I am trying to contact people who have converted a non-UK JAA class 1 medical to a UK issued JAA medical certificate.
The CAA are refusing to convert my Dutch medical, on the argument that I was assessed as CVD at Gatwick (failed both lanterns), however I later passed a Beyne lantern in The Netherlands and have been assessed as colour safe and granted an unrestricted JAA class 1. (Incidentally, as some of you will already be aware, I did not fail a UK medical - as I chose not to continue after the colour vision tests - therefore I was entitled to go and do another medical elsewhere). I wish to eventually end up with a UK issued licence, so I want to convert my medical to a UK issued one.
This is particularly irritating since the CAA advised me before I went to get the foreign class 1 (I spoke to the chief medical examiner) that there would be no problem converting it - silly me for not getting this in writing, also, oddly enough (but understandably I suppose if this is a contentious issue internally at the CAA) there is no record on their system of this conversation.
They also tried to imply that since the protocol used for administering the Beyne lantern test in The Netherlands may (or may not) be different to that used in the UK, that the tests would not be acceptable to them - this seems entirely contrary to the spirit of the JAA, and extremely illogical since they would surely convert a foreign medical without further testing for an applicant who had not previously failed the UK colour vision tests - I guess I've rubbed them up the wrong way by getting a second opinion.
As a final rubbing of salt into the wound they then said that they were not even willing to commit to saying that if the protocol used *was* the same, then they would accept my medical for conversion.
I guess it's not the end of the world - I can always get a licence elsewhere in Europe - but it would be preferable to get a UK issued licence. I certainly intend to pursue this a good deal further before resorting to getting a foreign licence.
(Incidentally, does anyone know if there are other European states in which you can take the ATPL exams in English - and also whether or not a UK based ATPL groundschool qualifies to take the exams elsewhere - don't really want to have to learn a foreign language on top of the ATPL study).
The CAA, although polite, seem determined to make this process difficult for me - I was even told there was no procedure for converting a non-uk medical, and that SOLI changes were only done on licences - despite the fact that on their own website they publish the procedure for doing a SOLI change on a medical (
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/49/SRG_MED...%5B2577%5D.pdf) and I know of people on here who have done just that.
I have corresponded with Blinkz on here who did convert a German JAA medical but, and I quite understand why, he does not want his name or reference number used in my correspondance with the CAA, so I'm trying to find out if anyone else who's done this would be willing to have their details used to establish precedent for this.
If anyone can help out I'd be enormously grateful - please drop me a PM.