Beginning on Oct. 1, the FAA will switch to its online Form 8500-8 medical application, otherwise known as "FAA MedXpress," in a move aimed at eliminating the cumbersome paper medical forms.
The FAA introduced the online form in 2007, but didn’t make its use mandatory. In explaining the change, the agency said the MedXpress system "has evolved considerably, streamlining FAA medical certification into a much more efficient and seamless process.” The online forms reduce the chance for errors and are more secure than paper forms, the FAA noted.
The FAA MedXPress system allows anyone requiring an FAA Medical Certificate or Student Pilot Medical Certificate to complete the FAA Form 8500-8 online. Information entered into MedXPress is transmitted to the FAA and is then available for the AME to review at the time of a pilot’s medical examination.
The agency says it will save $150,000 per year by switching to the online forms. Many AMEs already use the MedXpress system exclusively for pilots applying for or renewing their medical certification. The change will affect all pilots who schedule their regular flight physical after Oct. 1, but there is nothing that prevents pilots from going ahead and using the MedXpress system now.
Despite the switch to paperless forms, pilots will continue to receive their actual Form 8500-9 medical certificate on a piece of paper.
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