CASA and CASR Part 61

[flywatcher]

Part 61 and DLMA holders

After slowly wading through this document I note, that not unexpectedly, CASA has been very slippery with the change from the old Driver Licence Medical (Aviation) to the new RAMPC which will probably disqualify 95% of the current DLMA holders.
It is my understanding that the DLMA was introduced so that many holders of Class 2 medicals who had difficulty with the Class 2 requirements could continue to fly under certain conditions, Day VFR, one passenger, aircraft under 1500 kg etc.
The new CASR Part 61 states
Are there any differences between the Driver Licence Medical (Aviation) and the new RAMPC?

The RAMPC replaced the Driver Licence Medical (Aviation) (DLMA) on 1 September 2014. The DLMA was based on an exemption granted by the Director of Aviation Safety on 29 June 2012. It allowed holders of a CASA-issued student pilot licence, PPL, CPL or ATPL to fly without a medical certificate when the pilot was conducting private operations, complied with certain limitations and had undergone a modified driver licence medical examination.
The requirements of the new RAMPC are essentially the same; however there is no need for an exemption under the new Part 61 rules.



That all sounds pretty good until you look at the new application form where one very tricky little paragraph has been slipped in which removes a large proportion of the old DLMA medical holders from the sky forever.


CASA Medical Audit conditions
Where an applicant is currently subject to a CASA medical audit they will be unable to hold a Recreational Aviation Medical Practitioner’s Certificate.
Under a Class 2 Medical Certificate which is
endorsed with ‘CASA audit required’ applicants have the ability to hold a certificate which can then be
revalidated by a DAME but CASA will audit the certificate before it is issued. The nature of a
Recreational Aviation Medical Practitioner’s Certificate
does not allow an applicant who is subject to
CASA medical audit conditions to hold a
Recreational Aviation Medical Practitioner’s Certificate
due to the requirement the certificate be unconditional.

I would hazard a guess that about 90% or more of DLMA holders have "CASA Audit Required" on their old class 2 and can no longer be bothered jumping through the hoops required by AvMed. The simple Clause 12 above removes any chance of older pilots flying under a reduced medical standard and makes the new RAMPC effectively the same as a Class 2 but without the privileges.

At the end of the day it will be another few hundred pilots not flying and the legal people or AvMed completely neutralising the effects of the earlier exemption.

What a shame!!