Top Flight SurgeonsAviation Medical Examiner Directory

Editorial Policy and How We Rank

Last updated YY MICRO, LLC

What This Page Covers

Top Flight Surgeons is a directory of Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) and aviation-friendly physicians. We are operated by YY MICRO, LLC. We are not affiliated with the FAA, and we are not a medical provider. This page explains where our data comes from, how we rank offices, what we filter out, and how to reach us with a correction.

Where Our Data Comes From

Our main data source is public Google Maps information. That includes each office's star rating and review count. We also look at the practice itself: whether it focuses on aviation medical exams, whether it has a website and phone number listed, and whether the Google profile is claimed by the business.

We run five different local searches for each city. We track how often an office appears across those searches and whether it shows up in the Google local pack. We also measure distance from the city center.

We do not buy reviews. We do not write reviews. We do not edit Google ratings.

How We Rank Offices

Rankings are built from several factors, weighed together:

  • Google rating and review count. Ratings are smoothed, so an office with a handful of five-star reviews will not outrank an office with many strong reviews.
  • Aviation focus. Practices that clearly serve pilots and aviation medical exams get more weight.
  • Search presence. How often the office appears across our five local searches.
  • Local pack presence. Whether Google shows the office in the local pack for that area.
  • Website and phone presence. Offices with a working website and listed phone number rank higher.
  • Claimed Google profile. A claimed profile suggests the office keeps its listing current.
  • Distance from the city center. Closer offices get a small boost.

No single factor decides the order. A strong aviation practice with steady reviews can outrank a nearby office with a thin profile.

What We Filter Out

We remove listings that do not fit the directory. That includes:

  • Coroner and county medical examiner offices
  • Government offices
  • Travel clinics
  • Any office with a Google rating under 3.0

These filters keep the list focused on working AMEs and aviation-friendly physicians.

How Often We Update

We refreshed the ranking data in November 2026. Google ratings and review counts change over time, so a listing may not match Google on the day you read it. Always confirm the current rating and office details directly with the clinic.

Some offices pay for a sponsored listing. The rate is $99 per month or $990 per year, which includes two months free. These are early-stage founding rates. Payment runs through Stripe.

Sponsored listings are always labeled "Sponsored." They appear in a featured slot on the page. Payment never changes the order of the organic ranked list. The ranked list is built only from the factors above.

AI-Assisted Writing and FAA Checks

Some of our written profiles start with AI-assisted drafts. A person reviews each draft before it goes live. We check factual claims against FAA sources and the office's own public information. If we cannot confirm a detail, we leave it out or tell readers to confirm it with the FAA or the clinic.

We do not invent credentials, prices, or statistics. If something looks wrong, please tell us.

Pilot Requests and Your Data

Pilots can send a request through our lead form. It asks for name, email, phone (optional), state, city, medical class needed, and a note. With the pilot's consent, we share the request with AMEs in that area, including sponsors, so an office can reply. We do not sell personal data.

Form submissions are stored on Cloudflare infrastructure. Site hosting and security are handled by Cloudflare. Payments are handled by Stripe, and we never see full card numbers. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party ad trackers.

Corrections

If you find an error, email tower@topflightsurgeons.com. Tell us the office name, the city, and what needs fixing. We review each report and usually fix errors within 5 business days.

For advertising questions, email advertise@topflightsurgeons.com. For general questions, use the contact form at /contact.

Important Reminder

Nothing on this site is medical or legal advice. AME status can change. Before you book an exam, confirm the examiner's current status with the FAA Designee Locator. When in doubt, check with the FAA or call the clinic directly.

These policies are effective as of November 13, 2026.

Questions? Email tower@topflightsurgeons.com or use our contact form.