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Blood donation and your FAA medical

What the FAA's Guide says the examiner needs for blood donation, in plain words.

Covers: All classes

FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

Show the FAA's words: which classes the FAA's table covers
Blood Donation - All Classes

FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

The short answer

The disposition table has three rows, and each says ISSUE.

How the FAA's table sorts Blood donation
SituationWhat the examiner doesPathway
Row AOne unit, less than or equal to 500 ml
Examiner issues
Examiner can issue
Row BTwo or more units, more than 500 ml, including Power Red
Examiner issues
Examiner can issue
Row CPlatelet or plasma donation
Examiner issues
Examiner can issue
Show the FAA's words: the FAA's table for Blood donation
  1. Row A · Examiner can issue

    One unit (less than or equal to 500 ml). After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

    A. One unit (less than or equal to 500 ml) … After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

  2. Row B · Examiner can issue

    Two or more units (more than 500 ml). The table says this includes Power Red (double red cell donation). After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

    B. Two or more units (more than 500 ml) This includes Power Red (double red cell donation) … After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

  3. Row C · Examiner can issue

    Platelet or plasma donation. After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

    C. Platelet OR Plasma donation … After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

What the pathway names mean

The FAA pathways for blood donation

Your step-by-step plan

  1. Step 1: Row A: one unit

    Less than or equal to 500 ml.

    For one unit (less than or equal to 500 ml), the table says ISSUE after a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms.

    Evaluation data

    • After a 24 hour recovery period
    • And the airman has no symptoms

    At the exam

    • Your AME summarizes this history in Block 60
    Show the FAA's words: Row A: one unit

    A. One unit (less than or equal to 500 ml)

    After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms:

    ISSUE

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021; checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026.

    ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021; checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026.

  2. Step 2: Row B: two or more units

    More than 500 ml, including Power Red (double red cell donation).

    For two or more units (more than 500 ml), the table says ISSUE after a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms.

    The table says Row B includes Power Red (double red cell donation).

    Evaluation data

    • After a 72 hour recovery period
    • And the airman has no symptoms

    At the exam

    • Your AME summarizes this history in Block 60
    Show the FAA's words: Row B: two or more units

    B. Two or more units (more than 500 ml) This includes Power Red (double red cell donation)

    After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms:

    ISSUE

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021; checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026.

    ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021; checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026.

  3. Step 3: Row C: platelet or plasma donation

    A platelet donation or a plasma donation.

    For platelet or plasma donation, the table says ISSUE after a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms.

    Evaluation data

    • After a 4-hour recovery period
    • And the airman has no symptoms

    At the exam

    • Your AME summarizes this history in Block 60
    Show the FAA's words: Row C: platelet or plasma donation

    C. Platelet OR Plasma donation

    After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms:

    ISSUE

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021; checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026.

    ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021; checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026.

What the examiner checks

It depends on which row of the FAA's table describes the case.

  • Row AExaminer issuesExaminer can issue

    After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

  • Row BExaminer issuesExaminer can issue

    After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

  • Row CExaminer issuesExaminer can issue

    After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

Show the FAA's words: what the examiner does on each row
  1. Row A · Examiner can issue

    One unit (less than or equal to 500 ml). After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

    A. One unit (less than or equal to 500 ml) … After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

  2. Row B · Examiner can issue

    Two or more units (more than 500 ml). The table says this includes Power Red (double red cell donation). After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

    B. Two or more units (more than 500 ml) This includes Power Red (double red cell donation) … After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

  3. Row C · Examiner can issue

    Platelet or plasma donation. After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms, the table says ISSUE, and the examiner summarizes this history in Block 60.

    C. Platelet OR Plasma donation … After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … ISSUE Summarize this history in Block 60.

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

Good to know

Points from the FAA's own documents that are easy to miss.

  • The table names no other outcome

    Each row says ISSUE after its recovery period and the airman has no symptoms. The table does not say what applies before the recovery period has passed, or when the airman has symptoms.

    Show the FAA's words: good to know, 1
    After a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms: … After a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms:

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

  • Power Red is Row B

    Row B is two or more units (more than 500 ml), and the table says this includes Power Red (double red cell donation). Its recovery period is 72 hours.

    Show the FAA's words: good to know, 2
    B. Two or more units (more than 500 ml) This includes Power Red (double red cell donation) … After a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms:

    FAA source: Blood Donation. FAA date 7 January 2021. Checked by Crosscheck 11 November 2026

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.

Questions pilots ask

Each answer is built from the FAA guidance on this page. Its sources and dates are in the page.

What does the FAA's table say about blood donation?

The FAA's table for blood donation, row by row. One unit, less than or equal to 500 ml: One unit (less than or equal to 500 ml). Then the examiner can issue if its conditions are met. Two or more units, more than 500 ml, including Power Red: Two or more units (more than 500 ml). The table says this includes Power Red (double red cell donation). Then the examiner can issue if its conditions are met. Platelet or plasma donation: Platelet or plasma donation. Then the examiner can issue if its conditions are met. Crosscheck does not predict the FAA's decision.

What time periods does the FAA set for blood donation?

For Row A, one unit (less than or equal to 500 ml), the table says ISSUE after a 24 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms. For Row B, two or more units (more than 500 ml), which the table says includes Power Red (double red cell donation), the table says ISSUE after a 72 hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms. For Row C, platelet or plasma donation, the table says ISSUE after a 4-hour recovery period and the airman has no symptoms.

Related pages

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.