Hi, I tried a search and surprisingly little came up actually.
I have a UK PPL, and on Thursday I had a Spontaneous Pneumothorax (SP). It wasn't a big one and my lung didn't fully collapse. It was only about 4cm big. I didn't need anything done to it other than getting it asperated with a needle through my back into my pleural cavity(i think, i'm no doctor)
I'm young, fit and healthy, and I'm 18 years old. I'm also tall and thin, and I understand this occurs commonly in people of my anatomy.
What I am asking is, what are the repercussions of this on my would be career as an airline pilot within the UK. And have I now lost my class 2 medical.
OBVIOUSLY before I next fly I will discuss this with an AME, but I am at uni right now and have no plans to fly in the near future as I can far from afford it, so it's not completely urgent yet.
Are there others out there who have had an SP and continued to fly with a Class 1 or 2? What about as an ATCO? Are my dreams in effect shattered?
Thanks a lot.
Update
I just wanted to update this so that anyone in a similar position in the near future can get an up to date opinion.
I called the CAA Medical Division who as it turns out are a nice bunch.
The Medical Officer on duty talked me through what my options were. As is the case for me right now, I am "temporarily unfit" and will be for 6 weeks after my respiratory consultant concludes that I am totaly recovered. (Which was about a week and a half after the incident to be honest!)
Once my certificate is re-instated I will be restricted to flying with a safety pilot.
If it was a Class One medical I had, I would be unfit for one year- after which I could re-apply for a Class One again.
Thanks everyone for your replies.