure, cholesterol and, where appropriate, long-term blood glucose levels (HbA1c).
If blood test results are not available on the examination day, the medical certificate cannot be issued until the results have been received.
From age 40, it is therefore advisable to bring recent blood test results or mention this when booking, so the necessary tests can be performed at Charlottenlund Private Hospital on the day of your appointment.
Source: Part-MED, MED.B.080 (amended by Regulation 2024/2076); Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority.
What Additional Examinations Can the Aviation Medical Examiner Request?
In addition to standard examinations, the AME may request supplementary tests when a patient's medical history or examination findings make them necessary.
This applies to initial examinations, revalidation and renewal.
Some tests are performed by medical specialists.
The hospital's main location has both ENT and cardiology departments. Supplementary examinations are not included in the standard aviation medical assessment and are charged separately.
How Should You Prepare if You Have a Medical Condition?
All relevant information must be disclosed on the application form, including conditions you are unsure are relevant.
Discrepancies between the information provided and the examination findings are a common reason for delays in medical certification.
Since the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority changed its procedures in June 2026, the applicant's own medical declarations have become the primary basis for Class 2, LAPL and cabin crew assessments.
Applicants are no longer routinely required to obtain medical records from sundhed.dk, the Danish Shared Medication Record (Fælles Medicinkort), or their GP.
A short consent form with a few questions is completed during booking, and the application form is completed on arrival.
If medical records are needed, they are accessed together with the patient during the consultation or obtained with the patient's consent.
If you already have relevant medical documentation, you should bring it.
For example, data from CPAP treatment for sleep apnoea may not be available on sundhed.dk but can be obtained from the equipment provider or sleep clinic.
Can You Take Medication and Still Fly?
This depends on both the medication and the condition being treated.
In many cases, it is the underlying medical condition rather than the medication itself that determines fitness to fly.
Sedatives, strong painkillers and medications that can cause drowsiness or impair attention are among the types of medication that may present problems.
All regularly prescribed medication must be disclosed during the medical examination.
If you begin taking new medication regularly between examinations, Part-MED requires you to seek aeromedical advice before flying again, even if your medical certificate remains valid.
This consultation must be booked as a separate appointment with the AME.
Other situations requiring aeromedical advice are described on the Aviation Medicine page.
New medication should always be tried on the ground first.
What does it mean if a medical certificate is issued with a limitation?
A limitation is a condition under which a medical certificate can be issued. It is not a refusal. The most common limitation concerns vision correction: the medical is valid only when wearing glasses or contact lenses, and spare glasses must be carried during flight. Other limitations may mean a shorter validity period, regular follow-up examinations, or conditions on the flight itself, such as daylight-only flying or flying only with a safety pilot.
What Happens if Medical Certification Is Refused, and What Does "Unfit" Mean?
During an initial examination, revalidation or renewal, a medical certificate is either issued or not issued.
A refusal is provided in writing and can be appealed to the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority.
For Class 2 and LAPL, the AME may, in certain cases, consult the Authority and then make the final decision.
A refusal is not necessarily permanent. Many refusals apply only until a condition has stabilised, treatment has demonstrated sufficient effectiveness, or an observation period has been completed.
The term unfit is used both during medical examinations and when illness occurs between examinations.
If you develop an acute or chronic illness, suffer an injury, require surgery or begin taking regular medication, the AME may assess you as medically unfit.
In that case, you must not exercise the privileges of your certificate until the AME has declared you fit again.
The AME reports both unfit and fit assessments to the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority.
If the period of medical unfitness lasts longer than three months, the case is referred to the Authority, which will normally suspend the medical certificate.
Only the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority has the power to suspend or revoke a medical certificate.
If you experience problems with your ears or balance, such as difficulty equalising ear pressure or dizziness, these can be assessed by an ENT specialist.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a medical certificate if you have high blood pressure?
Often, yes. Well-controlled high blood pressure is compatible with a medical certificate in many cases. The medical examiner measures your blood pressure during the examination and assesses your treatment. If there is any doubt, further tests may be needed.
Can you fly with diabetes?
It depends on the treatment. Diabetes that does not require medication is often compatible with a medical certificate if blood sugar is well controlled. If you take other medication, the medical examiner assesses the risk of low blood sugar. Insulin-treated diabetes generally results in a refusal for Class 2. For LAPL, insulin-treated type 2 diabetes may be approved at revalidation with a limitation (ORL), with the case decided in consultation with the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority.
Can you get a medical certificate if you wear glasses?
Yes. A limitation, such as VDL or VML, is added to the medical certificate, and you must carry a spare pair of glasses during flight.
Can you obtain a medical certificate after experiencing depression?
Often, yes, if the condition is stable. This requires a satisfactory assessment by a psychiatrist, and for Class 2 the medical examiner consults the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority. If you are on stable treatment with antidepressant medication, your case is assessed individually.
What are the rules if you become pregnant?
Pregnancy is one of the situations in which Part-MED requires you to seek aeromedical advice before flying again. The medical examiner assesses whether, and for how long, you may exercise the privileges of your licence.
Can a refusal of medical certification be overturned?
Yes. You can appeal a refusal to the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority. Many refusals apply only until a condition is stable or has been treated, after which your case can be assessed again. If you have been assessed as unfit due to illness between examinations, you may fly again once the medical examiner has cleared you as fit.