---
title: "MED.A.010 Definitions — Part-MED · Avioverse"
description: "For the purpose of this Annex (Part-MED), the following definitions shall apply:"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/aircrew/part-med/subpart-a/med-a-010"
---

# MED.A.010 Definitions

ANNEX IV (Part-MED) · Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 · EAR revision 25 Nov 2025

IR Implementing rule

## MED.A.010 Definitions

For the purpose of this Annex (Part-MED), the following definitions shall apply:

‘[limitation](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/limitation)’ means a condition placed on the medical certificate or cabin crew medical report that shall be complied with whilst exercising the privileges of the licence or cabin crew attestation;

‘[aero-medical examination](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aero-medical-examination)’ means an inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation or any other means of [investigation](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/investigation) for determining the medical fitness to exercise the privileges of the licence, or to carry out cabin crew safety duties;

‘[aero-medical assessment](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aero-medical-assessment)’ means the conclusion on the medical fitness of an [applicant](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/applicant) based on the evaluation of the applicant as required in this Annex (Part-MED) and further examinations and medical tests as clinically indicated;

‘[significant](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/significant)’ means a degree of a medical condition, the effect of which would prevent the safe exercise of the privileges of the licence or of the cabin crew safety duties;

‘applicant’ means a person applying for, or being the holder of, a medical certificate who undergoes an aero-medical assessment of fitness to exercise the privileges of the licence, or to carry out cabin crew safety duties;

‘[medical history](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/medical-history)’ means a narrative or record of past diseases, injuries, treatments or other medical facts, including unfit assessment(s) or limitation of a medical certificate, that are or may be relevant to an applicant’s current state of health and aero-medical fitness;

‘[licensing authority](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/licensing-authority)’ means the competent authority of the Member State that issued the licence, or to which a person applies for the issuance of a licence, or, when a person has not yet applied for a licence, the competent authority as determined in accordance with FCL.001 of Annex I (Part-FCL);

‘[colour safe](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/colour-safe)’ means the ability of an applicant to readily distinguish the colours used in air navigation and to correctly identify aviation coloured lights;

‘[helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operation](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/helicopter-emergency-medical-services-operation)’ means a “HEMS flight” as defined in point 61 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012;

‘investigation’ means the assessment of a suspected pathological condition of an applicant by means of examinations and tests in order to verify the presence or absence of a medical condition;

‘[accredited medical conclusion](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/accredited-medical-conclusion)’ means the conclusion reached by one or more medical experts acceptable to the licensing authority, on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria, for the purposes of the case concerned, in consultation with flight operations or other experts as necessary, for which an operational risk assessment may be appropriate;

‘[misuse of substances](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/misuse-of-substances)’ means the use of one or more [psychoactive substances](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/psychoactive-substances) by [aircrew](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aircrew) in a way that, alternatively or jointly:

(a) constitutes a direct hazard to the user or endangers the lives, health or welfare of others;

(b) causes or worsens an occupational, social, mental or physical problem or disorder;

‘psychoactive substances’ means alcohol, opioids, cannabinoids, sedatives and hypnotics, cocaine, other psychostimulants, hallucinogens, and volatile solvents, with the exception of caffeine and tobacco;;

‘[refractive error](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/refractive-error)’ means the deviation from emmetropia measured in dioptres in the most ametropic meridian, measured by standard methods.

IR · MED.A.010 — Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 · Regulation (EU) 2024/2076 · Aircrew Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 25 Nov 2025

[All rules in SUBPART A – GENERAL REQUIREMENTS](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/aircrew/part-med/subpart-a)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 25 Nov 2025, extracted 13 Oct 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.