COVID-19
What the FAA's documents say about COVID-19, in plain words, with the FAA's own words one press away.
FAA term: COVID-19 InfectionsCovers: All classes
Show the FAA's words: which classes the FAA's table covers
COVID-19 INFECTIONS All Classes
Short version
The disposition table has three rows.
| Situation | What the examiner does | Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Row AAsymptomatic, mild, prolonged outpatient, or no ICU; fully recovered | Examiner issues | Examiner can issue |
| Row BHospitalization requiring ICU care | Defers to the FAA | FAA review |
| Row CAll others, long COVID, post-COVID | Defers to the FAA | FAA review |
Show the FAA's words: the FAA's table for COVID-19
- Row A · Examiner can issue
An asymptomatic or mild infection, or a prolonged outpatient course, or hospitalization not requiring intensive (ICU) care. The row's evaluation data reads fully recovered, with no residual symptoms or clinical findings, and says to see COVID-19 Medication and the Anosmia Disposition Table, Item 26. Nose. The table says ISSUE if otherwise qualified.
A. Asymptomatic or mild infection; OR Prolonged outpatient course; OR Hospitalization, NOT Requiring intensive (ICU) care … Fully recovered. No residual symptoms or clinical findings.* See COVID-19 Medication See Anosmia Disposition Table - Item 26. Nose. … ISSUE if otherwise qualified
- Row B · FAA review
Hospitalization requiring ICU care, with or without ventilator. The table lists what to submit to the FAA for review. The examiner defers, notes in Block 60: "Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery.", and submits the information to the FAA for review.
B. Hospitalization, requiring ICU care with or without ventilator … Submit the following to the FAA for review: … DEFER* Note in Block 60: “Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” Submit the information to the FAA for review.
- Row C · FAA review
All others, long COVID, post-COVID. The row names ongoing residual signs and/or symptoms of confirmed COVID-19 such as cardiovascular dysfunction; cognitive symptoms or concerns; kidney injury; neurological dysfunction; psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety, moodiness); respiratory abnormalities; and/or symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, arthralgia, or chest pain. The table lists what to submit to the FAA for review. The examiner defers, notes in Block 60: "Currently experiencing sequelae from COVID-19 infection to include… (List the pathology or symptoms).", and submits the information to the FAA for review.
C. All others Long COVID Post-COVID … Ongoing residual Signs and/or Symptoms* of confirmed COVID-19 such as: • Cardiovascular dysfunction; • Cognitive symptoms or concerns; • Kidney injury; • Neurological dysfunction; • Psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety, moodiness); • Respiratory abnormalities; and/or • Symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, arthralgia, or chest pain. … Submit the following to the FAA for review: DEFER** Note in Block 60: … “Currently experiencing sequelae from COVID-19 infection to include… (List the pathology or symptoms).” Submit the information to the FAA for review.
The FAA pathways for COVID-19
- How this pathway works: Examiner can issueNo special pathwayRow A
- FAA reviewYour AME defers. The FAA decides.Row B
Which one describes yours?
The FAA's table sorts it these ways. Choose yours to see its plan.
Your step-by-step plan
Step 1: Row A: what the table says
Asymptomatic or mild, a prolonged outpatient course, or hospitalization without ICU care; fully recovered.For Row A, the table's evaluation data reads fully recovered, with no residual symptoms or clinical findings. The table says ISSUE if otherwise qualified.
The row's evaluation data
- Fully recovered
- No residual symptoms or clinical findings
Show the FAA's words: Row A: what the table says
Fully recovered. No residual symptoms or clinical findings.*
ISSUE if otherwise qualified
FAA source: COVID-19 Infections. FAA date 30 October 2024; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
See COVID-19 Medication See Anosmia Disposition Table - Item 26. Nose.
FAA source: COVID-19 Infections. FAA date 30 October 2024; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
Step 2: See your AME
The table says ISSUE if otherwise qualified.Exam day- The table says ISSUE if otherwise qualified.
Show the FAA's words: See your AME
A. Asymptomatic or mild infection; OR Prolonged outpatient course; OR Hospitalization, NOT Requiring intensive (ICU) care
Fully recovered. No residual symptoms or clinical findings.* See COVID-19 Medication See Anosmia Disposition Table - Item 26. Nose.
ISSUE if otherwise qualified
FAA source: COVID-19 Infections. FAA date 30 October 2024; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
What the examiner checks
It depends on which row of the FAA's table describes the case.
Row AExaminer issuesExaminer can issue
The table says ISSUE if otherwise qualified.
Row BDefers to the FAAFAA review
The table lists what to submit to the FAA for review. The examiner defers, notes in Block 60: "Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery.", and submits the information to the FAA for review.
If the examiner defersRow CDefers to the FAAFAA review
The table lists what to submit to the FAA for review. The examiner defers, notes in Block 60: "Currently experiencing sequelae from COVID-19 infection to include… (List the pathology or symptoms).", and submits the information to the FAA for review.
If the examiner defers
Show the FAA's words: what the examiner does on each row
- Row A · Examiner can issue
An asymptomatic or mild infection, or a prolonged outpatient course, or hospitalization not requiring intensive (ICU) care. The row's evaluation data reads fully recovered, with no residual symptoms or clinical findings, and says to see COVID-19 Medication and the Anosmia Disposition Table, Item 26. Nose. The table says ISSUE if otherwise qualified.
A. Asymptomatic or mild infection; OR Prolonged outpatient course; OR Hospitalization, NOT Requiring intensive (ICU) care … Fully recovered. No residual symptoms or clinical findings.* See COVID-19 Medication See Anosmia Disposition Table - Item 26. Nose. … ISSUE if otherwise qualified
- Row B · FAA review
Hospitalization requiring ICU care, with or without ventilator. The table lists what to submit to the FAA for review. The examiner defers, notes in Block 60: "Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery.", and submits the information to the FAA for review.
B. Hospitalization, requiring ICU care with or without ventilator … Submit the following to the FAA for review: … DEFER* Note in Block 60: “Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” Submit the information to the FAA for review.
- Row C · FAA review
All others, long COVID, post-COVID. The row names ongoing residual signs and/or symptoms of confirmed COVID-19 such as cardiovascular dysfunction; cognitive symptoms or concerns; kidney injury; neurological dysfunction; psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety, moodiness); respiratory abnormalities; and/or symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, arthralgia, or chest pain. The table lists what to submit to the FAA for review. The examiner defers, notes in Block 60: "Currently experiencing sequelae from COVID-19 infection to include… (List the pathology or symptoms).", and submits the information to the FAA for review.
C. All others Long COVID Post-COVID … Ongoing residual Signs and/or Symptoms* of confirmed COVID-19 such as: • Cardiovascular dysfunction; • Cognitive symptoms or concerns; • Kidney injury; • Neurological dysfunction; • Psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety, moodiness); • Respiratory abnormalities; and/or • Symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, arthralgia, or chest pain. … Submit the following to the FAA for review: DEFER** Note in Block 60: … “Currently experiencing sequelae from COVID-19 infection to include… (List the pathology or symptoms).” Submit the information to the FAA for review.
If the examiner defersFAA review
The table marks Row B, hospitalization requiring ICU care with or without ventilator, DEFER, with one asterisk.
The table marks Row C, all others, long COVID, post-COVID, DEFER, with two asterisks.
Show the FAA's words: if the examiner defers
When the examiner defers
- Reason 1
The table marks Row B, hospitalization requiring ICU care with or without ventilator, DEFER, with one asterisk.
B. Hospitalization, requiring ICU care with or without ventilator … DEFER* Note in Block 60:
- Reason 2
The table marks Row C, all others, long COVID, post-COVID, DEFER, with two asterisks.
C. All others Long COVID Post-COVID … Submit the following to the FAA for review: DEFER** Note in Block 60:
Good to know
Points from the FAA's own documents that are easy to miss.
What a progress note must include
In most cases it should come from a visit with the treating physician no more than 90 days ago, and cover the history, medications with dosages and side effects, exam findings, test results, diagnosis, assessment and plan, prognosis and follow-up. The FAA's sheet says to make sure the physician adds the prognosis. A portal note or an After Visit Summary that does not meet these criteria is not enough, and neither is a simple "ok to fly" letter. The FAA's documents also call it a status report.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 1
your patient portal to print out “notes” or an “After Visit Summary (AVS).” … Patient Portal notes or an AVS that do not meet the criteria listed below for a detailed Clinical Progress Note are NOT sufficient for FAA purposes. … To be “current,” in MOST CASES, the detailed Clinical Progress Note should be from an evaluation in which you saw your treating physician no more than 90 days ago. … It Must include the following items: … A summary of the history of the condition, … Current medications, dosages, and side effects (if any); … Clinical exam findings; … Results of any testing performed; … Diagnosis; … Assessment and Plan; … Prognosis (This item may not be on a standard progress note, make sure your physician adds this information.); and … Follow-up … Please note: A letter stating, “Mr. Smith is ok to fly” (or any other simple note), is NOT a current, detailed Clinical Progress Note and is NOT acceptable. … You may also see this called a “current status report” or “status report” in current FAA Guidance. Any reference to a “status report” equals the criteria listed on this sheet.
The table's one-asterisk and two-asterisk notes
The one-asterisk note reads See Anosmia Disposition Table for evaluation criteria; Row A's findings, Row C's signs and symptoms, and Row B's DEFER carry one asterisk. The two-asterisk note is on what happens when the examiner defers, and Row C's DEFER carries two asterisks. This page shows the marks as printed.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 2
No residual symptoms or clinical findings.* … DEFER* Note in Block 60: … DEFER** Note in Block 60: … Ongoing residual Signs and/or Symptoms* of confirmed COVID-19 such as: … * See Anosmia Disposition Table for evaluation criteria … **DEFER - If the AME defers the exam, the FAA will request additional information, including hospitalization and treating physician records.
An ICU stay, and ongoing symptoms
Row B is hospitalization requiring ICU care, with or without ventilator, and its Block 60 note reads Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery. Row C is all others, long COVID and post-COVID, with ongoing residual signs and/or symptoms of confirmed COVID-19. This page shows both rows as printed.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 3
B. Hospitalization, requiring ICU care with or without ventilator … DEFER* Note in Block 60: “Intensive care COVID-19 infection with full recovery.” … C. All others Long COVID Post-COVID … Ongoing residual Signs and/or Symptoms* of confirmed COVID-19 such as:
Row A is fully recovered
Row A covers an asymptomatic or mild infection, a prolonged outpatient course, and hospitalization not requiring intensive (ICU) care. Its evaluation data reads fully recovered, with no residual symptoms or clinical findings.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 4
A. Asymptomatic or mild infection; OR Prolonged outpatient course; OR Hospitalization, NOT Requiring intensive (ICU) care … Fully recovered. No residual symptoms or clinical findings.*
FAA sources
Every FAA document this page relies on, with the FAA's own date and the date Crosscheck last read it. The documents to print open at the FAA, so they are always the FAA's current ones.
This reports what the FAA has published. It is not medical advice, and it does not say how the FAA or an examiner will decide a case.