JAA class 1 - again!

[sgreeno]

Hello
I apologise but the search criteria didnt help me much

If you get the class 1 medical for the first few years, but over time your eyesight and hearing deteriorate and you are unable to renew your medical, are you then left unemployed etc?

There must be differing standards the older you get?

Thanks
Steve

[Tamesy1]

Yes, renewal standards of Class 1's are less stringent than the initial, in order to account for deterioration of physiological function as one ages. Take a look at this (bottom of page)
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=49&pagetype=90&pageid=531

Cheers, T1

[IO540]

You can be deaf as a post and keep your airline pilot job, on "demonstrated ability".

Appendix 16 of this (http://www.jaa.nl/publications/jars/606984.pdf).

Now, can anybody think of why the subsequent medicals should be easier than the initial ones? Let's face it, if you are good to fly later on then you are good to fly from the start. This whole thing (about different initial/renewal limits) is just a pointless job creation scheme.

[David Horn]

Because, much though we don't like to admit it our bodies are not the same at 50 as they are at 20. Setting stringent initial conditions ensures that the renewals can be relaxed a bit for the normal degradation of our bodies as we get older, and if the CAA did apply the initial requirements then a lot of older pilots would suddenly find themselves unemployed.