General medical condition

This regulation sets the general medical standards for a second-class medical certificate (required for commercial pilot operations).

First, you cannot have diabetes that requires insulin or other blood sugar-lowering medications. Second, you cannot have any disease, defect, or limitation that either prevents you from safely performing pilot duties now or is reasonably expected to do so during the certificate's validity period. Third, you cannot be taking medications or undergoing treatments that would similarly impair your ability to fly safely.

The Federal Air Surgeon makes the final determination on whether a specific condition or medication disqualifies you, based on your medical history and qualified medical judgment. This is a catch-all provision—even conditions not specifically listed elsewhere in Part 67 can be disqualifying if they affect flight safety. The key question is always whether the condition or treatment impacts your ability to safely exercise pilot privileges during the certificate's duration (typically 12 months for second-class).

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*