The biennial Aerospace Medical Certification Statistical Handbook reports descriptive characteristics of all active U.S. civil aviation airmen and the aviation medical examiners (AMEs) that perform the required medical examinations. Results:  Airmen: As of December 31, 2016, there were 560,152 medically certified airmen age 16 and older, and 36.8%, 19.8%, and 43.5% were issued a 1st Class, 2nd Class, and 3rd Class medical certificate, respectively. Across all medical classes, the average age was 43 years, and 93.4% of the airmen were male. The mean BMI for both females and males was 24.1 and 27.2, respectively. Six percent of issued certificates required a special issuance. The most commonly reported medical condition was hypertension with medication, at 10.4%. Aviation medical examiners: Of the 2,955 active AMEs, 93.3% were civilian, 0.6% federal, 6.1% military, and 0.1% other. Of these, 47.7% reported their medical specialty as family practice. Their average age was 60.8 years and 87.4% were male
2016 Aerospace Medical Certification Statistical Handbook
Valerie J. Skaggs Ann I. Norris
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)  Oklahoma City, OK 73125 / Published May 2018