Highlights

  • Unlike private clinics that conduct pilot certification exams, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s clinic offers multiple medical specialties under one roof and a team approach to care.

  • Located about 10 miles from Orlando International Airport, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s clinic enables both local and nationwide pilots to conveniently schedule all levels of certification exams.

  • The clinic will help strengthen the aviation training pipeline in one of the nation’s most active aerospace regions as part of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s , which is being developed as a comprehensive academic, clinical, research, education and operational platform to support the future of aviation, commercial spaceflight, and human space exploration.

  • to learn more about FAA medical exams at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Health Faculty Physician Practice and schedule an appointment online.

Minutes from one of the world’s most visited airports, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has opened a new clinic to help pilots meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical requirements to fly safely.

The new ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Aerospace Medicine Clinic at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Health Faculty Physician Practice in Lake Nona is led by William β€œEd” Powers, chief medical officer of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s and a certified aviation medical examiner.

Pilots operating civilian aircraft must have various levels of FAA medical certification depending on the type of aircraft. Commercial pilots must pass the exam every six months or each year.

β€œFlight safety depends on healthy pilots,” says Powers, who is certified to conduct the highest level of FAA exams. β€œThat’s ultimately what we’re here to support.”

“Here at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, we are … connecting medicine, engineering, research and industry in ways few universities can.” β€” ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ President Alexander N. Cartwright

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ President Alexander N. Cartwright says the clinic is an example of the university’s mission to educate talent, advance discovery and solve societal challenges that matter.

β€œThe next era of flight will bring new demands on health and human performance,” Cartwright says. β€œHere at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, we are meeting those challenges by connecting medicine, engineering, research and industry in ways few universities can.”

What sets this clinic apart from others is its ability to more efficiently address the health needs of pilots thanks to a network of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ College of Medicine faculty physicians, university officials say.

The clinic marked its opening with a ceremony today.

Assessing Safety and Minimizing Risk

Medical clearance for pilots is β€œall about risk,” Powers says. β€œThe FAA has to assess the risk of a pilot experiencing a sudden incapacitation while flying. That’s really what these exams are focused on.”

For that reason, the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ clinic will not focus on diagnosing disease, but on identifying and acting on any condition that might endanger pilot, crew and passenger safety.

In addition to a physical exam, pilots must pass hearing and vision tests, including demonstrating that they are not color blind. Airline pilots receive an electrocardiogram every year, while other pilots, like hobbyists, may receive an electrocardiogram if there is evidence of heart disease. Physicians also review medical history and discuss any health concerns that could affect flight safety.

Even manageable chronic conditions like high blood pressure can temporarily delay certification until the condition is treated, stabilized and controlled.

β€œWhen you’re flying an airplane, you don’t have the luxury of pulling over and waiting for help like if you’re a truck driver,” Powers says. β€œYou must be aware at all times. If you’re responsible for an aircraft full of passengers, the FAA wants to minimize the chance of a sudden incapacitation.”

A Vast Network of Expertise

Complicated medical cases are referred to the FAA for further review, and pilots may need additional interventions to meet certification standards. That’s where the College of Medicine’s physician practice offers a distinct advantage, Powers says.

“We can guide pilots to the specialists and testing they need and help them get back on the path toward medical clearance.” β€” William “Ed” Powers, chief medical officer of the CASEEM

Unlike private clinics that do pilot certification exams, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ offers multiple medical specialties under one roof and a team approach to care.

β€œWe can guide pilots to the specialists and testing they need and help them get back on the path toward medical clearance,” Powers says.

Powers brings decades of expertise in space and aviation medicine. Before joining ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, he was chief of NASA’s Medical Operations Branch, director of flight medicine for Axiom Space and director of the aerospace medicine residency program at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Powers also worked inside the FAA as a supervisory medical officer. He says that experience gives him a firm understanding of what the FAA requires, making the process smoother for everyone.

β€œThat means fewer delays, fewer mistakes in paperwork and a more efficient process for pilots whose livelihoods depend on getting certified,” he says.

William β€œEd” Powers demonstrates part of a hearing test with a standardized patient. Pilots are assessed for hearing, vision, cardiovascular health and more to ensure pilot safety and eliminate the risk of sudden incapacitation.

Strengthening the Regional Aviation Ecosystem

Another ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ advantage: the clinic is only about 10 miles from Orlando International Airport, which welcomes 58 million travelers annually. So in addition to local aviators, pilots nationwide who travel to and through Orlando could easily schedule their certification exams at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½.

“Clinics like ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s Aerospace Medicine Clinic [are] helping pilots, whether in space or on the ground, access the care and medical certification support they need to remain flight-ready.” β€” Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority

The clinic will help strengthen the aviation training pipeline in one of the nation’s most active aerospace regions. This capability is especially important for local flight schools whose students may require guidance in navigating medical certification, return-to-flight concerns and the health demands of aviation careers.

β€œCentral Florida’s aviation ecosystem is built on more than runways, terminals and launchpads,” says Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which manages Orlando International and Orlando Executive airports. β€œIt also depends on the people and services that keep aviation moving safely and efficiently. Clinics like ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s Aerospace Medicine Clinic complement that ecosystem by helping pilots, whether in space or on the ground, access the care and medical certification support they need to remain flight-ready.”

The clinic is embedded in Central Florida’s bustling travel hub with numerous satellite airports, including Kissimmee Gateway Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport. Giving pilots another option to get cleared to fly strengthens the regional economy, says Shaun Germolus, director of aviation for the Kissimmee facility.

β€œThe aviation industry in Central Florida provides a major economic impact to the region,” Germolus says. β€œThe medical exams and certificates provided by the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Aerospace Medicine Clinic will be very valuable to ensure our aviation professionals are healthy and readily available to serve.”

Launching the Clinic

The clinic is starting with limited Thursday and Friday morning appointments to allow the team to refine operations before expanding. Helping coordinate those efforts is Camila Niebla ’26, a ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ health sciences graduate who now serves as the clinic’s aerospace medicine navigator.

Niebla discovered aerospace medicine by accident while exploring future career paths before applying to medical school.

β€œI didn’t even know aerospace medicine was a possibility,” she says. β€œI’ve always been interested in performance-driven medicine, like sports medicine, so this felt really exciting. It’s exciting to be part of something from the beginning and watch it grow.”

Part of a Larger Vision for Aerospace Medicine at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½

The clinic is part of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s , which is being developed as a comprehensive academic, clinical, research, education, and operational platform to support the future of aviation, commercial spaceflight, and human space exploration.

β€œThis is about building the medical infrastructure required for the next era of flight, both on Earth and in space,” says Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for aerospace medicine at the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ College of Medicine. β€œOur goal is to create a program that is not only academic, but operational and translational in nature β€” one that supports student pilots, flight schools, commercial aviation, spaceflight providers and the broader aerospace ecosystem.”

Schedule an Appointment

to learn more about FAA medical exams at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Health Faculty Physician Practice and schedule an appointment online.