CAA and EASA Medicals Relaxing Rules
CAA rules and regulations are relaxing all the time. Its possible to have a pilot medical nowadays with conditions and treatments which would previously have been a bar. See your AME, in many instance you will be able to get a medical certificate. The CAA issues much guidance and advice about medical issues which are publicly available here. One point of note is the principle that any medical certificate is valid only provided the information you provide to obtain it is accurate. Errors and omissions in the information provided to obtain a certificate automatically invalidate the certificate. The doctors you see at the time of a medical are looking after your health and doing their utmost to keep you and others safe but they are doctors, not private investigators, and herein lies the principle that the validity of a medical certificate is only as secure as information used to obtain it.I issue medical certificates for professional pilots who fly on ATPL and CPL licenses, Air traffic controllers and FISOs, recreational pilots who fly on NPPL, LAPL and PPL licences, cabin crew, Balloon and Airship Pilots, and parachutists needing a medical declaration where their GP is unable to provide this.
Medical Self Declaration:
Information on the medical self declaration is here. The online application form for the self declaration is here.LAPL Pilots:
Information on the LAPL medical certificate is here. An LAPL medical certificate can be issued by your usual GP - but only if you have no significant medical history and your GP is willing to participate in the scheme. Your GP will need to follow the guidance on this page, recording data on this form for storage and communication with the CAA, observing and applying certificate limitations outlined here. An overview of the process (with list of conditions precluding a GP from issuing a LAPL medical certificate) this LAPL flowchart. An AME on the other hand, can issue a LAPL medical certificate for an applicant with no medical history but also for those who have a medical history which would preclude the issue of the certificate by a GP. Where an applicant has conditions from a given list, a GP can not issue a LAPL medical certificate, but should instead refer the applicant to an AME. Applicants with a condition or a history of a condition on the list would be wise to consult an AME from the outset. If you ‘self refer’ to an AME (perhaps because you have one of the listed conditions) you will need to ask your GP for an overview of any relevant medical history and this should be provided by you to the AME at or before the medical. If you have had an LAPL medical with your GP and you have been referred to an AME as a result a referral form is on this ‘LAPL GP Referral to AME Form’. If you have any relevant medical history, discuss it with me (by phone or preferably email) when you make your appointment, so that I can advise you of any additional information you’ll need to provide at your medical in order that your medical certificate can be issued at the time of the medical.The basis of the medical requirements for LAPL certificates (and who can issue the certificate ie GP vs AME) are the DVLA standards for Group 1 (car) and Group 2 (HGV/PSV) drivers. The requirements are laid out in this document. Essentially, if you have none of the medical conditions listed in page 2 of this document AND you meet the Group 2 standards for the DVLA in this document, your GP may be able to issue a LAPL certificate. Otherwise, you’ll need an AME.
PPL Pilots:
Class 2 medial certificates can only be issued by AMEs (and the aeromedical centres). Information on the issue of an initial Class 2 medical certificates is provided here. In essence, provided you’ve no disqualifying symptoms, medical history or current medications and there are no untoward findings on physical examination of the different organ systems (including heart, lungs, abdomen, nervous system, eyes and ears) and a simple urine test and any required ECG is satisfactory, you can expect a valid medical certificate to be entered onto the CAA’s database and to leave the medical with a printed certificate in hand. The validity periods of certificates and requirement and frequency of any special tests (such as an ECG) are listed here.ATPL and CPL Pilots:
Class 1 medical holders need to have an initial Class 1 medical at an aeromedical centre (AeMC) and these are listed on the CAA website. The UK AeMCs and the process for applying are listed on this page. The UK CAA AeMC at Gatwick no longer performs routine examinations. Like any Class 1 AME, I can renew or re-validate Class 1 medical certificates.ATCOs:
Information about European Class 3 Medical certificates is here. Like professional pilots, ATCOs need to have their initial Class 3 medical at an AeMC (listed on the CAA website) but I’m pleased to be able to support local ATCOs with their Class 3 renewals and re-validations.UK Balloon and Airship Pilots:
Guidance for such pilots exists here. If you are unsuited to or unfit for a self declaration of health to support your Balloon Licence and you need a Class 2 medical, I can provide this.Cabin Crew:
The medical requirements for cabin crew are outlined here. You will need to complete the application form shown here. I use the standard CAA CCA document shown here which, all being well, you will take away with you on the day.
