Licences and medicals

[howell]

Many Thanks Chris all interesting times.

[Brian Hope]

Hi Chris (H), there is due to be an announcement by CAA around April in relation to the CAA Consultation Chris M mentions. It almost certainly won't mean that the Class 2 medical is abolished for the UK PPL because there are still many people who use that licence as an ICAO approved licence, and will continue to do so into the future because they only fly Annex 11 aircraft, for which you do not need an EASA licence. However, you can already use your UK PPL with a NPPL Medical Declaration, in which case it is no longer ICAO compliant and not valid other than in the UK, Channel Islands and Ireland.
The Consultation was about allowing users of an NPPL to fly without having to get a Medical Declaration provided they have a valid car licence. This is what the announcement will be about, and the vibe is that this will get the nod. However, in what exact form that takes is not yet known. The optimum result would be that NPPL holders will be able to fly without a Medical Declaration provided they have a valid car licence, be able to carry passengers, and there will be no maximum age limit. Likewise, as now with UK PPL holders, they will be able to use their licence with a valid car licence rather than get a Medical Declaration, but note they will still only get NPPL privileges and not full ICAO privileges (for which they will still need a Class 2).
My gut feeling is we will get most of what we would like, but I do think there is a possibility of an age cap (perhaps 70 years of age) above which if you want to continue taking passengers you will need a Medical Declaration. We will have to wait and see!

[howell]

Many Thanks Brian very helpful and appreciate your explanation its an interesting old times we try to fly in.

[John Dean]

The following interesting email from the CAA copied from the Jodel Yahoo Group:-

From: Wilkins Kevin
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎February‎ ‎18‎, ‎2016 ‎1‎:‎52‎ ‎PM
To: Jim Cripps
Cc: Rapson Tony

Dear Jim,

As you will have seen from Tony’s out of office notification, he is out on leave at the moment and as a result your query has been passed to me. I am working for Tony as the GA Programme Manager, and one of the subjects close to my heart is the project implementing Medical Self-Declaration for UK NPPL & UK PPL holders.

We are currently in the process of amending the various pieces of legislation (specifically the Air Navigation Order) and introducing new on-line systems which will allow UK NPPL and UK PPL licence holders to submit a medical self-declaration, without the need to attend for a medical examination and to subsequently exercise the privileges of their licence within UK airspace. Obviously there are some medical conditions which will still require the pilot to attend a medical examination and in most cases this will subsequently require a LAPL medical. However, the basis of the medical self-declaration is indeed that the pilot meets the medical requirements for a Group 1 Licence issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – although please note that there is no requirement to actually hold a Group 1 licence.

Subject to the legislative changes being approved by Government this project is expected to complete in late Spring/early Summer 2016. The CAA General Aviation Unit will ensure that GA community stakeholders are informed of the associated process and tools in detail in order that they can take advantage of this new approach.

I trust this response answers your question.


Kind Regards,

Kevin.

[Brian Hope]

Well that has cleared up whether UK PPL holders will be included in the new 'car licence' regime, they will! That's good news. Now we await the full SP on whether there are any restrictions or caveats but from the tone of the response it would seem we can feel reasonably positive.

[Ian Melville]

I may be reading too much between the lines, but that email has raised a few concerns for me.
1. No mention of the NPPL Declaration, will this fall by the wayside?
2. What medical conditions will require a LAPL medical? If it is those that currently force a GP to refer you to an AME, then I am doomed to LAPL medicals due to my hearing loss.

I also have concerns about the hearing requirements for the LAPL medial. It would seem to depend on how pragmatic the AME is. The actual wording makes a LAPL more stringent than a Class 2 initial and Class 1 renewal.

[Brian Hope]

Hi Ian, my understanding is that the Medical Declaration will remain in place. There are some medical conditions that have to be notified to the CAA now with the Medical Declaration and I guess they will be the same ones as will need to be with the car licence declaration.
Rgds, Brian.

[Ian Melville]

I hope it is the same as the DVLA requirements, time will tell.

[mikehallam]

http://www.caa.co.uk/News/Changes-to-pr ... announced/
[u] 9th May 2016.
Changes to private pilot medical requirements announced[/u]
Following a public consultation, 96% of those responding agreed with our proposals, which will lead to both cost and time savings for pilots and, in most cases, remove the need for GP or AME involvement.


mikehallam

[AlanR]

Whilst obviously very good news for some, unless I have misinterpreted it, it only applies to UK CAA (poo brown) and NPPL licences.
Therefore I think if like a lot of folk you converted your old poo brown UK licence to an EASA one a year or so ago a normal AME medical is unfortunately still going apply.
I would love to be corrected if I have this wrong?

[Chris Martyr]

I still have the buff coloured licence with the embossed gold lettering. [ Poo Brown,,,really ] and I'm glad that I did keep it ! I've found that I get an allergic reaction if I go anywhere near anything with EASA written on it.
I wouldn't mind using that rather childlike term for the Euro-Licence though, after all, everything they touch turns to sh....
But from what I've read from the CAA response to the consultation , it looks like the Feds are going to try and encourage EASA to bring the LAPL under the same regs.
Should be ready by about 2050 then !

[mikehallam]

A Triumph for our few fragments of English/British independence from the Eu maw.

** HURRAH !! **

Our OWN CAA has wrought a marvellous change in the face of EASA & the rest of them, in sensibly granting NPPL and UK PPL pilots to do their own Medical Self certification.

That means us lot on the upper side of 70 who will shortly be allowed, just as for our Driving Licences, to carry on flying without having to deal any more with with sometimes obstructive and fee demanding GPs - who in any case have better things to do with their time.

It's noteworthy that in the CAA document mentioned above
a) We're doing the same as the USA (Not what is demanded by the Eu 'masters' we suffer from normally) and
b) Our CAA will try and persuade the EASA wallahs to do the British thing themselves, to aid those pilots persuaded, nay compelled, to go for the Eu centric licences. Poor deluded boys.

I'm so very grateful the UK CAA gave me a lifetime PPL which through thick & thin and other enticements to change to another Licence, is still the gold plated key allowing me to continue flying.
[b]
[All we need do now is totally leave the Eu and be free regulate our own destiny as we see fit.][/b]

mike hallam