I have followed this thread and similar ones quietly, and now I would like to add my thoughts.
If you live in the UK, there is a very high probability that your GP did not train & originally qualify in the UK, probably not even in Europe. When a foreign Dr wants to practice in the UK he/she must undertake a language proficiency test and a check of their medical competancy. They can then go onto the medical register and work in the UK. They DO NOT have to sit all of their medical exams again. Why should pilots have to go back to square one and sit the 14 theoretical exams? Yes, there are a few medics that slip through the net who are a danger, but its the same in aviation and in all other walks of life. All that is required & should be required of non euro licence holders to convert is an unbiased practical proficiency test with a TRE/IRE. You can either fly the aircraft safely or you cant. End of story.
While i'm on the subject, it amuses and irritates me in equal measure when people bang on about 200 hr cadets being a liability and a danger in the RHS of airliners. Everyone has to start somewhere. They just need supervision and BA had hundreds of such cadets and it was never an issue for 40 years. Much more of a concern are the pilots (trained on either side of the Atlantic) who despite thousands of flying hours still CANNOT operate an aircraft professionally. I will illustrate my point. We recruited a new first officer for our aircraft. He was an ex RAF Tornado driver, with "combat" experience (not much use on a bizjet, not much use for anything except errmm combat...) he had obtained a JAA compliant ATPL (no doubt with a bit of assistance from HM taxpayer....to help him "transition" to civilian life) I assume he had therefore passed his 14 exams, GFT IR flights and would be a very capable top drawer clever dick etc etc. He was very affable, well presented and had shoes that were polished to the point of perversion. Heres the rub... He could NOT trim the aircraft properly in flight (a Hawker 800, not exactly difficult) Maybe they dont have stab trim on Tornados.....i don't know. We let him go. Maybe hes flying an Airbus now where it trims itself. European licenses are the aviation gold standard? Crap. Thankyou and goodnight.
Last edited by Private jet; 16th Nov 2010 at 21:46.