Help Required - Flying Cat after Illness

[tutgby]

Hi all,

I was wondering whether anyone could help. Basically my father is a serving RAF Officer who recently (in the past year and a half) was diagnosed with bowel cancer and was treated with the subsequent chemotherapy and an operation. Thankfully he has recovered now and is working fulltime again.

He was told by his RAF doctor that due to the nature of the cancer his flying category had been frozen for 5 years and would be reviewed after that period of time to see whether he was still medically fit.

He was flying in the AEF when he got the news and plans on returning to the AEF as soon as possible once he regains his flying category.

Does anyone have any experience in this situation, and is there any chance of getting back in the air sooner (for him)? Do the Medics allow some leeway in the 5 yr time period or is it a case of having to stick with a permanent 5 year freeze on the Flying Cat and then being assessed for medical fitness?

Thanks for the help,

tutgby

[Random Bloke]

Some years ago a colleague of mine was diagnosed with cancer and had a successful operation to remove it. He regained a limited flying category about 6 months later but that was an 'as or with' (ie as co-pilot or with a co-pilot) category. I assume that such a med cat would preclude flying on the AEF. My colleague only got that restricted category because his civilian oncologist wrote to the medical board at Henlow so it's probably a good idea to get the civilian specialist on-side ASAP. I think the bottom line is that the medics have the final word and the medical wheels move very slowly.

[Pontius Navigator]

RB is quite right, I know of several restricted med cat pilots but all are usually placed in multi-crew aircraft.

[Wrathmonk]

Tutgby

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W