📘14 CFR §61.53 — Prohibition on Operations During Medical Deficiency

Plain-English Summary: You must not act as pilot-in-command or as a required crew member if you have a known medical condition or are taking medication that would make you unable to meet the standards of your medical certificate or operate safely.

Key Takeaways:

❌ Don’t fly if you're medically unfit: You cannot fly if you know or have reason to believe you have a medical issue that makes you unsafe or would disqualify you from holding your medical certificate.

❌ Applies even if your medical certificate is current: Even if your medical certificate hasn’t expired, you're still responsible for self-assessing your medical fitness every flight.

✅ BasicMed included: The same rules apply if you're flying under BasicMed. You must self-assess and not fly if you know you're medically unsafe or impaired.

Real-World Scenario:

You wake up feeling sick or experiencing dizziness before a planned flight. Even though your medical certificate is valid, you must ground yourself because your symptoms could impair your ability to safely operate the aircraft.

CFI Teaching Tip:

Teach your students the importance of honest self-assessment and demonstrate using the IMSAFE checklist (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Eating/Emotion) before every flight. Reinforce that grounding oneself due to a medical issue demonstrates professionalism and responsibility, not weakness.

References:

• 14 CFR §61.53 – FAA.gov

• FAA Medical Standards