UK CAA and EASA AME

Preparing for a UK CAA Class 1 Medical

1. To book a medical, please see this website: https://bookeo.com/pilotmedical. Card payment details are needed to secure the booking, but no payment will be taken at the time of booking. Payment for the medical is taken at the time of the medical itself (unless I have a direct billing arrangement with your employer). If you fail to attend or make a late cancellation (within 24hrs of the appointment) a fee of £50 will be charged.

2. The CAA have a 'Customer Portal' within which you will need to access to apply for a medical before we meet. You need to apply for access to the customer portal and the process can take 10 days so this will need to be done well before the medical. Once your portal account is set up, you then need to apply for access to the medical services section in order to apply for a medical. You will log into your portal account and navigate to the 'Your Services' section. At the bottom of the page in the section 'Apply to Use These Services' you will apply for access to the medical section of the Portal and once you have access to the medical section, you will 'Apply for a medical' (of the type you require, Class 1,2,3,LAPL etc). This doesn't book a medical with me, it simply logs your application on the CAA system. During the application, you will complete an online medical questionnaire. Once your application is complete, it will be 'ready for approval' and this is done by me, the AME at the medical when you attend. The CAA charge a fee to applicants and this fee needs to be paid by the applicant before the AME can perform the medical. The CAA fees are approx. £18 for Class 1 and 3, £11 for Class 2 and Nil for LAPL. So too summarise, a) you need a portal account, b) use the account to apply for access to the medical section, c) use the medical section to apply for a medical and d) pay the CAA fee. Without all these steps being completed, the AME is unable to perform the medical. Of course, you will only need to apply for a portal account and access to the medical system once (the first time you use them). For all subsequent medicals, you will use your access via the portal to the medical system to "apply for a medical" (and pay the relevant CAA fee) prior to attending for the medical. The weblink to follow to set up a Portal account and pay for the CAA fee is here and a CAA document summarising the process is here. Bring your passport, driving licence or airside pass as photo ID.

3. Please bring your PASSPORT or other photo ID. Please bring your CAA REFERENCE NUMBER. Without it I can't open your medical file to perform the medical. Bring any current or expired medical certificate, these will carry your CAA reference number. If you don't know your CAA reference number (for instance if it's your initial medical or you've lost your previous certificate) you will need to look up and bring your CAA reference number. You can find it at the top of the page in the 'Personal Details' section of your CAA Portal Account homepage.

4. OPTICIANS REPORTS: If you need an opticians report you will need to bring one to the examination. If you need one but don’t have one, I won’t be able to issue you with a certificate on the day. If you need an opticians report, take this form to an optician, ask them to examine you, complete it and bring it with you. Opticians are sometimes reluctant to complete the form (or charge a supplement for doing so) BUT it's the only format which the CAA will accept for this information. A simple guide to work out if you need an opticians report: a) If you don’t wear glasses or contacts (or if you do but have a ‘weak‘ prescription), you won’t need a report. b) If you wear glasses / contacts and have a ‘medium strength’ prescription, you’ll need a report 5 yearly. c) If you wear glasses / contacts and have a ‘high strength’ prescription, you’ll need a report 2 yearly.

5. If you have any medical conditions or are on any medication (particularly new diagnoses or treatments) email me beforehand with details.

6. All class 1 pilots will need a finger prick haemoglobin blood test. Whilst I’m taking that blood we could use a drop to check your lipid profile. For some this is mandatory but for most it’s optional. So consider if you would like your lipid profile checking at the medical.  I’ll use the information to calculate your stroke and heart attack risk over the next decade and discuss strategies to reduce elevated risk.

7. If you would like a chaperone to be present during the medical, either bring someone with you or let me know beforehand if you’d like me to make arrangements for one.

8. Bring some means of paying (see fees and paying page) unless you work for a company with whom I have an arrangement (such as Draken or Teesside Airport).