Class 1 medical

[thekite]

CASA have agreed to reinstate the Class 1 medical that I lost some years ago.

Problem is, they have endorsed it, "With or as Copilot". The only commercial work that I want to do, is instruct.

I did not think that a student pilot licence holder could be a copilot, but they say, yes, if he is endorsed on type.

'Endorsed on type'; OK, but this does not happen until the student is about to face the testing officer, as I understand it. By which time, most of the dual time is completed.

Has anyone else struck this?

[chimbu warrior]

FWIW, I know that in the US the FAA allow an instructor to have [B]no[B] medical certificate, provided the pilot under instruction has at least a 2nd class medical.

I'm not sure if this includes ab-initio students or not.

[turbantime]

I know of someone that is/was in same boat as you. What it basically means is that you can do post GFPT instructing. Ie Student has SE<5700kg sticker in their logbook.

However, if he/she decides to persue say a CSU/Retract/Tailwheel etc endorsement during the course of their syllabus then student will have to fly with someone else to get said sticker before you continue flying with that student on that aircraft type.

Hope this helps and as always, open to corrections.

[VH-Cheer Up]

Might one enquire why they've done this? If it's not too much of an invasion of personal (anonymous) privacy, what did they think was wrong with you?

[thekite]

Yes , it is to do with " cardiac ischaemia", ie some of my blood vessels have narrowing. I have been on medication for many years and am fit, having just passed INITIAL ISSUE examination.

I suppose they'll wait until I cark it at 90 and say "Ah Ha! we told you he was sick!"

[thekite]

Thanks,
Yes, but it only confirms my gloom. I should have mentioned that my field is helicopter instruction.
By the time that a student has an endorsement, he/she has covered all the fun stuff. Limited power, confined areas etc. These are the things enjoyed by student and instructor alike.

[VH-Cheer Up]

Reason I asked, was because I had a similar issue with failing a medical after admitting to migraines. Took me ten years, lots of tests, and an eventual diagnosis from my neurologist that my condition was apparently gone as I had not had any further incidences for over five years.

So perhaps there's some hope that despite the narrowing, you can get a report to say the condition is not in any way limiting nor is it likely to worsen?

[thekite]

Thanks for the encouragement. Actually I think that they accept that I am not as dangerous as they had thought, or they would not let me fly with students at all.

I am yet to reply to their latest missive, but maybe I could suggest that they only require me to ensure that the student can fly by himself if the Grim Reaper takes me out!

[VH-Cheer Up]

Er, well... Not sure I would even suggest the Grim Reaper might even pay you a visit while airborne...

Can you ask your doctor/specialist to evaluate the likelihood of your condition causing sudden incapacitation? Because that's the one thing that's going to be a problem.

I assume if you feel at all crook you don't fly?

All that CASA is trying to do is prevent you from hurting yourself or someone else in the event of incapacitation. I don't condone pilots going from DAME to DAME looking for someone to pass them with a dodgy ticker, I remember a story about an eight-year old boy having to stop an aircraft when his Dad died at the controls while taxiing (Parafield, 1980's, I think, unless it's just an urban legend).

The point is whether your condition is likely to have sudden explosive consequences. And I'm guessing the conditions they've given you must mean that is very unlikely otherwise they would simply pull your ticket.

In your position I would grudgingly accept the constraints and get back to flying. Over time, once you've proven you can operate as they have specified and have had no "nasty turns", you might be able to negotiate a gradual lessening of the constraints, with the help of some supportive documentation from your health care providers.

Best of luck.

VH-CU