Hello folks, great to be contributing again!
I was told by the CAA after sending them my medical records that they would fail me if I were to attend for a class 1 or ANY class of medical. As you can see NigelS I am still reading these boards AND contributing to them
I had an 'isolated incident' five and a half years ago, subsequently took all the tests, was given the all clear but in my case the CAA have chosen to apply the DVLA ten year rule, i.e. no solo operation before ten years have elapsed from the date of the case. The problem with the rules governing medical fitness to fly is interperetation. Having read the JAA medi regs and based upon my medi notes I felt that I had a more than reasonable case to present having found an 'identifiable' cause to my attack. But the guys who matter didn't see it that way.
Very recently I visited a Professor of Neurology who told me that the EEG, even in a diagnosed epiliptec will very rarely show evidence of the underlying condition and vice-versa, transient spikes do not neccesarily indicate any predisposition. If there is a physiological condition this is shown up with a CAT scan, which the CAA don't do but considering their attitude towards what they interperate as epilepsy maybe they should! (Price would go up NigelS not down!!!!
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The bottom line? The regs say what they say and as wannabes we're powerless to change the way they are interperated. It is harsh to exclude people like this but because there's no empirical way of determing whether someone will or wont fit or have any more 'fits' all the CAA can do is refer to the statistics but I remain very sceptical.
Another doctor told me that the chances of recurrence are reduced to that of any other individual SIX years after the event. In light of this maybe the CAA are being slightly ruthless applying the ten year rule. All things said, if the attitude towards what they determine as epilepsy or a predisposition to it is going to change, I for one will be very happy. May all your landings be good ones ... ...