Heart Surgery and PPL/NPPL medical

[gingernut]

Can anyone tell me if heart surgery, (specifically Coronary Artery Bypass Graft), would stop a patient passing either his PPL medical, or his NPPL medical ?

If so, could he still microlight, assuming he was stable ?

Thanks, David

[Flyin'Dutch']

Hi David,

The way I interpret the NPPL and DVLA advice it should be possible to get an NPPL medical.

Have a look for yourself here (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/49/Coronary_Artery_protocol.pdf) .

I don't know about a JAR Class 2 medical.

A good recovery and being asymptomatic would be needed to be considered for an FAA medical.

FD

[gingernut]

thanks fd, most useful.

[AntiCrash]

I had two stents fitted a year and a half ago. Last week I recieved a third class US medical. I will have to have a Nuclear Cardio stress test every year at least for four years or so. If I want to regain my first class or even a second class they insist on an angiogram each year. I think not. For now I'll give up the lears and fly my 182.

I'm not sad. If anyone out there is experiencing breathing problems after a little workout get checked now! I seriously thought I was having a bout with allergies, as did my physician.
I went to a pulmanologist twice to find out why I had a burning feeling in my lungs under exercion. They felt like you do when you go out from a warm house into the winter and run laps.

I finally wound up at a cardiologist who found I had two blocked arteries one in the front with 98% occlusion and one in the back with 75% blockage. Two procedures and two stents later I'm alive.

My primary care guy told me that cardiac problems are sometimes almost imposible to find untill it's too late. By the way, before my breathing problems started I had no trouble passing a first class physical. Don't be fooled and for crissakes don't be too macho to get a proper check out.

[gingernut]

thanks anticrash, sounds like your making a good recovery.

I'm sort of coming at it from a different angle, I've been asked to talk about my experiences gaining the PPL, by our local "Zipper," club, who consist of patients, and carers, who have experienced heart surgery. I'm trying to anticipate the obvious questions, one of which, may be "when can I start my training."

It depends on how enthused I m make them, I might put them off for life !

[mad_jock]

Basically if they are allowed to drive a car they can hold a NPPL.

If only a car they can just go solo.

If they meet the HGV standards they can carry pax.

I have been quite suprised the number of Class 2 failures who had no problem regaining a NPPL.

And there are many HGV drivers out there who have had all sorts of cardio surgery and get behined the wheel again.

The hardest part is finding a GP who is willing to sign the form.

MJ

[gingernut]

thanks mj, I'll pass that on